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The Player

The Player

Directed by Robert Altman • 1992 • United States
Starring Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward

A Hollywood studio executive with a shaky moral compass (Tim Robbins) finds himself caught up in a criminal situation that would be right at home in one of his movie projects, in this biting industry satire from Robert Altman. Mixing elements of film noir with sly insider comedy, THE PLAYER, based on a novel by Michael Tolkin, functions as both a nifty stylish murder story and a commentary on its own making, and it is stocked with a heroic supporting cast (Peter Gallagher, Whoopi Goldberg, Greta Scacchi, Dean Stockwell, Fred Ward) and a lineup of star cameos that make for an astonishing Hollywood who's who. This complexly woven grand entertainment (which kicks off with one of American cinema's most audacious and acclaimed opening shots) was the film that marked Altman's triumphant commercial comeback in the early 1990s.

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The Player
  • The Player
    2:04:26
    The Player

    The Player

    Directed by Robert Altman • 1992 • United States
    Starring Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward

    A Hollywood studio executive with a shaky moral compass (Tim Robbins) finds himself caught up in a criminal situation that would be right at home in one of his movie projects, in this biting industry ...

Extras

  • THE PLAYER Commentary
    2:04:24
    THE PLAYER Commentary

    THE PLAYER Commentary

    Recorded in 1992, this audio commentary features director Robert Altman, writer Michael Tolkin, and cinematographer Jean Lépine.

  • Planned Improvisation
    45:56
    Planned Improvisation

    Planned Improvisation

    In the following documentary, produced in 2016, actor Tim Robbins, author and screenwriter Michael Tolkin, production designer Stephen Altman, and associate producer David Levy discuss the making of THE PLAYER and Robert Altman’s unique approach to directing.

  • Robert Altman on THE PLAYER
    21:04
    Robert Altman on THE PLAYER

    Robert Altman on THE PLAYER

    This interview, in which director Robert Altman discusses THE PLAYER and the Hollywood film industry, was recorded in New York in December 1992.

  • THE PLAYER Cannes Press Conference
    55:59
    THE PLAYER Cannes Press Conference

    THE PLAYER Cannes Press Conference

    THE PLAYER won two awards at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival: best director for Robert Altman and best actor for Tim Robbins. Altman and Robbins participated in this press conference at that year’s festival, along with writer Michael Tolkin; actors Whoopi Goldberg, Brian James, and Dina Merrill; an...

  • Genre Play in THE PLAYER
    13:00
    Genre Play in THE PLAYER

    Genre Play in THE PLAYER

    Jeff Smith walks us through Robert Altman’s most intricately allusive film, a satire that enlists genre tropes in order to send up the Hollywood assembly line that spits them out.

  • Robert Altman’s Players
    15:51
    Robert Altman’s Players

    Robert Altman’s Players

  • THE PLAYER Five Deleted Scenes
    13:29
    THE PLAYER Five Deleted Scenes

    THE PLAYER Five Deleted Scenes

    The following five scenes were deleted from the final version of THE PLAYER. Also presented are some outtakes from the ‘Lonely Room’ scene, featuring actors Lily Tomlin and Scott Glenn.

  • Opening Shot of THE PLAYER with Commentary 1
    08:14
    Opening Shot of THE PLAYER with Commentary 1

    Opening Shot of THE PLAYER with Commentary 1

    The celebrated opening shot of THE PLAYER runs more than eight minutes without a cut, traveling around the film’s Hollywood studio location. The sequence is presented here with commentary by director Robert Altman.

  • Opening Shot of THE PLAYER with Commentary 2
    08:14
    Opening Shot of THE PLAYER with Commentary 2

    Opening Shot of THE PLAYER with Commentary 2

    The celebrated opening shot of THE PLAYER runs more than eight minutes without a cut, traveling around the film’s Hollywood studio location. The sequence is presented here with commentary by writer Michael Tolkin and cinematographer Jean Lépine.

  • The Altman Apartment
    09:14
    The Altman Apartment

    The Altman Apartment

    Friends of Robert and Kathryn Altman reminisce about their unique New York home.

  • THE PLAYER Japanese Trailer
    02:02
    THE PLAYER Japanese Trailer

    THE PLAYER Japanese Trailer

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