The climate of Coen Brothers craziness, spurred by the fantastic No Country for Old Men (a film that I won't review because I have nothing to add to the rampant discourse, although I will say that I can't remember the last time a film's suspense had me so rapt), led me to revisit Blood Simple. I hadn't seen the Coens' first film since its 2000 theatrical rerelease, and I'd forgotten how awesome it is. Perhaps it's not as complicated or philosophical as their work has become, but there's something entrancing about Simple's relatively primitive sparseness. It's like Chicago-house drama.
Anyway, after I finished watching the DVD, I decided to check out the commentary by one Kenneth Loring of Forever Young films. As much as I love commentary tracks, I hate when they're done by outside sources, pondering and pontificating on someone else's work for hours. There's nothing like a lecture to zap all the fun out of criticism. So, I guess I was too lazy to press the "change disc" button on my remote or something because I forged ahead with the commentary track and, like, 30 seconds in I wondered to myself, "Who is this asshole?" It took me another minute or two -- when Loring tells of how the sequence featuring Frances McDormand and John Getz riding in a car was filmed upside down and in reverse -- to realize this asshole is a plant. A quick Google search told me that the Coens' actually wrote the commentary, which mocks their own film mercilessly, and this review suggests that one of the Coens might actually have voiced the track himself.
No matter who it is, it's awesome. It serves to underline the film's not-always-apparent sense of humor, but more admirably, it's a statement of humility from a pair of filmmakers whose work is again and again deemed "important." As such, it's maybe my favorite thing the Coens have ever done.
I've assembled a 10-minute clip reel of my favorite of Loring's musings. I'm sure it will come as a shock, but commentary humor is dryyyyy. Loring is basically Fred Willard's no-nothing Best in Show character rendered as a stuffy British cinephile. I guess I'm a dork for finding this so amusing, but really, that probably goes without saying by now.
Oh yeah, despite the alternate audio track, the video is still kind of spoilery, so beware.
The brothers edit all of their films under the name Roderick Jaynes, and I remember reading a magazine "memoir" by Jaynes of the brothers' stupidity and cruelty and how terrible they are to work with. It was, of course, written by the Coens.
Just recently, they told Esquire that they cast Josh Brolin in No Country For Old Men by mistake, having wanted his father James instead, and didn't realize the mix-up until it was too late. They claimed that this happened all the time in Hollywood; for example, they said, Robert Ulrich was cast in Spenser: For Hire because the producers confused him with Robert Conrad, and they didn't want to hurt Ulrich's feelings by admitting the erroneous casting.
Posted by: Johnny | November 28, 2007 at 01:10 PM
Hey, you're in the new issue of GQ!
I love Blood Simple. No Country for Old Men was suspenseful as hell, and gorgeously filmed. I was kind of disappointed in the ending, though. What did you make of it?
Posted by: mykull | November 28, 2007 at 02:53 PM
The Cohens' do something similar with the release of The Big Lebowski. Some old dude from Forever Young Films does some fucking commentary. It's very dry, but now that I know those two wrote it, I will give it a listen.
Here' something fun I found on youtube about my fave movie, The Big Lebowski:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqtgfjkB6Pg
Can't wait to see No Country for Old Men
Posted by: dara | November 28, 2007 at 04:11 PM
The fake opening commentary on the Big Lebowski is the best! "It was released in Italy as 'Mister Marijuana' to great success."
Posted by: jackie | November 28, 2007 at 04:50 PM
Rich, thanks for the tip about the Blood Simple extras. According to Wikipedia and IMDB, the Kenneth Loring commentary was voiced by actor Jim Piddick.
Posted by: Gene Natay | November 28, 2007 at 06:38 PM
Beautiful! This is something I never would have known about. I liked NCFOM, though I was really expecting more traditional noir.
Posted by: SJ | November 28, 2007 at 07:14 PM
Thanks so much for the tip. I'm putting Blood Simple in my Netflix queue right now!
Jules
House of Jules
Posted by: bigpikchur.blogspot.com | November 28, 2007 at 07:21 PM
Blood Simple was released in 1984, actually.
That being said, the Coens rock.
Big Lebowski is my all time favorite, but everything they make is great, and I thoroughly enjoyed No Country for Old Men.
Excellent film. They created amazing suspenseful scenes.
Posted by: Mike V. | November 29, 2007 at 01:28 AM
NCFOM one of 2007's best films in IMHO.
Big Lebowski is an all time favourite for most people but don't forget Raising Arizona, folks. Funny and touching. Nic Cage is mesmerizing.
Thanks again, Rich for another great tip. Will certainly be checking Blood Simple out.
Posted by: Gyn | November 29, 2007 at 02:18 AM
got to see no country for old men last night. can we please get a side-by-side of javier bardem & saleisha, please? i couldn't stop laughing during the film, just thinking about it.
Posted by: finding the filth | December 01, 2007 at 12:07 AM
This was hilarious. I've never seen the film, but the commentary was right up my humor alley.
Posted by: Liz | December 02, 2007 at 11:33 PM
I love Blood Simple so much. I can't wait to watch it with the commentary! When we went to see it during the 2000 rerelease, these people in the seats ahead of us would yell at the screen in these horrible southern accents, "Shoot the dumb bitch! What a dumb bitch!" I was pissed off at the time. Now, I think it's hilarious. I was blown away by No Country For Old Men. Javier Bardem was awesome. Those Coen brothers rule!
Posted by: Gwen | December 03, 2007 at 06:19 PM
It's pretty funny that you mention Willard from BEST IN SHOW, since Jim Piddock was his co-star in that scene (and, is of course, Mr. Lorring).
Posted by: Ted | December 05, 2007 at 07:20 PM
No Country For Old Men rulez, for serious. I. LOVED. IT!
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Posted by: steven | December 14, 2007 at 02:03 AM
I haven't seen No Country yet (I will for sure) but Blood Simple is in my top 5 movies of all time. LOVE IT!
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