No Country For Old Men: Our Culture

[Marilyn]

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]

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]

there was no soundtrack...lame

[My books]

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]

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.

[Ophelia]

We have a forum for the discussion of McCarthy's No Country For Old Men, in case you would like to visit it.
http://www.booktalk.org/no-country-for- ... y-f82.html