... and it has remained one of my favorite films of all time. It is an story of naivety exploited, and ambition exploded. A cautionary tale about holding to your ideals.As Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 91% overall and 100% from the Top Critics, I feel vindicated. At the time, it was noted in the press that the irony of a movie condemning the machinations of the movie biz, was not able to get a real theatrical release.Enjoy the Big Picture. Martin Short is phenomenal as the agent from hell.

The Big Picture is an under-rated, excellent and funny movie with solid performances all around. The comments by Guest and Bacon in the Extra Features section (evidently made years after the movie's release) are entertaining as well, adding another level of behind-the-scenes to this behind-the-scenes flick. Especially interesting was the tidbit about life imitating art regarding a disaster plot point in the movie that almost happened *to* The Big Picture while it was being made - and came near to shutting it down. Also interesting was Guest's insistence that the actual interference of management in the creative process (with bozo ideas thrown out wily-nilly during script "development" meetings) is often more outrageous than that depicted in the film.Only disappointment was that the deleted Billy Crystal scene mentioned by Guest was not included in the DVD's Extra Features' Deleted Scenes.

There are a lot of movies that I like about the process of making a movie; Living In Oblivion, The TV Set, or even Guest's own For Your Consideration. I hadn't heard of this movie until it was brought up in a comments thread about a TV episode with a similar plot.The movie starts well, with some humor about student films. The plot mostly is just about the artistic compromises, combined with the reputation-focused existence of the Hollywood set.This is a very mildly absurdist portrayal. My biggest problem is that they didn't take the satire too far. Every compromise that was suggested could be interpreted as being an acceptable change. But the humor is also softened without the presence of someone who points out how silly these changes are. Bacon's performance seems too accepting of compromising his ideals.It's a memorable movie, and the humor is enjoyable, but it just needed to go a little bit further.

"The Big Picture" was written and directed by Christopher Guest. It is a satire of the film business told with a lot less venom than 'This is Spinal Tap'.Nick Chapman is at a prize ceremony where his own film is in competition.He is there with his girlfriend Susan.The master of ceremonies is the film actor Eddie Albert.What we have here is a re-telling of the Faust story by way of the film industry.Nick is offered a budget to make a film by Allen Habel the studio head.Sounds great, though Allen played by the late J.T.Walsh has his own ideas how the film should be made and Nick has to grit his teeth. Nick has a friend called Emmet who is a cameraman -- he betrays him and this is followed by him ruthlessly dumping Susan.In a lighter vain he acquires an agent called Neil who barely seated in a restaurant gives someone his beady eye and says "I'm not talking to you"-- Martin Short as Neil is hilarious and steals every scene he is in.For Nick everything goes belly up .Kevin Bacon is excellent as Nick and takes you on his character arc of a nice man selling out and becoming totally unsympathetic, learning his lessons and returning to the way he was before -- wiser.Emily Longstreth as his girlfriend is alluring and truthful.J.T Walsh as Allen coveys with deadpan hilarity the illusion of power -- What a great loss to acting he was!