Alan Rudolph: Biography

American director Alan Rudolph was the son of Oscar Rudolph, a one-time actor who later directed such low budget films as Twist Around the Clock and such economical TV fare as "The Lone Ranger." While studying accounting at UCLA, the younger Rudolph dropped out to work in minor production capacities in the Hollywood studio system. As an assistant to director Robert Altman, Rudolph worked on such major Altman projects as The Long Goodbye (1973) and Nashville (1975), ultimately getting a chance to direct his own film for Altman's production company, Welcome to LA (1977). (Rudolph had actually make his directorial bow in 1972, but chose to stay with Altman for the experience.) Rudolph frequently seemed to be Altman, with his fascination with tiny budgets, favorite cast members, quirky intra-personal character relationships, surrealistic set-piece sequences, and improvisational (if not hallucinatory) plotlines. Even when attempting to make a "mainstream" film like Made in Heaven (1987), Rudolph still appeared to be operating from another planet. Still, he deserves his faithful fan following if for nothing else than his masterpiece, the breathtakingly inventive Choose Me (1984). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide