Has Altman Been Taking Too Many Short Cuts? : Commentary: Do elements of ‘Ready to Wear’ remind you of some of the noted director’s earlier works? You’re not alone. Here’s a handy guide.

If imitation is indeed the most sincere form of flattery, then Robert Altman must be pretty sweet on himself. Justly acclaimed as one of the most original filmmakers of his generation, Altman has cluttered “Ready to Wear” with references, incidents and characters that recall many of his earlier movies.

Of course, many of his best films feature sprawling casts improvising many of their lines, with only tenuous attention to anything resembling narrative, but “Ready to Wear” goes beyond those superficial similarities and mimics specific subplots and vignettes to a rather astonishing degree. It’s a wonderful homage--or is it just a lack of new ideas?

“Ready to Wear”: Features a foreign journalist (Kim Basinger) visiting Paris and spouting vacuous observations about the terrain. Antecedent: In “Nashville” (1975), a foreign journalist (Geraldine Chaplin) visits Nashville and spouts vacuous observations about the terrain.

“Ready to Wear”: A photographer (Stephen Rea) delights in humiliating women in their most vulnerable state. Antecedent: A musician (Keith Carradine) delights in humiliating women in their most vulnerable state in “Nashville.”

“Ready to Wear”: Tim Robbins plays a philandering journalist. Antecedent: Tim Robbins plays a philandering cop in “Short Cuts” (1993) and a studio executive who cheats on his girlfriend in “The Player” (1992).

“Ready to Wear”: An advertising tag line for a line of clothing is “Get Real.” Antecedent: In “Tanner ‘88,” an advertising slogan for the political candidate is “For Real.”

“Ready to Wear”: Characters routinely step in dog poop. Antecedent: Characters are routinely spattered with bird doo in “Brewster McCloud” (1970).

“Ready to Wear”: Sally Kellerman’s character is caught unaware with her breasts exposed. Antecedent: In “MASH” (1970), Sally Kellerman’s character is caught unaware with her entire body exposed.

“Ready to Wear”: A character’s death is played for mystery, then ultimately revealed to have been committed by the obvious culprit. Antecedent: In “The Long Goodbye” (1973), a murder is played for mystery, then ultimately revealed to have been committed by the obvious culprit.

“Ready to Wear”: A male entrepreneur (Lyle Lovett) disgraces a businesswoman (Anouk Aimee) by buying her business. Antecedent: In “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” (1971), a female entrepreneur (Julie Christie) disgraces a businessman (Warren Beatty) by taking over his business.

“Ready to Wear”: Lauren Bacall plays a player in the fashion world with a career-threatening secret: She’s colorblind. Antecedent: In “Health” (1979), Lauren Bacall plays a health-food guru with a career-threatening secret: She’s prone to blackouts.

“Ready to Wear”: Tim Robbins plays a print journalist who steals his stories from TV. Antecedent: Peter Gallagher plays a studio executive who suggests stealing stories from newspapers for movie ideas in “The Player.”

“Ready to Wear”: A mass of characters land at the local airport amid turmoil. Antecedent: A mass of characters land at the local airport amid turmoil in “Nashville.”

“Ready to Wear”: Lyle Lovett plays an eccentric cowboy-boot designer who doesn’t say much. Antecedent: Lyle Lovett plays an eccentric cop who doesn’t say much in “The Player” and an eccentric, similarly laconic, baker in “Short Cuts.”

“Ready to Wear”: Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren assume roles that recall their earlier cinematic triumphs. Antecedent: Margaret Hamilton parodied her legendary role as the Wicked Witch in “The Wizard of Oz” in “Brewster McCloud,” Julia Roberts and Bruce Willis parodied their stature as Hollywood A-list stars in “The Player.”

“Ready to Wear”: Dogs are scourges, leaving droppings everywhere. Antecedent: In “Quintet” (1979), dogs are scourges, killing people everywhere.