Jason Bellamy and I have now completed the latest installment of our ongoing Conversations series, in which we discuss various films and filmmakers in back-and-forth debates and discussions. This time around, we tackle Robert Altman's Nashville, discussing its politics, its music, and the intricacies of Altman's distinctive aesthetic. There's plenty of disagreement between us this time around, so don't expect a straightforward tribute to an acclaimed masterpiece. As you'll see, we've approached the film from very different perspectives. I think the clash is interesting and perhaps revealing about the nature of Altman's dense, challenging film. This is the first of our conversations to be posted at the new home of the House Next Door as the blog for Slant Magazine, so check out the new site. As usual, Jason and I hope that our piece will be only the start of the larger conversation; we welcome reader comments and hope there will be some lively discussion revolving around this one.
