The Player opening scene

This clip makes no bones about where it's influences are drawn from. The 8 minute, single shot, opening scene from the 1992 Robert Altman film The Player

• Category

  Film & Animation

[jpsartreny]

The camera movement is pedestrian when compared the last scene in Antonioni's the passenger.

[EclecticGlue]

I agree that the the last scene of The Pasenger is incredible but to describe the movement in this scene as "pedestrian" is a bit harsh.

[morgantown1]

Thank you for this. I love how Fred Ward keeps referencing Hitchcocks tracking shots. A truly great scene. I keep hearing about The Passenger shot but still have not seen the film. Other great long takes that immediately come to mind are the Goodfellas club scene and the Raging Bull fight entrance as well as the Boogie Nights club scene and the Magnolia studio entrance. Obviously, PT Anderson has seen a Scorsese movie or two...thanks again guy

[EclecticGlue]

Yeah, the final shot of THE PASSENGER is great, as are the other scenes you've mentioned. The ultimate example has to be Russian Arc of course..... 90-odd minutes long......

[Ron Taylor]

Altman would have you shot for posting this clip. IT IS OUT OF SYNC!

[Gary David]

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah Film Vault!

[benjamin libon]

i don't think your mom would be pleased calling the last camera movement "pedestrian" movement

[Killua2001]

This movie is subverting hollywood culture, it's commentary. You're not supposed to emulate the protagonist, and the movie does not paint him in a positive light.

If you think the movie is teaching you to be like the main character, you've missed every bit of subtext contained in the film. I suggest you watch it again.

And if that's the most 'negative' film you've ever seen, you've seen few films. Try Network, now that's dark. Dark, but deep commentary.

[killinglyhightv .]

How about the opening scene to Orson Welles "Touch of Evil"?

[John Carlson]

The point of this scene is to introduce the main and side characters of the story without having to cut. And the way to do that is show where they work together. This film was one of my inspirations for being a writer.

[Chris LaFleur]

@hawrnball Yea it doesn't leave the parking lot because the story takes place in the studio lot. If the camera got up and moved out of the lot and went to McDonald's that would be pointless, most of the movie takes place at the studio so that's why the camera is there....not that hard to understand

[Chris LaFleur]

@ymes2 it's was all a dream

[Nolan Boyer]

Who are you exactly?