MASH: The Movie
| Director: Robert Altman Writers: Richard Hooker (novel) Ring Lardner Jr. (screenplay) Release Date: January 25th 1970 |
Every couple of years I re-watch the MASH movie in hopes that I will finally get it. This has yet to happen. Unfortunately when compared to today's media, MASH has lost a lot of it's bite. Much of the humor is mean-spirited and misogynistic - and the operating sequences which were supposed to shock and horrify are really nothing special anymore.
That's not to say I think it's a bad film. There are bits I enjoy, the acting is great, technically and visually it's interesting…I just find stretches of the "plot" to be dull and boring. The football sequence in particular drags out far, far too long.
A big part of the problem is that I am very far removed from the attitudes of the early 1970s, having been born 12 years after the film's release. I was also a long time fan of the TV series before I'd ever sat down to watch Altman's version.
Apparently Rene Auberjonois was approached to reprise his role as Fr. Mulcahy for the television series. Having seen him as Odo on ST:DS9 I know he can do deep and dramatic and surprisingly funny very well. As much as I love Mr. Christopher in the part I can't help but wonder what Mr. Auberjonois would have done with it given more time.