A Prairie Home Companion

Summary

“I don’t want them to be told to remember me.” 

I have been an admirer of Robert Altman’s films since my late teenage years. I remember purchasing a copy of Nashville on DVD in a bargain bin at Wal-Mart and being impressed by his ambitious nature when I watched the movie at my apartment. Over the years, I have seen a number of his films (with still quite a few that I have not,) and my favorite Robert Altman films are currently McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Short Cuts, M.A.S.H., The Player, and The Long Goodbye, but I am sure that I will find some more pictures in his oeuvre that will probably rank highly with me. Warner has been a friend to Altman over the years with their Blu-ray releases of The Player (before the excellent Criterion release) and with their Warner Archive release of Brewster McCloud. Now they have given Robert Altman’s final picture A Praire Home Companion a Blu-ray release. The screenplay for the film was written by long-time radio host Garrison Keillor and does a solid job of transporting the energy of his long-running show into a feature film, for both better and worse. It’s a lighthearted affair, but it still shows Altman’s talent for seeing the big picture and managing multiple characters’ story threads capably.

In Saint Paul, Minnesota, it is the last night of the Prairie Home Companion radio show. The performers have gotten word that the radio station’s new parent company is going to demolish the Fitzgerald Theater where the show is recorded. An axe man is apparently going to be in attendance in the audience to decide whether or not the show should be killed off. There are a number of personalities backstage and onstage. There is the theater’s private eye PI Guy Noir (Kevin Kline) who is watching the night’s proceedings; the singing duet of the Johnson Girls – sisters Yolanda and Rhonda – (Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin) who have also brought Lola (Lindsey Loha,) Yolanda’s daughter; western duo Dusty (Woody Harrelson) and Lefty (John C. Reilly;) the show’s creator and host Garrison Keillor; alongside assistant Molly (Maya Rudolph) whom is very pregnant, and many musicians and makeup artists. The show is visited by an angel of death (Virginia Madsen,) and will eventually face the Axeman (Tommy Lee Jones) himself. The audience has no idea that it might be the last show or about any of the drama happening backstage. The show proceeds like any other broadcast with numerous musical acts and comedic interludes with music from many of the actual musicians from the NPR show.

A Prairie Home Companion is a light and breezy affair, but it is still a good showcase for Robert Altman’s abilities behind the camera. Younger directors would have difficulty juggling the numerous aspects of a film like this, but given his prior pictures that included prominent live performances (Kansas City, Nashville,) Altman was a natural choice to direct this film. The direction by Altman is the best reason to see the picture unless you are a big fan of the NPR show upon which the film is based, in which case this film should put a broad smile on your face. The cast is talented and made up of a true A-list ensemble including Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, Woody Harrelson, Lily Tomlin, Lindsay Lohan, Maya Rudolph, Virginia Madsen, and Tommy Lee Jones, but the script does not demand a tremendous amount out of the cast (except for the ability to carry a tune and act.) Garrison Keilor, who essentially plays himself in the film, adapted his radio show for the script and it passes time easily while never making much of a memorable mark. Some of the jokes are funny, but none are laugh-out-loud hilarious. The characterizations are more sketches than characters. The overall effect is a movie that seems almost specifically designed to be watched while you fold laundry or do chores, like when you might have listened to the radio show while driving or working on something at your house. In that sense, it is a faithful adaptation. For myself, this did not rank amongst Altman’s better works, but it is still impressive how good the film looks. His camera movements and the cinematography by Edward Lachman are above reproach. Altman’s trademark ability to focus on numerous conversations that are occurring at once is also on full display in the picture. Overall, it’s a very Altman-esque farewell.

Video

Presented in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio with an MPEG-4 AVC encode, the film looks pretty damn good. That said, this film was shot using the Sony HDW-F900 Camera on Digital Film when the digital intermediate was just 1080p. That means that this Blu-ray, warts and all, is about as good as this picture will ever look. Whatever issues are present on this Blu-ray were probably present theatrically as well. The good news is that Altman utilized wide lenses with his trademark wandering eye style. Cinematographer Edward Lachman understood the mission and does well working with the iconic director. Fans of the film should be pleased to finally have the film on the Blu-ray format.

Audio

Warner has provided a great sounding DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround track that highlights the numerous performances by the cast of the film alongside numerous performers from the actual radio show. It is a really well done track that is sure to please those who watch the film. 

Supplements:

• Onstage at the Fitzgerald: A Musical Companion
• Come Play With Us: A Feature Companion 
• Soundtrack Preview
• Audio Commentary – director Robert Altman and actor Kevin Kline
• Theatrical Trailer 
• Song Selection – Instant access to 14 songs and key musical cues from the picture.

Overall Scores:

Video – 4/5

Audio – 4.5/5

Supplements – 4/5

Overall – 3.75/5

A Prairie Home Companion is the last Robert Altman film. He was a natural choice to direct the picture considering his experience with music moments in pictures such as Kansas City and Nashville. A Prairie Home Companionis a well made adaptation of the long running NPR radio show that was penned by Garrison Keillor himself, but unless you are a big fan of that show, the film may feel somewhat slight. Fans of Robert Altman will still find that there is a lot to enjoy about the way the picture was filmed. The overlapping conversations and clever camera techniques that defined Altman’s output are all present in A Prairie Home Companion. It was a fitting way for one of the great directors to end their career, even if it does not rank as a classic. The new Warner Archive release of A Prairie Home Companion features a good looking transfer from the original HD film elements and a very well done 5.1 surround track. The special features, all ported from the prior DVD release, are surprisingly robust. Fans of the film will be happy with the picture, while newcomers may want to rent the picture prior to a purchase. Personally, I am always happy to have more Altman on Blu-ray, so I appreciate Warner Archive’s efforts here.