Blood Simple (1984)

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Good-not-great. A little more stripped-down, a little "plainer" than the stuff they would do later.

In SAT analogy terms:

Blood Simple is to No Country for Old Men what Reservoir Dogs is to Pulp Ficition. It feels like a warmup.



I'd rank it as their 6th or 7th best but that hardly matters.

It's a top 3 of it's year (behind The Terminator and maybe Amadeus).

How could it be anyone's debut is freaking beyond me...

__________________
HEI guys.



I'd rank it as their 6th or 7th best but that hardly matters.

It's a top 3 of it's year (behind The Terminator and maybe Amadeus).

How could it be anyone's debut is freaking beyond me...

might be the best debut ever?



might be the best debut ever?
In a world of 12 Angry Men, Night of the Hunter and Badlands... Might make a top 20 list or something.

It's often overlooked, that's for sure.



Trouble with a capital "T"
I'm a fan of less is more and many film auteurs like the Coens start out with more simpler film visions and proceed in later films to go bigger and bolder. I prefer the early works of most film auteurs. I've liked and enjoyed other Coen films quite abit but I think Blood Simple hits the right notes for me.


Blood Simple (1984)
The Coen Brother's rock! They employ such unique artistry in their scene compositions and such lush lighting with their subdued shadows, that just watching Blood Simple is like a wonderful day spent at an art museum. I just sat back and soaked up their visionary film making whilst enjoying their equally inspired soundtrack. Blood Simple is one of those prime examples where the soundtrack is genius in and of itself.

I'd never seen Frances McDormand look so young. Frances is good in this too, so is M. Emmett Walsh who's always a blast...and the guy who played the stiff, Dan Hedaya was really suited to his role. But mostly I was impressed with how the film was made. At first there was so many closeup shots that I thought that I had my DVD setting on zoom, but no, the film was meant to impart an up-close and personal view of the story. It's almost claustrophobic...which is perfect for the subject matter of a mystery thriller where everyone suspects someone else.

I loved how the Coens would show us little nuances that really made this film stand out. A good example is when the stiff-to-be is laying in the road and Ray (John Getz) is dragging the tip of the shovel on the pavement! Oh so effective and the entire film is shot like that. And how about the ending where one of the suspects shoots through the door and thinks they are shooting someone else, sublime.




Fargo is #1 and then No Country For Old Men. Both are in my all time top 40 and I rated both a 10/10.
that would be 1 and 2 for me as well