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By PAUL BRENNER
Columbia Tri-Star Home
Entertainment has released a pleasing transfer of
Robert Altman's overlooked 1974 gambling comedy
"California Split." Elliot Gould and George Segal
play Charlie and Bill, two compulsive gamblers who
buddy-up to lose and win big in a succession of
West Coast gambling dives, seedy racetracks, and
sleazy casinos.
There is not much plot to be had but there are
fascinating Altman wonders to behold. Altman
utilizes his patented distancing telephoto lens
like an anthropologist cameraman on the National
Geographic channel, to view his Bruegal-esque
collection of gamblers and misfits like wildlife
on the Serengeti Plain. The gambling dens depicted
in "California Split" owe nothing to Scorsese's
stylistic outbursts in "The Color of Money."
Altman creates a ripe and pungent atmosphere that
can almost be tasted and smelled, much like the
boxing environs of Eastwood's "Million Dollar
Baby."
Assisting Altman is the most distinctive
collection of extras to ever appear on film. The
cameos that weave in and around Gould and Segal
all have the lived-in looks of reality unleashed.
And it is no accident -- most of the extras in the
film are members of Syanon. As Altman's camera
zooms and pans with his two actor leads, Altman
could just as well stop following Gould and Segal
and take up the story of one of the walk-ons. Even
the support actors who are actually actors are
well drawn and distinctive, particularly Bert
Remsen in drag and a loudmouth barfly who is
griping to unconcerned bartender Jack Riley.
"California Split" is the first time that Altman
utilized his innovative eight-track sound
recording and the rumbles and murmurs of the
gamblers, cheaters and six-time losers that are
heard on the soundtrack engulf the milieu like a
choking fog.
Segal and Gould anchor the film and they are
effective comic foils for each other. And that
comes in handy for the comedy aspects of the film.
Altman creates such a realistic world of gambling
that their 1970s blow-dried Hollywood looks keep
the film a fictional film, otherwise "California
Split" would certainly veer into documentary.
Besides what other two actors can be imagined
engaging in such snarky banter as, "Charlie, we
have to go home." "Oh yeah? Where do you live?"
Robert Altman, Elliot Gould, George Segal, and
screenwriter Joseph Walsh are around dealing the
cards for an audio commentary track and trailers
for "Easy Rider," "The Company," and "Big Night"
are also included. |
