Nashville and “Nashville”
The city of Nashville has been the location for a number of popular films throughout history, including The Green Mile (1999), Tennessee Nights (1988), and Coal Miner’s Daughter (1979). However, the most iconic presentation of the town has to be in Robert Altman’s 1975 film, fittingly titled Nashville. However, the film didn’t win over many fans in the city at the time of its releaseat least, not among members of the country music industry.
Country musicians had appeared in films set in Nashville before. For example, just nine years earlier, outlaw country musician Waylon Jennings starred in Nashville Rebel. The problem was that many people felt that Altman’s film parodied the intentions of country musicians, and made a mockery of the entire industry.
To be fair, the film is a dark comedy centered around the interplay between politics and music in the city. A presidential candidate schemes to win over America by staging a country music concert before the primary. Actors such as Ronee Blakely, Keith Carradine, and Karen Black play characters that are obvious parodies of popular musicians of the time, including Loretta Lynn, Lynn Anderson, and Kris Kristofferson. Within the film, several of these characters are portrayed as having egos that perhaps outstrip their talents, and moreover being controlled by the business execs at the record labels.
Regardless of how you feel about whether the film is an accurate depiction or not, there’s no denying the humor involved in many of the performances, and the film can be enjoyed on that level alone. Moreover, it can serve as a commentary on the price of fame for any sort of celebritiesnot necessarily country singers.
Plus, the movie also features some hilarious country music numbers, written and performed by the actors and actresses themselves. Some of these songs are crude while some are laugh-out-loud funny, but their musical prowess has been recognized by modern alternative country stars, including Carolyn Mark and Neko Case. Funnily enough, the soundtrack album was reissued in 2000 by MCA Nashville. Perhaps time has healed some of the hurt that the film’s original release caused, especially now that the film is regularly considered one of the greatest movies of all time. If nothing else, Nashville can be thankful for the gorgeous on-site scenery that the film containsalways one of Altman’s trademarks. Visually, the town has never looked better.