Robert Altman was one of the greatest filmmakers America ever produced, a true maverick with a panoramic vision of the United States and sharp insights into the national character. His first big success, the antiwar comedy MAS*H (1970), introduced people to his signature style of large ensemble casts, overlapping dialogue, corrosive social satire, and sudden, startling moments of drama. Altman followed it with several more strong, idiosyncratic movies—Brewster McCloud (1970), McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971), The Long Goodbye (1972), California Split (1974), Nashville (1975)—before settling into a long career trough, though before his death in 2006, he managed to recapture his former brilliance with such knockouts as The Player (1992), Short Cuts (1993), Kansas City (1996), Gosford Park (2001), and A Prairie Home Companion (2006).
Some might say the same of Corn’s-A-Poppin’, with its rinky-dink sets, hambone acting, and convoluted story logic. Mystery Science Theater 3000 would have had a field day with it. Yet Corn’s-A-Poppin’ has some swell musical numbers, particularly the up-tempo “Running After Love” and the interstellar novelty tune “On Our Way to Mars.” And for Altman aficionados, it’s essential viewing: his sarcasm and jaundiced view of the business world are already much in evidence, and the live country-western show at the center of the story makes the movie a fascinating precursor to two of his most beloved films, Nashville and A Prairie Home Companion.
FotoKem, a Burbank film laboratory whose clients include Universal Studios and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, carried out the restoration, working mainly from the NWCFS print but replacing certain shots with footage from the Wisconsin Center print. A new negative was created, and from it two prints were struck, to be maintained by NWCFS and loaned out for exhibition. Westphal hopes that more screenings, including the Music Box engagement, will stoke demand for a DVD edition: Cora Rice is still alive to do an interview and/or commentary, and Westphal would like to record a commentary track with Kian Bergstrom, who got the revival going, and local film writer and programmer Patrick Friel. Corn’s-A-Poppin’ may have a whole new life ahead of it now, though Robert Altman must be rolling over in his grave.
Directed by Robert Woodburn 58 min. Mon 6/23: 5, 7, and 9 PM Music Box 3733 N. Southport 773-871-6604musicboxtheatre.com $7
