[Closed] No country for old men

dull

Brilliant film.

I was hooked. I was a shocked when it suddenly finished.

dull?

are you insane?

I was a shocked when it suddenly finished.

could that not be seen as a good ending then? do you need guy gets girl/skipping over the horizon?

But was that it?

shite

No, there is more, its just that the version you were watching ended short..

😉

Was what it? The ending perfectly summed up the theme of the film: What else do you need? It's a fantastic version of an even better book.

Didn't know there was a book. Amazon time I think..

I suppose I was expecting the hitman to get caught, or the usual Hollywood ending.

Yup: by Cormac McCarthy, probably my favourite author. He also wrote 'The Road', amongst other great books.

Well it was by the Coen brothers, and based on a book by a fairly unconventional author, so a conventional film was never really on the cards, thankfully.

So, is it "No Country For Old Men " because,

A) Every one dies young in a wild culture
or
B)Old men can't stand the pace
or
C) Something that I've missed

Huh, I'd though that Llewlyn got him, not the Mexicans. What did I miss?

Great film - probably took the Coen Brothers to do justice to McCarthy's spare prose. Wonder what a film version of [i]Blood Meridian[/i] would look like... 😯

Stunning author: [i]The Crossing[/i] and [i]Suttree[/i] are two of my favourite books ever.

Answering the question - yeah, you got the outcomes I saw. No doubt Kermode will be along in a second to tell us about all the nuanced referencing and cod philosophy we should have picked up

Too violent for me - and should have been labeled sci-fi

MC

Roger Deakins was DOP on the film. that's why it looks so good.
great casting, superb film and a good read too.

So, is it "No Country For Old Men " because,

A) Every one dies young in a wild culture
or
B)Old men can't stand the pace
or
C) Something that I've missed

Like all the best things, it is open to interpretation, but I would suggest that it is a little from column A and a little from Column B.

Amazing film. One of the best of the last few years

Great film - probably took the Coen Brothers to do justice to McCarthy's spare prose. Wonder what a film version of Blood Meridian would look like...

Well, I understand that Ridley Scott has bought the rights to it: If that is true, then I am quite excited. I am currently reading Blood Meridian for the second time.

Trail monkey - name of the film is from the speech tommy lee does at the begining on how old timers didn't need to carry a gun. It's also the line from a poem by Wiliam Butler Yates about changing times. Great film, great cast, great book.

oh and btw, yes, an amazing film.

any film that leaves you thinking is a good film in my estimation.

It's a fantastic version of an even better book.

Yup. Film ends just as the book does; no cosy resolutions in McCarthy novels.

Blood Meridian is jaw-droppingly well written.

Well, I understand that Ridley Scott has bought the rights to it

Not sure it would be possible to adequately portray The Judge on film... utterly terrifying character.

I think that ultimately the point is that no matter how much you start out with the best intentions of setting the world to rights, you always end up being pushed to one side as the world outside gets on with it and you find yourself not being able to keep up anymore: Nobodys fault, no blame, just the way it is, and Tommy Lee Jones' character realises it at the end.

...kind of, maybe 😐

Sorry I have re addressed my previous statement

Very dull

Not sure it would be possible to adequately portray The Judge on film... utterly terrifying character.

That is the one thing I worry about making that book into a film i.e. that the book as it is in pretty much un-filmable and that there will have to be a fair few compromises to make it into something that will be visually acceptable to audiences.

The Judge is a terrifying character, but also quite intriguing, a bit like Ahab in Moby Dick.

Thanks for the valuable input into this conversation plumber 😡

The scene in the gas station is one of the best scenes I've seen. The old guy attendant almost seems improvising he seems that nervous, but the films almost word for word to the book. I can't see anyone playing the judge, big boots to fill!

...there will have to be a fair few compromises to make it into something that will be visually acceptable to audiences.

There are too many scenes that would be ruined by having to gain the nod of approval from the censors...

Tree of dead babies?

Comanche attack?

The bit where the pack mules and their quicksilver flasks are edged off the path into the canyon below.

etc., etc.

I found myself hooked from the opening shot. Stunning. Loved the dialogue too.

... by saying 'audience' I was implying the censors as well.

...and what about the imbecile? I can't really imagine anyone putting that character in a film and getting away with it.

I can't see anyone playing the judge, big boots to fill!

"Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent"

All this talk about Blood Meridian makes it sound pretty tempting, might have to get that too..

It is truly one of the most amazing books ever written, easily up there with the classics. It can be hard work at times, but the language and visuals are stunning, although this is spectacularly offset by the incredible violence: Don't read if you are squeamish in any way.

Huh, I'd though that Llewlyn got him, not the Mexicans. What did I miss?

The pickup screeching away from the Motel made me think it was the Mexicans. I thought Shigur would have done it differently had he killed Lewellyn.

Im probably wrong though.

Simply brilliant film.

might have to get that too..

Don't miss the The Border Trilogy ([i]All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing[/i] & [i]Cities of the Plain[/i]).

I re-read [i]White Fang[/i] (by Jack London) last night for the first time in about twenty years... made me want to read [i]The Crossing[/i] again! The bit where Billy and the she-wolf make their stand is just breathtaking.

Agree with all the above. Would like to see it again or maybe read the book although I am told its a hard read due to southern diallect. Maybe theres more to the dream memory right at the end of the film.

I thought it was good enough to record.
[i]Sorry I have re addressed my previous statement

Very dull[/i]

I am genuinely interested, what type of films do you like Plumber? More to the point, What's your fave?

Off to buy the book. I loved "The Road", but haven't seen the film, but I imagine this is similar in that there's a lot of internal dialogue that is difcult to fully express in film.

Thought it was ok when I first watched,not brilliant but not rubbish either.Never felt the need to see it again though.....

I found "the Road" a very dull read. Enjoyed "all the pretty horses" though.

I watched "no country for old men" on a Ipod whilst waiting for the first train at Victoria station, after being a Zombie extra in a film - possibly not the ideal circumstances!!

Its a well-shot film and I really wanted to like it. Just didn't. Guess its one of those films that sometimes passes you by on the escalator and you don't make eye-contact.

The worst ending to a film ever. Any story needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end.

The worst ending to a film ever. Any story needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end.

So you didn't understand it then!!

I don't think I did either 😐

I loved the film, although I didn't really rate the book (obviously it's good, but not by McCarthy's standards). I think the film is quite structured, once you realise that it's about Ed Tom. He is the most important character - it definitely does have an end from this point of view.

Any story needs to have a beginning, a middle and an end.

The only thing I didn't like about the end, was that it ended. Could've happily watched another couple of hours of Coen Brothers genius.
Sad for those who don't get it, but there's plenty of "normal" films out there for you to watch 😉

According to a friend Blood Meridians in production, a quick look on IMDB would back this up. Screen play by Todd Field. I doubt these days censors would ruin anything, in a world of bbfc rated nasties, men behind the sun, cat in the brain (laughable) it won't be too censored. Even mainstreems Cinema like saw is pushing the envolope. I can't wait for this one.

I didn't like the abrupt, dangling end, but then it can be maddening when everything is finished off tidily. It was compelling watching if grim.

How often in life is everything finished tidily? I found the ending fairly refreshing.

Is the point of a story solely to deliver an ending?

I doubt these days censors would ruin anything, in a world of bbfc rated nasties, men behind the sun, cat in the brain (laughable) it won't be too censored. Even mainstreems Cinema like saw is pushing the envolope. I can't wait for this one.

That's great news if it is in production, but the trouble is that it's not just about the violence, it's about the fact that much of it could be considered far too "un-pc" by many of our "society guardians" - dead babies impaled on a bush; an "imbecile" kept in a cage , wallowing in his own faeces; the scalping of indians; the legion of horribles (probably one of the most stunning pieces of imagery ever committed to paper) etc etc.

I hope you are right, and will be following the making with interest.

I just didnt get it.

I'm in the middle of a jack higgins novel but this is making me want to put it down and re-read blood meridian,

I just read [i]The Orchard Keeper[/i], which I had kind of been saving for a while. It was his debut novel, iirc - and right from the get-go, his prose is stunning.

Read this thread, wanted to like it but didn't. Just didn't find it interesting, thought provoking or entertaining. Watched Kick Ass instead and loved that. Does that make me thick?

To be honest, I am nearly at the end of Blood Meridian, reading it for the second time, and I honestly feel like turning to the front and starting again. I feel as if I have only scratched the surface of this book, such is the depth of it.

Mikey74,

Hear what you're saying. I reckon I've read it about 5 or 6 times now and every time it reveals something new. There are so many brilliant passages, but there is one that haunts me. It's from the end of the "snakebit horse" chapter, where the Glanton Gang are heading off upcountry after another act of depravity by the Judge:
.

[i]
No one raised a hand in farewell. The dying man by the ashes of the fire was singing and as they rode out they could hear the hymns of their childhood and they could hear them as they ascended the arroyo and rode up through the junipers still wet from the rain. The dying man sang with great clarity and intention and the riders setting forth upcountry may have ridden more slowly the longer to hear him for they were of just these qualities themselves.[/i]

The only thing I didn't like about the end, was that it ended. Could've happily watched another couple of hours of Coen Brothers genius.

+1

Does that make me thick?

no Dave, you were already thick 🙂

After seeing the film some time back, I recalled reading what I suspect was the book it was based on. That too ended abruptly and sort of left you feeling a bit cheated somehow.

I do like how this film seems to have split opinion: Sign of a great film, obviously.

The thing that annoys me is people to say a film is s**t, just because they didn't understand it.

If I recall it was a good year for films adapted from books: no country for old men, there will be blood, Choke, draculas dirrrty daughter 16: revenge of the titty bitches on heat.

There's certainly an assumtion that the wife is killed, but when he walks out of the house and checks the soles of his shoes is that meant to confirm things got messy?

I think so. When he kills Carson in the hotel room, he fastidiously lifts his shoes up from the blood spill so they don't get dirty.

It's a good film to watch again and pick up on stuff you might have missed. Another one is when Ed Tom draws his weapon to go into the room at the end.

Thought so, and he takes his blue socks off after killing the mexicans in the motel room

Winning the coin toss would save Carla's life I thought. But then changed my mind.

I didn't enjoy it.

My Brother-in-law bought it for me on DVD as a birthday pressie saying it was the best thing since sliced bread. I put an evening aside and watched it..... with an ever increasing feeling of disappointment.

I should have known that I wouldn't have enjoyed it - Mark Kermode liked it. I find that we are polar opposites in what we regard as good films. If he says its rubbish, I'll probably enjoy it and vice versa.

Its a well-shot film and I really wanted to like it. Just didn't.

Yup - most over rated film of recent years imo - and I am normally a big Coen brothers fan.

The thing that annoys me is people to say a film is s**t, just because they didn't understand it.

Not as annoying as people smugly saying 'you just didn't get it' and thinking they are superior for liking something that is a bit shit, but considered cool.

No one raised a hand in farewell. The dying man by the ashes of the fire was singing and as they rode out they could hear the hymns of their childhood and they could hear them as they ascended the arroyo and rode up through the junipers still wet from the rain. The dying man sang with great clarity and intention and the riders setting forth upcountry may have ridden more slowly the longer to hear him for they were of just these qualities themselves.

See now this just sounds like pretentious drivel to me, but each to their own 🙂

I obviously 'don't get it'.

I loved it. Probably one of my top 5 films.

Watched it again last night. Still really enjoyed it, and certainly worth watching twice. What did Ed Tom's dream mean? The death or last of the old fashioned law men?

Not sure if I liked it or not. Some very tense scenes such as the fuel station. Quite enjoyed what seemed to be emerging as a "duel" between Llewelyn & Anton. Refreshing to not have the usual Hollywood things. I think that the author, desperate to not have a traditional ending, had not realized that he had run out of ideas a short time ago. Hence the pitiful excuse of an "ending" that there was. It would have been better if it had ended with the car crash or some other ending that required a bit of creative thought. Maybe Anton could fall through a portal in time and space into a medieval world containing a flying monster of pure evil which he must kill whilst having only a chainsaw strapped to his arm in place of his severed hand and a shot gun in the other. Oh, that's the Evil Dead 2.

I also nominate the main baddie as one of the most unconvincing, cartoon like bad guys I have seen in a 'quality' film.

The only good thing about the film is that it looked cool.

I have now seen it twice. The first time I walked away feeling somewhat robbed, the film is building up to a fine finale when the main protagonist dies off screen, his wife's fate is left to the viewer, Woody Harrelson's character just dies without so much as a scuffle, our villain walks away alive and the policeman catches no one, retires, fade to black. Not impressed.

I love the Coen brothers so I decided to give it another go. The second time I watched I really got into it, I did not have the expectation of a grand finale so could enjoy the ride a bit more, indulge the philosophical ramblings of the ageing policeman, enjoy the insight into the world of our villain and contemplate Llewelyn's utter exposure in such a vast landscape. More of a thoughtful film than I expected but once watched in that context it was a most enjoyable and thought provoking yarn, if a little too American for my tastes.

i didn't get it either. Long and boring. It certainly seemed quite stylish and well made, just didn't interest me in the slightest.

I'm struggling with the Border trilogy.

All the Pretty horses was ok, but the middle book is just pants.

See now this just sounds like pretentious drivel to me, but each to their own

Pretentious? [i]Moi[/i]?

Fair enough, taken in isolation it's fairly meaningless. The context is important though. Blood Meridian is the story of a bunch of scalphunters, The Glanton Gang, who are unremittingly bloodthirsty and amoral. The passage above is the only time in the novel where there is an expression of regret or a longing for lost innocence. Have a read of it Grum and see what you think.

Fair do's - I will probably get it out of the library at some point. 🙂

It's a well thought out film, very good but but not a masterpiece.

'it will certainly do until one gets here.'