HIGHLY LIKELY

Highly Likely highlights Cannabis pioneers who paved the way to greater herbal acceptance. rOBERT aLTMAN

As one of the greatest filmmakers of American cinema, director Robert Altman is responsible for the creation of such films as “M*A*S*H,” “Nashville,” “Short Cuts,” and “The Player.” In many ways, he was a sort of ‘outside artist’ in Hollywood – working with his trademark large ensemble casts and often utilizing unconventional methods for the direction of films. All of this contributed to Altman being beloved by many in the film business, making him a sort of ‘director’s director.’

ALTMAN WAS UNAPOLOGETICALLY OUTSPOKEN about his political views and various social causes. He was an anti-war activist (both about Vietnam and the invasion of Iraq in 2003), and he was an atheist who saw no issue in speaking out about his beliefs. Pertinent to this column, he was also a Cannabis enthusiast.

Altman was one of the most high-ranking members of the NORML (National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws) board.

During his storied career he discovered what most of us have learned already: Cannabis is safer than alcohol and better for creativity, saying, “I was a heavy drinker, but the alcohol affected my heart rather than my liver. So I stopped. I smoke grass now. I say that to everybody, because marijuana should be legalized. It’s ridiculous that it isn’t. If at the end of the day I feel like smoking a joint, I do it. It changes the perception of what I’ve been through all day.”

Indeed, Altman never shied away from his love for the herb. One of his first short films was “Pot Au Feu” (named for a French dinner of boiled meats and vegetables), which shows everyday French people doing everyday things – all while enjoying a joint. He produced the film in 1966 for less than $1,000, and today, you can watch it on YouTube.

Then there’s the screenwriter Michael Tolkin who described working with Altman on the set of the 1992 film “The Player,” as a studio setting with a lot of Cannabis consumption happening. Altman was Not to mention the actor Donald Sutherland thought that the amount of smoke on the unapologetically outspoken about set of the film “M*A*S*H” was his political actually for special effects – the cause, it turned out, was the copious amounts of weed that views and various social Altman was smoking on set. This causes. list of stories goes on and on…

Robert Altman was in many ways an outsider in Hollywood, as he often preferred to allow actors to improvise their roles, giving a looseness to his directorial style.

He also created new ways to develop a certain sort of overt satire in his movies, provoking their staying power upon multiple viewings.

While his films don’t necessarily follow the Hollywood ‘blockbuster’ style or script, he is often held in the same regard as directors like Martin Scorsese, David Lynch and Woody Allen.

But it’s Altman’s success and his activism for Cannabis that truly paved the way for our current, more tolerant culture of consumption in the United States. And for that, we all owe Robert Altman a debt of gratitude.