No Country For Old Men: Our Culture

Randy Kadish · Eligible to vote! Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 22 Gender:

I just saw the movie No Country For Old Men. Frankly, I don't see how this movie got such great reviews. IMHO, it was just a series of brutal acts committed by a very sick individual. To me, the movie had nothing uplifting to say. (I don't want to give away the details of the ending.)

What I find even more troubling is that the movie got such great reviews. I always thought art should should help people see things from a different perspective and help them come to terms with the world and see that life, with all its problems, is worth living.

To me, our culture seems to glorify the meaningless of life.

Randy

40 Helens · Eligible to vote! Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 12 Gender:

****SPOILERS BELOW******

Hi Randy. I felt the same way about the film, and wondered if I'd missed something, when I read all the great reviews. I've always enjoyed the humor in the Coen brother's films, but it was scaled right back in this one.

I think psychopaths make for very boring characters, unless they're used as a device to showcase the emotional struggles of other characters in dealing with them, but in this case, people simply died, or in the case of the Tommy Lee Jones character, commented on his crimes from a distance. It seemed as though we were supposed to view the villian as a symbol of the kind of modern crime, the old sherrif just wasn't up to dealing with, yet the villain had nothing in common with normal people, so it didn't ring true.

Helen

Mr. Pessimistic · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 6:45 pm Post subject:

40 Helens · Eligible to vote! Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 12 Gender:

[/quote]

One of my favorite all time Psychos is Travis Bickle!
Mr. P.
[/quote]

I like Travis too. I was thinking about various movie psychopaths this afternoon, and wondering if I really agree with what I wrote. The psycho in No Country for Old Men, was closer to the clinical definition of a psychopath (no ability to feel empathy; unemotional affect) with no real mystery as to why he behaved like he did, whereas Travis Bickle's mental instability was interesting because it seemed to have been fueled by his life experiences, and you couldn't predict what he was going to do next.

I liked Patrick Bateman from American Psycho too; I guess I do find psychopathy entertaining if it's treated in a metaphorical or amusing way.

Helen

Randy Kadish · Eligible to vote! Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 22 Gender:

Helen,

Well said. So I'm not alone.

Randy

Chris OConnor · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:16 am Post subject:

The book might be much better than the movie, because I have no such complaints about the book and I'm about 1/2 way through it. In all honesty it is really hard to put down. Tonight should see me through to the end and I'm savoring every moment of the experience.

One of our friends has the movie, or is getting it through NetFlix or Blockbuster, and they're planning to loan it to my wife and I soon. But I definitely want to have the book read before I watch the movie. Did you guys ever see Pulp Fiction? And did you like the movie? I've got a friend that considers Pulp Fiction his favorite movie, which has always intrigued me. A movie that appears solely based on senseless killing seems rather shallow, but there is something going on at a deeper level when you watch such movies. People like these killers actually do exist. We all have probably passed them, at one point or another, in our cars on the road, or in the mall when we're shopping. These movies show us the fragility of life and how one wrong turn or decision can change everything in an instant.

How about Natural Born Killers? This is another of those movies that glamorizes ruthless killing. But damn it is a good movie. Some part of us longs to live vicariously through these villains and scumbags and gangsters. Maybe we feel so constrained by the rules and regulations and laws of modern society, that when we see people with absolutely no respect for such manmade concepts and institutions we're caught like a deer in the headlights.

Personally, I really love gangster movies. Good Fella’s is one of my all-time favorites. And HBO’s Soprano’s had me completely addicted where, even after each Season ended, I had to watch the episodes again on DVD. Lots of sociopathic killing in all of the above, yet these shows and movies sell like hotcakes. And I admit I’m a buyer.

Chris OConnor · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:18 am Post subject:

What do you guys think about me creating the forum for No Country for Old Men soon? We don't start that book till April, but people are already discussing it so we might want to open the doors to a larger discussion.

Ophelia · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 10:56 am Post subject:

Good idea.

Audrey · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:43 pm Post subject:

I just rented the movie tonight. I'm in the process of reading the book and my significant other (who has already read the book) wanted to see the movie badly, so we watched.

I found the book (or what I have read so far) in great relation to the movie. This movie would be dark and gloomy, if you remain on the surface and do not become involved with the author. Cormac McCarthy, is unlike any author I have ever read, non-traditional would be a great category for him. He utilizes a great deal of symbolism (which I am still trying to figure out) and character development. This story has thrown me in a loop in there character area, but I tend to keep picking it apart and hopefully getting some ideas from the boards in April.

A reoccuring theme utilized by McCarthy is his sense of tragedy and death. These themes are also prevalent in his book "All the Pretty Horses". Although many of his works are dark, they have a great deal to offer....I guess i'll save the rest of my ideas for the reading of the book.

Overall, good movie

40 Helens · Eligible to vote! Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 12 Gender:

Now I'm quite interested in reading the book. I think this may have been a case of a film capturing the plot points and atmosphere of the original work, but not conveying the whole story, because (I assume) a lot probably took place in the characters' or narrator's thoughts.


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