Altman, Eastwood hailed for significant works

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - With a farewell tip of the hat to

Robert Altman and a special commendation for

Clint Eastwood, the

American Film Institute completed its review of 2006 on Wednesday by highlighting what it calls the AFI's Moments of Significance.

Casting the spotlight on eight developments that had an impact on the worlds of TV and film, the list leads off with Clint Eastwood, dubbed "a national treasure," citing the fact that he completed two films, "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima" that "not only complement one another, but they resonate together to create one of the great motion picture experiences of the new century."

"Letters From Iwo Jima," offering a Japanese-language perspective of the World War Two battle, opened in theaters last weekend. It also was included among the AFI's choices of the top 10 movies of the year, which were announced this month.

The new list concluded by eulogizing Altman, who died November 20. It called him "a true maverick of American film. His body of work -- both in film and television -- reflects an exceptional diversity in genre, but always with his indelible signature. From overlapping dialogue to the epic ensemble pieces filled with actors who revered him, Altman's style continues to inspire artists and audiences alike."

The AFI's other significant moments included the influence of documentaries, such as "An Inconvenient Truth" and "

Iraq in Fragments"; the rise of YouTube; the migration of TV news to the Internet; the death of VHS; the reaffirmation of a moral standard for television, as indicated by Fox's decision to cancel a planned broadcast interview with

O.J. Simpson following a public outcry; and a counteroffensive by the "Big Four" networks against the FCC's indecency crackdown.

The AFI will celebrate its 2006 almanac -- including its top 10 films, 10 TV shows and eight moments of significance -- at a luncheon January 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter