No Country For Old Men: Our Culture

Randy Kadish

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 · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject:

****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 · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:18 pm Post subject:

[/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 · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:07 am Post subject:

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 · Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 12:06 am Post subject:

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.

Marilyn · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:25 am Post subject: Curious.

I just read through the discussion of the film, "No Country For Old Men"--actually as both curiosity and an attempt to figure out why the film has lingered with me over the past two months. As my friends and I exited the theater after viewing the film a couple months ago, my friends response was that this was the worst movie they had ever watched. I am always interested in the art of film and a frequent movie viewer and forever not quick to judge. But, I, too, was apalled by the blatant violence in the film--I'm one of those peeking through the fingers sort of people when the blood flows too thick and yet, I want art and realism and not fluff and fuzzy. Anyway, over the past few weeks and after the film won the Oscar, I have mulled over and over why and even still today I can see the exact face and figure of the heartless, emotionally dead psychopath with his weapon at his side. I, too, keep thinking I missed something--and perhaps, there was more there than the violence because the film has stayed with me over the past couple of months. My question--if a film has the ability to linger and provoke thought, does that mean it worked its magic on its audience?????

Just a note--I've read several of McCarthy's book--which I find fascintating; his language is powerful and fresh. My favorites--"the Road" and "All The Pretty Horses".

Marilyn

Ophelia · Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your input Marilyn, Helen, Mr P...

I'd like to bring the discussion of the novel and the film under the same threads, so please continue this discussion using the link below.

http://www.booktalk.org/post31740.html#31740

ABookADay · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:31 pm Post subject:

there was no soundtrack...lame

My books · Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:51 pm Post subject:

I thought both No country for Old Men and There will be Blood were two strangely ultraviolent movies to be picked by the academy this year, and I fast forwarded most of both movies because of the violence but I have a couple things to say in Old Men's defense.

One - funniest one liner I have heard in about 5 years... "His name is Sugar???" OMG, I am still laughing about it it...
Two - the ultra famous scene with the old man and Chigurh at the gas station that finally taught me what it means to have the hair stand up on the back of your neck.
Three - the amazing transformation that Javier Bardem went through from playing an incredibly beautiful full parapelegic in The Sea Inside to a man so dark and rotten inside
Four- it is the movie that will bring about Josh Brolin's comeback (and he deserves it because the Young Riders really was a great show)
Five - the oh so incredible and lovely Kelly MacDonald from Scotland speaking perfect Texan and momentarily breaking through to Chigurh when telling him that "the coin doesn't get a choice"
Six - Tommy Lee Jones (of course)

shawnrohrbach · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:02 pm Post subject:

I suggest the book. There is a strong commentary on our culture in the book that the directors attempted to get across in a 90 page script. If you spend some time in any of the states that border Mexico, you will understand Cormac Mccarthy's cultural statement. We stopped going into Mexico after the escalation of murders of public officials and innocent tourists as well as the escalation in kidnappings of American citizens. The violence around the drug culture is very much a part of the American culture here in San Diego. We have this naive view of drug trafficking. I go to other parts of the country and see the wholehearted acceptance and tolerance of hard drugs and there is no clear understanding of how deathly violent the supply chain for these drugs is. I also did not like the movie, but i highly recommend the book.


	FORUMS	ABOUT	BOOKS	VIDEOS	TRANSCRIPTS	LINKS	BLOGS	DONATE	CONTACT