Robert Altman's "Paint"

[cine]

Salma Hayek Will Paint the Town With Altman

Robert Altman, the seminally important director who still has no Oscar, is getting his next movie ready just as his most recent one is headed to theatres.

Even though "The Company" is just in line for release this month, Altman has got plans for his next one.

"It's called 'Paint,'" he told me last week at Elaine's where he and wife Kathryn dined with comic/actor Alan King. "Salma Hayek and James Franco are all set for it."

In fact, "Paint" will be Altman's big repertory take on the New York art world. Hayek will play a dealer and Franco a hot young artist.

Lots of real painters will be on screen, too, as well as dealers. Francisco Clemente and Brice Marden are already running lines, I'm told. Others who could turn up would be Robert Rauschenberg, Donald Sultan, Donald Judd, Frank Stella, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Mangold, Joel Shapiro, Julian Schnabel, Alex Katz, Eric Fischl, and so on.

The script for "Paint" was written by someone who should know, Jeffrey Lewis, who is the son-in-law of the great late painter and artist Robert Motherwell.

Of course, the one actor who has the best art collection going is Steve Martin. Knowing Altman, there's a great part in there for him too.

Franco, meanwhile, has a smallish part in "The Company," Altman's movie about the ballet world starring Neve Campbell. The film opens Christmas Day. Shot in Chicago, "The Company" may set a record with 16 producers listed in the credits.

[ono]

I liked the title "Ultraviolet" better.

[Gold Trumpet]

"Paint" is a shit title. It isn't poetic nor does it give any identification to the art world of NYC.