Like most Altman films, you either love it or hate it. Unlike most Altman films, this one barely registers on anyone's radar. I had to trade a stolen kidney for the worn VHS copy that I own, and I've invested in thousands of dollars of technology, not to mention wasted tens of lives, trying to encode the film to DVD for a more permanent archive. I love this film. It is only barely like the monstrously wonderful short story upon which it is based. It does, though, has some really wonderful lines, and it is a complete self-indulgent hedonistic piece of nonsense. Dennis Hopper plays himself, and all the Altman regulars are playing themselves. There's even a cameo by Hal Philip Walker, a character from Altman's movie "Nashville." The obsession with Lobsters is remarkable. I'm not so sure the obsession with African music is, but it did lead me to a King Sunny Ade concert in Austin that will stand out as one of the best live shows I've ever seen. The Gila Monster is remarkable. The Schwab clan makes the movie. The whole thing...look, if you've ever lived anywhere in the southwest in the 80's, see this movie. Trade a kidney for it if necessary.