SHORT CUTS

US, 1993, 189 minutes, Colour.
Andie Mac Dowell, Bruce Davison, Jack Lemmon, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine. Anne Archer, Fred Ward, Lily Tomlin, Tom Waits, Chris Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Robert Downey Jr, Peter Gallagher, Lily Taylor, Tim Robbins, Madeline Stowe, Frances Mc Dormand, Annie Ross, Lori Singer, Lyle Lovett.
Directed by Robert Altman.

Short Cuts is a strong Robert Altman film of the early '90s. After making a strong impact in the '70s, with such films as Mc Cabe and Mrs Miller, Nashville and A Wedding, he went into some obscurity in the '80s, working for television and adapting plays for the screen (including Secret Honour, Streamers, Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean...,).

With his success in 1992 with The Player, Altman won Cannes awards and Oscar nominations and became a celebrated director once again on the world cinema scene.

Short Cuts is an amalgam of stories and characters from the short stories of Raymond Carver, re-worked by Altman and transported to California, a cinema essay on Californian life and styles. It is a long film - however, with Altman's skill and panache, it contains many memorable characters and sequences. The musical score and Annie Ross's songs add something of a surreal commentary on the action. Short Cuts shared the Best Film award at the 1993 Venice Film Festival.

1. A panorama of Californian life, the number of stories, intertwined, the thematic binding, relationships, events? Ordinary stories? The singing of the blues - and the stories as illustrating California blues?

2. The work of Robert Altman, his skill in panoramic films?

3. The town of Downey, its environment, homes, shops? The importance of the credits and the spraying sequences with the helicopters? The effect of such spray and poisons on the Californian town - and the people? The climax with the earthquake?

4. The musical score, Annie Ross and her songs - the blues, the style, the themes, the lyrics (echoing the events)?

5. The work of Raymond Carver, his observation of people, small people, small events, cross-section of people's behaviour? Universal aspects?

6. The title, the short ways to the truth, the cutting of the film into short stories, depth - or breadth?

7. The strength of the cast, their ensemble working?

8. The editing, the weaving of the stories together seamlessly, the patterns and designs of the stories and characters? Visual emblems connecting the stories?

9. The spraying of the Californian town, the Apocalypse Now style helicopters, flying by night, the government having to be right in doing such spraying, the cancer fears, the environmental comments, people protecting themselves from the spray, the concern?

10. The story of the Finnigans: Howard and Ann and their son Casey, Howard as the TV commentator on things in Downey, his comments on the spraying? His role at the TV station, being seen by a wide range of people, his influence? Ann and Howard watching the TV in bed? Discussions, family bond? Getting Casey to school, the birthday, Ann going for the cake, the discussions with the baker? Casey and his accident, Doreen hitting him, his going home - and not talking to strangers? The return home, his illness, going to hospital? Ann calling Howard and the reaction at the TV station? The treatment at the hospital, Dr Wyman and the assurances? The family keeping vigil? The baker ringing about the cake and Howard abusing him, his making many phone calls, abusive to Ann? Howard's father arriving, the story about the marriage separation, his father's infidelity, his aunt? His feeling guilty about Howard's time in hospital, almost drowning? His concern about the family in the next room, the operation - the family with the black husband and the white wife? Ann going home, returning to the hospital, Casey in coma, gradually opening his eyes, his death? The grief for the family, Ann in a daze? Zoe and her hearing the news, and her death? Their going to the baker to confront him, the angers, his apology, sharing the muffins - and the earthquake?

11. The Weathers' story, Stormy and his work, the phone call, Betty and Gene, Chad on the phone, his going to buy a birthday cake, the visit, leaving Chad? Betty and the break-up of the marriage, her having Gene around, the outings together? At Doreen's diner? Stormy watching the house, destroying everything inside it - and the irony of the cleaner coming with the winning of the contest? Betty and being away for the weekend, the new man and his gifts? Her reaction to coming back into the house? Stormy and his giving the report for television after the earthquake?

12. Gene, Sherri, children, the arguments in the house, the noise, the dog - his storming off, staying out for the night, the relationship with Betty? His making up stories and Sherri listening and not believing? His taking the dog and losing it? His getting the dog back and the reconciliation with the family? Sherri talking to her sister, the sex lies and their reunion? Gene and his work as the policeman, asserting the law, stopping Claire and reprimanding her for going so slowly, taking her phone number? Jealous of Stormy and watching him destroy the furniture?

13. Ralph and Marion Wyman: Ralph and his work, skill as a doctor, care, not saving the Finnegan boy? At the concert with Stuart and Claire, not wanting them to come to dinner? His jealousy of Marion? Her painting, Sherri posing for her? The phone calls and the chat? Ralph and his memories of the past, Marion's night with the artist, their argument, her telling the truth? Dressing up for the barbecue, her cleaning her clothes - her nudity and his reaction? The guests arriving, the games, playing Jeopardy, (and the Jeopardy host at the concert) dressing up as clowns, talking?

14. The Jeopardy host at the concert, his being a celebrity, their chatting about him, his dealing in art?

15. Claire and Stuart: at the theatre, talking with Ralph and Marion, the appointment, Stuart knocking on her door? Getting up in the morning, the bond between them? She dressing as the clown, in the car, Gene pulling her up and criticising her for driving too slowly, getting to the hospital? Stuart going fishing, the talk with the boys at the diner, leering at Doreen, the drive, walking through the mountains , fishing, setting up the tents? The discovery of the body, the taking of photos, the discussions and the decision to go fishing, instead of getting the body, Stuart's return and talking with Claire? sexual relationship with Claire? Her revulsion at the story, going to the bathroom - Her going to the funeral? Going to Ralph and Marion's, wary, the fish, playing Jeopardy, the clown's clothes, talking and drinking?

16. Doreen at work, her being ogled by the men - their comments, wanting her to get more butter? Ernie and his work as a chauffeur, the drunk wealthy man in the back? Going to Doreen's for breakfast, his reaction against the men? At home, their clash, life, he leaving, drinking? Her hitting Casey Finnegan, her concern, trying to help? Telling Ernie, telling her daughter? The possibility of her life changing? Ernie and his return, Doreen having him back, their dancing happily when the earthquake hit?

17. Honey and Bill and listening to Tess and her singing? Bill and his make-up work, the grotesque faces - and his making up Honey at home and taking photographs? The sex talk, the friendship with Jerry and his wife, going on the picnic, picking up the two girls, the sexual advances, the earthquake, his covering the killing?

18. Jerry and his wife, Jerry cleaning the Finnegans' pool, the clash with Tess? His return home, Lois and her sex answering service, the frankness of her talk, her acting it out - while cleaning the baby and feeding it? Her pride in having a job? The clients, noting them in the book? Her not talking in the same way to Jerry, the ordinariness of their relationship? His exasperation, puzzle at her talking? Going out to the bar with Bill and Honey? Picking up the photos? Having the wrong photos - and having to change them with the man who had photographed the corpse? The picnic, with the children, Jerry and his being egged on by Bill, the two girls, the talk, the sexual encounter, Jerry and the outbreak of violence and his killing the girl? The irony of the earthquake - and the report that the earthquake had killed the girl?

19. Tess and her singing the blues, the club, the musicians? Her relationship with Zoe, the criticisms of her husband? Zoe waiting on her mother? Zoe and her playing the cello, swimming in the nude, playing basketball with the local boys? Her sadness at the Finnegans' death? Her going to visit her mother at the club, her mother's impersonal response to the death of the child? Her killing herself? Her mother discovering the body?

20. The earthquake - possibly the big one? Where everybody was during the earthquake? Repercussions for them - or just a passing quake? Stormy and his giving the information?

21. Cross-section of Americans of the '90s, the perceptions on human behaviour and relationships - the California Blues?