Alan Rudolph: Romance and a Crazed WorldTwayne, 1996 - 169 pages In this first comprehensive, book-length study of the 16 films Rudolph has made to date, Richard Ness analyzes the unique visual and aural characteristics of what he calls "the Rudolph universe". Ness separates his discussion of Rudolph's work according to his more personal films - including Welcome to L.A. (1977), Choose Me, Trouble in Mind (1986), The Moderns, and Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle - and what Rudolph has referred to as his "director-for-hire" studio projects, the most successful of which has been Mortal Thoughts. Beginning with Rudolph's early directorial work - and including his collaborations with his mentor, Robert Altman - Ness focuses on the recurring themes of the search for identity and romantic fulfillment, paying particular attention to Rudolph's complex approach to visual composition and mise-en-scene. Ness closely examines how Rudolph has adapted a number of genres to his thematic interests, so that even films in familiar generic territory tend to veer into an environment unique to the director. He argues that whether drawing on conventions of women's melodramas (Remember My Name (1978)), film noir (Trouble in Mind), westerns (Songwriter (1985)), political thrillers (Endangered Species (1982)), detective films (Love at Large (1989)), suspense dramas (Mortal Thoughts), or comedies - both romantic (Choose Me) and slapstick (Roadie (1980)) - Rudolph is concerned as much with the interactions of the people in these formulaic situations as with the situations themselves. |
Contents
The Altman Connection | 1 |
3 | 23 |
Somewhere between Bogie and Bowie | 46 |
Copyright | |
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Alan Rudolph Art/Film Stills Archive artistic attempt Barbara becomes begins Benchley Beverly Blackie Buffalo Bill camera Carroll Cavell Cavell's characters Choose close-up comedy concept connection Coop Coop's Courtesy Museum Cynthia deception demonstrated depiction director dream Elmo Emily Emily's Endangered Species Equinox established Eve's film noir film's Freddy Gailard Sartain Genevieve Bujold genre Georgia Geraldine Chaplin Harry Hart Hawk heaven Henry Hollywood identity indicated Jan Kiesser Joyce Karen Keith Carradine later Linda Lola Love at Large MacArthur Mark Isham marriage Mickey Mike mirror Miss Dolan Modern Art/Film Stills Monthly Film Bulletin Mortal Thoughts movie Nancy/Ann Neil noir Parker Production provides Rachel reflection reinforced relationship remarriage Remember My Name Roadie Robert Altman romantic Rudolph's films scene seek seems shot songs Stella Stone studio suggests takes tells throughout the film tion Travis Trouble in Mind two-shot unknown woman Vicious Circle visual women