Robert Altman still making films at age 80

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AP: Does it seem like the directors who were critical favorites of the ’70s, who forged new cinema, like yourself and Peter Bogdanovich and Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, are the old guard now? You have Paul Thomas Anderson here on the set.

Altman: Well, his pictures are better than mine, and his pedigree is really better. But he’s just doing me a big favor. I’m not insurable, because of my age. So I had to have a standby director, and I was shocked when Paul said that he would do that. I didn’t even ask him. And he’s a good friend of mine, and he’s always been very generous to me. He says all his movies were just ripping me off. But he’s just been great about it. Because otherwise, they had to have somebody that would take over in case I croaked.

AP: Would you ever hope for a directing Oscar or a lifetime achievement Oscar, or does it matter to you?

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Altman: Oh, that [lifetime achievement] wouldn’t interest me too much. That’s just for longevity if that kind of thing happens. When you get into your 80s, that’s when you’re up for those awards. And they’re all nice, and there’s nothing wrong with them. ... But the Oscar for the films, it’d be nice. But I don’t make those kind of films, and I don’t think that will ever happen. And as Clark Gable said, “Frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn.”

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