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Need opinions of Blood Simple and Hudsucker Proxy

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Need opinions of Blood Simple and Hudsucker Proxy

Old 05-01-02, 12:31 PM
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Need opinions of Blood Simple and Hudsucker Proxy

I'm thinking about picking these 2 up. To let you know how my taste in Coen brothers films go, I love Raising Arizona and O Brother the best, thought Fargo was a little above average, and hated Big Libowski. How are Hudsucker and Blood Simple similar to the above films. Opinions?
Old 05-01-02, 12:43 PM
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Blood Simple is a great noir-thriller-squirm-in-your-seat type film. M. Emmet Walsh, Frances McDormand and Dan Hedaya are all great. It's certainly a lot darker than O Brother and doesn't exhibit the over the top humor of some of the others. I really don't know how to know whether it's for you or not. if fargo was only "above average" because it was too graphic or gritty, blood simple certainly isn't for you. (I absolutely love it, my girlfriend has never made it through the whole film because she gets so tense/freaked out... so i guess at least it isn't boring).

Hudsucker proxy is a bit more hit-or-miss. it's very understated and while it is very quirky, it's never been my favorite Coen film. a good lampoon of corporate culture that may be quite relevant right now, it seems that for most people the Coens are best when they stick to the kidnapping/ransom/murder type plots. Paul Newman and Tim Robbins are very good. My favorite character is the receptionist who says "you have to have an appointment... do you haaaaaaave an appointment? let's look in the book..."

Edit: you can think of hudsucker proxy as "Office Space" for the post-war period. (mailrooms instead of tech companies)

Last edited by Eeyore; 05-01-02 at 12:47 PM.
Old 05-02-02, 09:49 AM
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Hudsucker Rules!

Let me start by saying that I'm a Coen bros. fan (Although I still haven't seen TMWWT, yet.) My favorite of their films (in order) are Raising Arizona, followed by The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, O' Brother, Barton Fink. Their only film I didn't enjoy was The Big Lebowski. But back to Hudsucker: First, this is not a dark film, like Fargo/Barton Fink. The tone is closer to RA. Great spoof of 40's film, with Jennifer Jason Leigh doing a dead on Katherine Hepburn. Tim Robbins is hilarious as Norville Barnes, the clueless "Idea Man" from Muncie. So many great lines, "...you know, for kids.", "Uhm, uhm, uggadah, uggadah, AHH Go-o-o EAGLES! (In fact, the Muncie High cheer is worth the price by itself.) Buy this movie.
Old 05-02-02, 10:18 AM
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Your tastes sound similar to mine for Coen brothers films. I never saw Fargo though and barely remember Raising Arizona, but Oh Brother was pretty good and I thought Big Lebowski was extremely unfunny.

I didn't even know Hudsucker was a Coen Brothers film. Its a good movie though. I'd rank it about the same as Oh Brother. Its been a while since I've seen it and dont' remember too many details about it, but I remember it left a favorable impression on me.

Blood Simple however, was just flat out stupid. It's a boring, slow moving, predictable story that is no different than 100 other similar movies. There really isn't any attempt at humor in it, so one has to assume its meant solely as a suspense film. However, it moves soooo slow that it loses any sense of suspense.
Old 05-02-02, 10:24 AM
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wow. tough crowd. and you didn't find ANYTHING funny in the big lebowski??
Old 05-02-02, 10:59 AM
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I rank Blood Simple as one of thier best next to Fargo..
Old 05-02-02, 10:59 AM
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My favorite Coen Bros. movie is Raising Arizona, followed by Fargo and then O Brother. TMWWT reminds me a bit of Blood Simple--good movie, kinda dark, not especially funny (not intended to be). Hudsucker I thought was OK, though probably last on my list (last on the Coen Bros. list is still better than most movies). Why not rent first? You'll probably like them both to one degree or another if you appreciate the Coen Bros. other work.
Old 05-11-02, 06:41 PM
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How in the world did you not find Big Lebowski funny?

That aside, The Hudsucker Proxy is just a funny movie with phenonmenal art direction. Tim Robbins is really amusing in it. Blood Simple is a must buy, the director's cut and excellent transfer make it a great addition for any collection. You should give The Big Lebowski another few chances, it is absolutely great. (Also, check out The Man Who Wasn't There, the Coen Brothers latest).
Old 05-19-02, 06:21 AM
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I was disappointed with BLOOD SIMPLE. I am a huge Coen Bros. fan and found the film slow, and sadly uninspired visually. THE HUDSUCKER PROXY is a true gem. It has tremendous style, excellent story telling and memorable performances.

One final footnote, another Coen Bros. fav of mine is the unreleased BARTON FINK. Fox is releasing it before the year's end - and I can't wait.
Old 05-20-02, 07:36 PM
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I would have to say I found Hudsucker very funny. The guy in the clock gets me everytime. As for a true gem that is not out is

Miller's Crossing

It is my favorite Coen Brothers film. It is a gangster film. A true gem.
Old 05-20-02, 11:13 PM
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I liked Blood Simple. I found it's a "simple" easy to follow story, and has medium expanses of time where there is no speech. I like that. Lots of 'looking' and 'reacting'.

I never saw Hudsucker, and I found Fargo to be average AT BEST. I never understood the fascination with that film.

And Raising Arizona is one of the best movies ever. Big Lebowski was great as well!

CFG!
Old 05-21-02, 10:15 AM
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Both are wonderful films, IMO. Unique and quirky in their own way. I just picked up the Blood Simple disc this past week, because it was just hit with a price reduction.
Old 08-28-02, 09:36 AM
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If I were to rank all the Coen Brothers' films in order of preference, it would look like this:

Miller's Crossing 10/10
Barton Fink 9/10
Blood Simple 8/10
Raising Arizona 8/10
Fargo 7/10
The Big Lebowski 7/10
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? 6/10
The Man Who Wasn't There 6/10
The Hudsucker Proxy 3/10

Of those Hudsucker is far and away my least favorite of theirs. It's the only one I actually disliked. Blood Simple is fantastic.
Old 08-28-02, 02:27 PM
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I love the Coen Brothers' films. It does seem like everyone has their own personal preference for their films though! I do prefer the noir/suspense style films over the comedies but they're really all great. My order would probably go like this:

Miller's Crossing (not just one of the coens' best, one of the best films of all time IMHO)
Barton Fink
The Big Lebowski (Just about every line had me rolling on the floor)
Fargo (thought this was overhyped when I first saw it but it's grown very much over time for me)
Hudsucker Proxy (I LOVE this film, I think it's extremely funny (It's a BLUE LETTER!))
Blood Simple (A great noir film that definitely takes it's time to climax...oddly enough I don't find it slow or badly realized as some others have commented)
Raising Arizona (Just because it's towards the bottom doesn't mean I don't love this film too! But something had to go down here and this was it)
O! Brother Where Art Thou (I've only seen this once and it didn't strike me as a great coen work but I want to give the dvd another chance sometime)

Haven't seen:
The Man Who wasn't there (I really want to see this but missed it in the theater and haven't gotten the dvd yet..It sounds like something I'd really like though)

Michael
Old 08-28-02, 09:42 PM
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I am a huge fan of their work, but I think HP just plain sucks. Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance is just about as unbearable as Nicolas Cage's was in "Peggy Sue Got Married." Blood Simple is a stark masterpiece and a must have.
Old 08-29-02, 09:01 AM
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Originally posted by Turd Ferguson
I am a huge fan of their work, but I think HP just plain sucks. Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance is just about as unbearable as Nicolas Cage's was in "Peggy Sue Got Married."
I take it you're also not a fan of Katherine Hepburn or Rosalind Russell?
Old 08-30-02, 01:27 AM
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FWIW, I want to endorse Miller's Crossing as ranking right up there with the Godfather as one of the best gangster movies of all time. I still don't understand why it hasn't been released on DVD yet.
Old 08-30-02, 08:12 AM
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1. Miller's Crossing (another vote for its being one of the best of all time)
2. (tie) Blood Simple, The Hudsucker Proxy, The Man Who Wasn't There
5. Fargo
6. (tie) Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski
8. (tie) Raising Arizona. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

And I thought Jennifer Jason Leigh's Katherine Hepburn turn in Hudsucker was fantastic!

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