{"product_id":"the-nashville-chronicles-the-making-of-robert-altmans-masterpiece","title":"The Nashville Chronicles: The Making of Robert Altman's Masterpiece","description":"\u003cp\u003eDirector Robert Altmans cult-film masterpiece Nashville is given its first ever behind-the-scenes viewing in this scrupulously researched book by Newsday and The Advocate film critic Jan Stuart. Written with the full cooperation of Altman  and including interviews with virtually everyone involved with the film  The Nashville Chronicles is a remarkable piece of reporting that explores both the creation of and the execution of a classic film.    When Nashville was first released in 1975  Robert Altman had already established himself as a film director with a unique vision and a natural ability to walk the fine line between the hyperreal and the surreal. A few years earlier  Altman had earned great acclaim -- and financial success -- through the brilliant and darkly comic film MASH  later to be turned into one of televisions most enduring series. That wildly successful movie was followed by a series of quirky films  all provocative and controversial  but none with the scope of vision he was to demonstrate in his next release  Nashville. As might be expected  the making of Nashville started out just as unfocused and haphazard as had all of Altmans prior films. His improvisational style  his disdain for linear story line  his reliance on the actors to find their own ways through to the end -- all these traits promised chaos many times over when imposed on a \"concept\" as complicated and fraught with potential problems as Nashville was. For Nashville was not one story  it was twenty-four separate stories  all happening at once  layered and overlapping  weaving in and out. And Nashville was not conceived as a film about a city and its industry (in this case  country music)  but as a film about America and its obsession with fame and success. Stuart has undertaken the mammoth task of reaching all the principals involved with the creation of this landmark film  and has succeeded wonderfully in detailing the methods and the means by which it was put together  as well as providing an intimate look at the interplay of egos among the twenty-four actors and actresses who peopled this film. Given the benefit of full cooperation by Altman  who himself sat for many hours of interviews  Stuarts book  illustrated throughout with behind-the-scenes photos  is both an entertaining journalistic tour de force and a valuable tool for students of films and filmmaking.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44959839584309,"sku":"ByrdShop_0684865432","price":86.74,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780684865430.jpg?v=1770375704","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-nashville-chronicles-the-making-of-robert-altmans-masterpiece","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}