Swamp Movie Club: The Coen Brothers, O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU, 4/1, 9:30 pm ET

[sancarlos]

I can’t decide if my favorite scene is the one where Hi’s boss and his wife and kids come to visit, or the one where the convicts rob the bank. Both are just classic.

[Shirley]

Just remembered another one of my favorite quotes that I break out in life when the context is right. "We felt the institution no longer had anything to offer us."

[sancarlos]

You trivia hounds probably all already know this, but in case anybody doesn’t, Randall “Tex” Cobb, who played the “lone biker of the apocalypse” once fought Larry Holmes for the heavyweight title and was a top 10 contender who also fought guys like Leon Spinks and Earnie Shavers.

[Nonlinear FC]

He was a total bad ass. Started out in what would be today's MMA on the Kickboxing/Full Contact tour. Like you said, not an elite pro boxer, but he took down some legit dudes.

[Shirley]

He was a total bad ass. Started out in what would be today's MMA on the Kickboxing/Full Contact tour. Like you said, not an elite pro boxer, but he took down some legit dudes.

I think his main skill was not getting knocked out. If I remember, Larry Holmes beat him to an absolute pulp, but he wouldn't go down or quite. Larry should have tried a hand grenade.

[Giff]

He was a total bad ass. Started out in what would be today's MMA on the Kickboxing/Full Contact tour. Like you said, not an elite pro boxer, but he took down some legit dudes.

I think his main skill was not getting knocked out. If I remember, Larry Holmes beat him to an absolute pulp, but he wouldn't go down or quite. Larry should have tried a hand grenade.

You're thinking of Homer Simpson I'm pretty sure.

[DaveInSeattle]

Just remembered another one of my favorite quotes that I break out in life when the context is right. "We felt the institution no longer had anything to offer us."

Mine is "unless round is funny"



or "I don't know - they were jammies! They had Yodas 'n' shit on 'em!"

[wlu_lax6]

You trivia hounds probably all already know this, but in case anybody doesn’t, Randall “Tex” Cobb, who played the “lone biker of the apocalypse” once fought Larry Holmes for the heavyweight title and was a top 10 contender who also fought guys like Leon Spinks and Earnie Shavers.

Tex Cobb is family friends with a coworker of mine. Has some very funny pictures on his phone.

[L-Jam3]

Fuck yeah. Miller’s Crossing is up next. It’s on Paramount+, if Sir Patrick Stewart chucking Arnold got you buy in.

[Shirley]

I only watched that one once, a few decades ago. I don't remember much, but I remember that I liked it. Didn't leave a lasting impact though. Not sure I'll get to it before Monday. We'll see. Traveling for work starting on Saturday.

[brian]

Miller’s Crossing is amazing and I have to say benefits from repeat viewings. Jon Polito is awesome.

What’s the rumpus?

[P.D.X.]

Not sure I’ve seen this one so pretty stoked. (Another library dvd find)

[sancarlos]

I only watched that one once, a few decades ago. I don't remember much, but I remember that I liked it.

This is where I am. Ordered a dvd from the library to watch it. Looking forward it!

[Nonlinear FC]

Miller's is probably in my top 20 of all time. The soundtrack is underrated, but that might be the Irish in me.

[brian]

I’m going to start trying to bring back “what’s the rumpus?”

[sancarlos]

Just finished my re-watch. Great film. Gabriel Byrne was perfectly cast as Tom Regan. Marcia Gay Harden was luscious. Cool camera work.

Maybe that's why I like you, Tom. I've never met anyone who made being a son of a bitch such a point of pride.

[L-Jam3]

I’m going to start this a little bit earlier than 9:30 as I got a long day tomorrow. This will be a reward for a day of suck that I’ve had today.

[sancarlos]

Here’s a very interesting review of Miller’s Crossing that was done upon its 30 year anniversary. Worth a read.

The reviewer rates it as his favorite of all the Coen Brothers’ efforts.

[brian]

Here’s a very interesting review of Miller’s Crossing that was done upon its 30 year anniversary. Worth a read.

The reviewer rates it as his favorite of all the Coen Brothers’ efforts.

It’s worth reading but kind of bizarre that the reviewer omits No Country For Old Men amongst the list of movies that could be argued as the Coens best when it won Best Picture and Best Director.

[sancarlos]

Some interesting tidbits:

During casting they had envisioned Trey Wilson (who played Nathan Arizona in their previous film Raising Arizona) as gangster boss Leo O'Bannon but two days before principal photography began, Wilson died from a brain hemorrhage and Albert Finney was cast. Roger Westcombe calls Finney's portrayal of Leo "perfectly nuanced in a brilliant performance". Finney also appears in drag in a cameo as an elderly female ladies' room attendant.

The Coens cast family and friends in minor roles. Sam Raimi, director and friend of the Coens, appears as the snickering gunman at the siege of the Sons of Erin social club, while Frances McDormand, Joel Coen's wife, appears as the mayor's secretary. The role of The Swede was written for Peter Stormare but he could not be cast since he was playing Hamlet (a role often referred to as "the Dane"). J. E. Freeman was cast and the name of the character was changed to The Dane, while Stormare went on to be featured in Fargo and The Big Lebowski.

[The Sybian]

I'm way late to the party, but I watched Blood Simple last night. For a movie that relies entirely on the camera and music to set the drama, it really holds up. There is almost no dialog and very little plot, but it's compelling. And Frances McDormand was adorable! I agree with Shirley on M. Emmet Walsh. His acting was the singing equivalent of being off-key. He came across as a goofball doofus when he should have been menacing and highly skilled. The way he set up as a sniper and took out Ray..., that was professional work. And how he scammed and shot Marty, although the goofball act could have been intentional by the character to trick Marty.

[brian]

A bit of Coens trivia. Miller’s Crossing would be the first Coens movie edited by “Roderick Jaynes” and he has subsequently edited every Coen Brothers movie since.

However Roderick Jaynes is a pseudonym for Ethan, Joel and Tricia Cooke who collaborate to edit their movies.

[L-Jam3]

Sorry I didn't get to this past Monday I'll have to watch Miller's Crossing this weekend. Life got in the way.

Anyway, Barton Fink is up next. I don't remember being particularly enamored by it, but a rewatch would probably be worth it.

[sancarlos]

I’m in. I don’t much remember it, but I watched it when it was new and was disappointed. But, the critics loved it and I’m 30 years older now, so maybe I’ll like it this time!

[Shirley]

Yeah, I watched it once many years ago. Don't really remember it, but I remember that it was weird and didn't really do it for me at the time. I hadn't yet developed my love for the Coen brothers yet (other than Raising Arizona) though, so maybe another try will be better.

BTW, I'm gonna try to catch up with Miller's Crossing tonight.

[brian]

Barton Fink is very underrated in my opinion. John Goodman steals the movie though that’s maybe unsurprising.

“I will show you the life of the mind!!!”

[Shirley]

Watched Miller's Crossing last night. I hadn't remembered how much of a noir film it is. I was expecting more typical modern gangster movie (like Scorsese), but it's more like an old Hollywood gangster movie. They stepped up from Blood Simple with a much more complex movie, but a lot of the same tone. Great performances from Byrne and Turturro (of course).

All in all, it was a better movie than Blood Simple, but not that much more enjoyable. Not nearly as good as Raising Arizona, imho. But it's interesting to watch the movies this way and see the Coen brothers' growth.

[sancarlos]

Yeah, I might be splitting hairs but I’d call Miller’s Crossing more akin to an old-time film noir than an old-time gangster movie. Either way - I enjoyed it.

[sancarlos]

So, did anybody else watch Barton Fink? It was… different. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I was a professional writer or part of the Hollywood scene. Full of arty symbolism and allusions that mostly went over my head, I guess. Some fine acting all around. I particularly enjoyed John Mahoney (the dad on Frasier) in his hammy role as a Faulkner-esque playwright, and Michael Lerner (in an Academy award winning role) as the Louis B. Mayer-type studio chief. But all in all, for me, nowhere near as enjoyable as the three preceding efforts by the Coen Brothers.

[P.D.X.]

Just finished Miller's Crossing. It was thick and wordy and I wished I could remember how to turn on subtitles on a DVD - think I would've been able to pick up on a lot more. Enjoyable flick nevertheless. Did anyone else notice the lead had an Irish inflection in the beginning and then it went away? Thought that was weird. Great acting and writing otherwise. And McDormand as a ginger? Yes, please.

[sancarlos]

Just finished Miller's Crossing. It was thick and wordy and I wished I could remember how to turn on subtitles on a DVD - think I would've been able to pick up on a lot more. Enjoyable flick nevertheless. Did anyone else notice the lead had an Irish inflection in the beginning and then it went away? Thought that was weird. Great acting and writing otherwise. And McDormand as a ginger? Yes, please.

Ha! The lead, Gabriel Byrne, was born and raised in Ireland.

[L-Jam3]

So the movie whose article I read got me to start this up, The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). I believe there's some connection to Raising Arizona. I know I haven't seen this one.

And apologies, as I've been a little behind in watching them. I've been shuttling between my house and my parents pretty consistently to get my dad settled after some issues with his motion. I've been doing some work around their house one day a week, so by the time the evening rolls around, it's not easy for me to devote the two hours to watch something deep. That and I prefer to watch movies in one shot makes this something I need to schedule and ultimately reschedule. I should be back on schedule by next week, as we move onto one of their masterpieces.

[sancarlos]

This is the first of our march through the Coen Brothers that I’ve never seen, so I’m looking forward to it!

eta: by the way, it’s available for free viewing on the Roku channel, if you use one of those devices.

[Shirley]

Another one that I saw many years ago, but left little impression on me. I just remember Paul Newman, Tim Robbins, and I think hula hoops? And lots of old timey newsman/movie star type talking.

[brian]

Hudsucker is maybe my least favorite Coens movie. I think I like even The Ladykillers a bit more. It’s not a “bad” movie of course just feels a little cold for lack of a better term.

[brian]

Hudsucker Proxy was actually released 30 years ago last week (March 11, 1994)

[L-Jam3]

What else needs to be said? Fargo. It's an all-time classic. Looking forward to seeing this again for like the tenth time, and I still laugh out loud.

[sancarlos]

Hudsucker was ok as a screwball comedy, but it didn’t really grab me. Certainly not like Raising Arizona did.

I own a dvd copy of Fargo, so looking forward to yet another viewing of it!

[brian]

Aw jeez, this was kinda my deal here, Wade…

[Shirley]

Aw jeez, this was kinda my deal here, Wade…

you betcha