Quintet (1979) review

The entire planet has turned into an icy wreck - humans, when will we learn, etc. - and so seal clubber Essex (Paul Newman) wanders around the frozen landscape with his pregnant wife Vivia (Brigitte Fossey) and they meet up with Essex's brother Francha (Thomas Hill), but Vivia and Francha are soon killed with an explosive - a little bit later, Essex finds a list of names - including Ambrosia (Bibi Andersson), Deuca (Nina Van Pallandt) and Saint Christopher (Vittorio Gassman) - who all play a dangerous dice-based game called "Quintet."  It's a relief Altman didn't venture too often into the science fiction genre because this is easily one of the weakest entries in his filmography: the set design - which makes good use of the Expo 67 exhibition in Montreal - is the only decent aspect, since Newman's character (who's dressed like an Eskimo) appears to be in a perpetual fog (he doesn't react to Vivia and his unborn child's demise in a "normal" way), the camera lens is coated with what I'm guessing is petroleum jelly (so just the center is "clear") and it doesn't have the decency of explaining the rules of the game to the audience.  Quentin Tarantino referred to this as "pointless," which is about as kind as you can be towards it ... I also suspect the cocaine in the late 1970's really hit the spot.