Allan Arkush on THE PLAYER

After a brief detour working in television and off Broadway, Robert Altman returned to the big screen with a vengeance in 1992’s The Player. Based on Michael Tolkin’s book about a murderous movie producer, the black-comic material seemed ready made for the acerbic director. Starring Tim Robbins as the guilty studio head, the film begins with a title sequence that satirizes tinseltown better than any full-length comedy. Hooray for Hollywood, indeed.
As always, you can find more commentary, more reviews, more podcasts, and more deep-dives into the films you don't know you love yet over on the Trailers From Hell mothership:
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[@maxthepupp]

Allan I just know it was a simple oversight to not include The Stunt Man.
Ps I lOVE - LOVE! - S.O.B. I've seen this one maybe 25 times..

[@aaronmastriani1556]

I love The Player, but my personal favorite movie about movies, which you didn't mention, is Richard Rush's The Stunt Man.

[@trailersfromhell]

Another great flick, which TFH Guru Adam Rifkin chats about on our podcast The Movies That Made Me! trailersfromhell.com/podcast/adam-rifkin/

[@hwy61rv]

You are right I missed that one. Damn

[@bobnelson9480]

There's nothing quite like movies about Hollywood, books about Hollywood, and songs about Hollywood. Hooray for Hollywood.....

[@guyincognito1423]

Great movie. Hard to imagine any filmmaker other than Altman pulling off that opening scene.

[@__hjg__2123]

Not bad list.. but, how can you forget Bowfinger?....... a true classic.

[@jacobadams5924]

hmmmm--classic....hmmmmmm.....

[@wforge]

I just got the inside joke on Hollywood Boulevard. Well played, Mr. Arkush.

[@hwy61rv]

Thank you. It made Joe Dante laugh too.

[@raystaar]

The one constant between movie people and tv people is this: THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO MIX AUDIO. Half of the sound is too soft and HALF IS TOO LOUD.

[@Davesky19]

The Player is kind of a forgotten masterpiece that holds up just as well today. Every time I watch it I’m astonished by how brilliant the screenplay was and the precision of Altman’s direction. His career was hit-and-miss, but he was the perfect director for this material. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, put it high on your list.

[@nellieworkman3935]

I wish I had the money to go to the AFI Conservatory because I'd love to be in one of Arkush's classes.

[@SirSmoldham]

What a list. I adore "The Player" so much. I have even been on the lot that appears in that wonderful opening. But I can't help but agree with Mr Mastriani. "How tall is King Kong?" "Three foot six!" LOL. I just can't get enough of movies about movies.

[@crabnebula1914]

love every movie Arkush mentions, and why the hell won't anyone release Hollywood Boulevard on DVD/BluRay ?? ;-) Check out 'It Happened in Hollywood' based on a Sam Fuller script, great stuff!

[@wforge]

I would add "The Oscar" to that list. A hilariously over-dramatic movie. It's a must watch, if just to hear Tony Bennet (yes, the singer!) narrate and deliver lines like "If you like down with pigs, you get up smelling like garbage." or yelling euphemistic profanity like "BIRDSEED!" . A great bad movie.

[@AnthonySmith-ty7ij]

The player is a terrific movie. Altman follows it with Short Cuts, and received another Oscar nomination. Also not mentioned include 2022's Babylon.

[@DavidThomas-fb8bq]

I like Mistress. It's on RUclips somewhere. Robert de nero.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

Fred Ward has a good role as the studio trouble-shooter.
"I have no problem with political movies, so long as they aren't POLITICAL political!"

[@daxxonjabiru428]

Bless his heart ... he found a nice hobby.

[@reader1956]

I still don't like "Singin' in the Rain". Never have.

[@jackgrattan1447]

I too miss Miracle Pictures.

[@bartman898]

Great intro.
I wish there was more of your hosts sharing their passion and knowledge of films.

[@hwy61rv]

Thank you, but they all love and live for movies. We all do these TFH's for free.

[@only257]

Awesome😜

[@willvazquez3218]

How about John Schlesinger's day of the locust

[@127ibenedict]

First

[@bobnelson9480]

First comment on the first comment.

[@paulkevinkoehler9490]

Second reply* to the first comment.