" No Country for Old Men ": informal discussion

Ophelia · Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:04 am

shrose irishrose has been starred
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 11:21 am Post subject: Reply with quote
Right then, looking forward to discussion when I finish it.

Mad wrote:
As much as I like the Cohen Bros., I don't think they're going to be able to do the book full justice.

In the preview I saw, the actor who plays the character I'm assuming Chigurh (what a rad name, btw) becomes has a very McCarthyesque look about him. I thought I recognized the actor from elsewhere, but couldn't place his name, or from where I might have recognized him.

I read the first chapter this morning and am enjoying the humor written into Moss's self-criticism of his stupidity. "There is no description of a fool, he said, that you fail to satisfy." That is friggin hilarious. Anyway, as I said I've only read a few pages, but I've found that despite the half dozen or so references to Moss thinking himself stupid, he doesn't seem to do a single thing without caution and calculation. I wonder where that will take us.

McCarthy's wit, thus far, has been a pleasant surprise.
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MadArchitect
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:03 pm Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm a little afraid to say anything for fear of ruining something. Moss is a very amusing character, but yes, very savvy, as well. And Chigurh... well, the best way to describe him may be to crib the adjective "horrorshow" from Burgess. McCarthy toes the line between realism and action movie absurdity with that character, but I think he keeps from lapsing into the latter. That's probably the character that the Coen's will handle best. Seems right up their alley. I will say that I'm a little disappointed to see Tommy Lee Jones playing Bell. Given the roles he's played lately, it seems a little too obvious. I think I'd have preferred someone a little more homespun, a little less intimidating.

You know, I'm sure the Coens will make an entertaining and interesting film, and so far it's been getting some great press, but if I had my choice I might have given the film to someone like Terrence Mallick.
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irishrose irishrose has been starred
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:21 pm Post subject: Reply with quote
I, unfortunately, don't have my book with me at the moment, but I want to get some thoughts out before I go.

Well, I've never seen, nor read, Clockwork, so I can't comment on Chigurh in that context. I think the character solidly walks this side of realism until the scene with Moss's wife, where he slips into a sort of absurdity. That he seeks her out to kill her, after the fact, doesn't surprise me. The scene in the bedroom bordered on the surreal though.

I might need the story to set for a while before I finally decide, but I can see Moss going down as one of my long-time favorite characters. I have to say that, nowhere in the rest of the text, does McCarthy rise to the pure delight that compose the first 30 or so pages of this book; but, nonetheless, Moss is a spectacular character. I was, at first, angry with the way his story ends, with Bell finally coming upon him in the morgue. Not that it wasn't obvious enough that Moss would end up in a morgue, but that we didn't get to see his denouement. Then I realized that my disappointment was as an emotionally invested reader. Looking at it from a bit of a distance

Mr. Pessimistic · Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:19 am

While I will not be reading, I am watching the movie shortly (when it comes in to my library for rental) and I will see what I can contribute.

WildCityWoman · Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:48 pm

I'll come back to these threads often . . . right now, I'm burnt out - watching Patch of Blue with Sidney Portier and reading/writing these threads as well.

Gotta' stop.

See y'all later in the week - thanks for being here, folks - I'm really enjoying the threads on this book.

Carly

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