Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies.

Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Ethan & Joel Coen ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Joel & Ethan Coen ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Ethan & Joel Coen (and George Clooney) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Ethan & Joel Coen (with Martin Scorsese) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Ethan & Joel Coen (with an employee of the Hotel Earle) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers (with Roger Deakins) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Movies of The Coen Brothers The Movies of The Coen Brothers

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Ethan Coen’s Books ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: John Turturro Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, Fargo, Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Jeff Bridges Big Lebowski, True Grit ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: George Clooney O Brother Where Art Thou, Intolerable Cruelty, Burn After Reading ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Jon Polito Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, Big Lebowski, The Man Who Wasn’t There ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Steve Buscemi Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, Fargo, Big Lebowski ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: M. Emmett Walsh Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Hudsucker Proxy ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Frances McDormand Blood Simple, Fargo, Big Lebowski, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Burn After Reading ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Holly Hunter Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Art Thou ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Peter Stormare Fargo, Big Lebowski ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Richard Jenkins The Man Who Wasn’t There, Intolerable Cruelty, Burn After Reading ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Billy Bob Thornton The Man Who Wasn’t There, Intolerable Cruelty ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: J. K. Simmons Intolerable Cruelty, The Ladykillers, Burn After Reading ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: Michael Badalucco O Brother Where Art Thou, The Man Who Wasn’t There ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Coen Brothers Repertoire Company: John Goodman Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, Big Lebowski ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Indebted to Liz Cooke and William Preston Robertson. The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film. New York: W. W. Norton, 1998: 16- 23. Coen Motifs & Signatures ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desks)  Vomiting ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous  Odd Names ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous  Odd Names  Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous  Odd Names  Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs  “Hellzapopin’ Camera Work” ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous  Odd Names  Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs  “Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”  Odd Angles/Shots ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous  Odd Names  Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs  “Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”  Odd Angles/Shots  Extraordinary Tracking Shots ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous  Odd Names  Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs  “Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”  Odd Angles/Shots  Extraordinary Tracking Shots  Long, Wordless Sequences ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)  Vomiting  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)  Dreams  Peculiar Haircuts  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters  The Incongruous  Odd Names  Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs  “Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”  Odd Angles/Shots  Extraordinary Tracking Shots  Long, Wordless Sequences  Strange Dialogue ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Loren Visser in Blood Simple. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Vomiting: Tom Regan in Miller’s Crossing. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): The Thompson Jitterbug in Miller’s Crossing; the body in the Wood Chipper in Fargo or the killing of Eddie Dane in Miller’s Crossing. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Dreams: the Hat in Miller’s Crossing. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Peculiar Haircuts: George Clooney in O Brother (right); Brad Pitt in Burn After (left). ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters: Marge Gunderson in Fargo. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  The Incongruous: Visser at the end of Blood Simple. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Odd Names: H. I. and Nathan Arizona (in Raising Arizona); "Rug" Daniels and "Drop" Johnson in Miller’s Crossing; Jack Lipnick, Barton Fink, Lou Breeze in Barton Fink; Hudsucker Industries (in The Hudsucker Proxy); Gaear Grimsrud in Fargo... ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs: The Stranger in The Big Lebowski: Moses in The Hudsucker Proxy. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  “Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”: The burning hallway in Barton Fink. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Odd Angles/Shots: The opening title sequence of Fargo. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Extraordinary Tracking Shots: The tumbleweed in Big Lebowski; the Hula Hoop in Hudsucker. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Long, Wordless Sequences: Jerry Lundegaard scrapes his car window in Fargo. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures  Strange Dialogue: From Raising Arizona. Parole Board chairman: They've got a name for people like you H.I. That name is called "recidivism." Parole Board member: Repeat offender! Parole Board chairman: Not a pretty name, is it H.I.? H.I.: No, sir. That's one bonehead name, but that ain't me any more. Parole Board chairman: You're not just telling us what we want to hear? H.I.: No, sir, no way. Parole Board member: 'Cause we just want to hear the truth. H.I.: Well, then I guess I am telling you what you want to hear. Parole Board chairman: Boy, didn't we just tell you not to do that? H.I.: Yes, sir. Parole Board chairman: Okay, then. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Blood Simple (1984) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Blood Simple (1984) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Loren Visser, knifed to the windowsill in Abby’s apartment  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Marty bossing people around (though not quite a titan)  Vomiting: Marty (kicked in groin) and in a dream sequence  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Visser kills Marty; Ray shovels Marty; Visser shoots Ray; Abby puts a knife in Visser’s hand, shoots him  Dreams: Ray’s dream of Marty  Peculiar Haircuts: none  Lost Hats: Visser loses his hat in Abby’s apartment ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Raising Arizona (1987) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Raising Arizona (1987) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Raising Arizona (1987) Joel: For a movie like Raising Arizona, I guess you can detect our admiration for Southern writers like William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor Ethan: Even if we don’t share her interest in Catholicism! But she has a true knowledge of Southern psychology that you don’t find with many other writers She also has a great sense of eccentric character. (The Coen Brothers Interviews 26) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

William Faulkner (1897-1962) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The book struck her directly over her left eye. It struck almost at the same instant that she realized the girl was about to hurl it.... Mrs. Turpin’s head cleared and her power of motion returned. She leaned forward until she was looking directly into the fierce brilliant eyes. There was no doubt in her mind that the girl did know her, knew her in some intense and personal way, beyond time and place and condition, “What you got to say to me?” she asked hoarsely and held her breath, waiting, as for a revelation. The girl raised her head. Her gaze locked with Mrs. Turpin’s. “Go back to hell where you came from, you old warthog,” she whispered. --Flannery O’Connor, “Revelation” Chapter 18 of Raising Arizona: “Warthog from Hell” ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Chuck Jones ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: The Snoates/Snopes brothers when they discover they have left the baby behind  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Nathan Arizona  Vomiting: None, though a lot of drool  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Armed robbery, grenades, obliterated bunnies  Dreams: H.I. has several, and the whole film may be a dream  Peculiar Haircuts: H.I.’s Woody Woodpecker do, the Snoates/Snopes’ greased-back hair  Lost Hats: None ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Miller’s Crossing (1990) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Drop Johnson at Johnny Caspar’s  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Johnny Caspar  Vomiting: Tom, twice, when hungover and at Miller’s Crossing when he’s about to be killed  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): tons: the Dane’s slaughter of Leo’s guys at Verna’s; Caspar’s shovel to the face and bullet to the brain of the Dane; Bernie’s murder of Caspar; Tom’s murder of Bernie  Dreams: Tom’s dream of losing his hat  Peculiar Haircuts: All the gangsters (but Tom)  Lost Hats: The opening credits, and Tom  loses has his hat constantly. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Barton Fink (1991) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Charlie Meadows in the flaming Earle hallway  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Jack Lipnik  Vomiting: Mayhew vomits, as does Charlie Meadows upon seeing Audrey  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Audrey decapitated; Charlie Meadows with his shotgun; serial killing  Dreams: The whole film is dreamlike  Peculiar Haircuts: Barton’s absurd haircut  Lost Hats: None, but heads are lost (including Pete’s in a filmed but not included scene) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

“Fink, played with a likable, dim earnestness by John Turturro, checks into an eerie hotel that looks designed by Edward Hopper.”— Roger Ebert Edward Hopper, Office at Night (1940) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

“Fink, played with a likable, dim earnestness by John Turturro, checks into an eerie hotel that looks designed by Edward Hopper.”— Roger Ebert Edward Hopper, Hotel Lobby (1943) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

“Fink, played with a likable, dim earnestness by John Turturro, checks into an eerie hotel that looks designed by Edward Hopper.”— Roger Ebert Edward Hopper, New York Movie(1939) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (Frank Capra, 1936 [Cooper, Jean Arthur, Capra]) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Preston Sturges (1898- 1959) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Waring Hudsucker  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Sydney Mussburger  Vomiting: None  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): A suicide.  Dreams: Norville has several  Peculiar Haircuts: Everywhere ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Fargo (1996) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Fargo (1996) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: None  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Family patriarch Wade Gustafson (Harve Presnell)  Vomiting: Marge thinks she going to barf  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Triple murder (cop, bystanders), murder of Jerry’s wife, Carl Showalter has part of his face shot off, murder of Wade Gustafson, Carl in the wood-chipper  Dreams: Original screenplay had a Marge dream sequence with Native American imagery and a fetus  Peculiar Haircuts: None, though lots of weird hats  Lost Hats: None ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Interviews “What a couple of assholes.”—Frances McDormand on watching an interview with Joel (her husband) and brother-in-law Ethan  Early Blood Simple Interview (on blog—3 minutes)  Barry Sonnenfeld interview (on Miller’s DVD—16 minutes)  Charlie Rose Show Interview: Joel, Ethan, Frances McDormand (on Fargo DVD—20 minutes) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Big Lebowski (1998) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Big Lebowski (1998) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Cult Media ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film Liquid Sky (Slava Tsukerman, 1982) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2001) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film LIVING TEXTUALITY. The authentic cult work, Eco observes, must seem like "living textuality," as if it had no authors, as postmodernist proof that "as literature comes from literature, cinema comes from cinema" (199). Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage." Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film A COMPLETELY FURNISHED WORLD. Another closely related prerequisite of The Cult, Eco observes, is its capacity to "provide a completely furnished world so that its fans can quote characters and episodes as if they were aspects of the fan's private sectarian world, a world about which one can make up quizzes and play trivia games so that the adepts of the secret recognize through each other a shared experience" (198). Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage." Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film A COMPLETELY FURNISHED WORLD. Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage." Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film A COMPLETELY FURNISHED WORLD. The Coen Brothers Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage." Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Cult Film DETACHABILITY. The cult work, according to Eco, must also be susceptible to breaking, dislocation, unhinging, "so that one can remember only parts of it, irrespective of their original relationship with the whole." The cult viewer watching these moments--indeed watching for such moments—may let out an audible "I love this." Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage." Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

 Table of Contents  Introduction / Edward P. Comentale and Aaron Jaffe Part 1. Ins (Intrinsic Models and Influences)  1. The Really Big Sleep: Jeffrey Lebowski as the Second Coming of Rip Van Winkle / Fred Ashe  2. A Once and Future Dude: The Big Lebowski as Medieval Grail-Quest / Andrew Rabin  3. Dudespeak: Or, How to Bowl like a Pornstar / Justus Nieland  4. Metonymic Hats and Metaphoric Tumbleweeds: Noir Literary Aesthetics in Miller’s Crossing and The Big Lebowski / Christopher Raczkowski  5. The Dude and the New Left / Stacy Thompson  6. The Big Lebowski and Paul de Man: Historicizing Irony and Ironizing Historicism / Joshua Kates Edited by Edward P. Comentale and Aaron Jaffe ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

 7. Lebowski and the Ends of Postmodern American Comedy / Matthew Biberman  8. Found Document: The Stranger’s Commentary and a Note on His Method / Thomas B. Byers  9. No Literal Connection: Mass Commodification, U.S. Militarism, and the Oil Industry in The Big Lebowski / David Martin-Jones  10. "I’ll Keep Rolling Along": Some Notes on Singing Cowboys and Bowling Alleys in The Big Lebowski / Edward P. Comentale Part 2. Outs (Eccentric Activities and Behaviors)  11. What Condition the Postmodern Condition Is In: Collecting Culture in The Big Lebowski / Allan Smithee  12. Holding Out Hope for the Creedence: Music and the Search for the Real Thing in The Big Lebowski / Diane Pecknold  13. "Fuck It, Let's Go Bowling": The Cultural Connotations of Bowling in The Big Lebowski / Bradley D. Clissold  14. LebowskIcons: The Rug, The Irong Lung, The Tiki Bar, and Busby Berkeley / Dennis Hall and Susan Grove Hall  15. On the White Russian / Craig N. Owens ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

 16. Professor Dude: An Inquiry into the Appeal of His Dudeness for Contemporary College Students / Richard Gaughran  17. Abiding (as) Animal: Marmot, Pomeranian, Whale, Dude / David Pagano  18. Logjammin’ and Gutterballs: Masculinities in The Big Lebowski / Dennis Allen  19. Size Matters / Judith Roof  20. Brunswick = Fluxus / Aaron Jaffe  21. Enduring and Abiding / Jonathan Elmer  Endnote: The Goofy and the Profound: A Non-Academic's Perspective on the Lebowski Achievement / William Preston Robertson  Works Cited  Index  List of Contributors ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Ethan: I don’t remember how the idea [for The Stranger in Big Lebowski ] came to us. But we’ve always liked to create a certain distance that takes us away from reality by enclosing the story in a frame. Joel: The Stranger (Sam Elliott) is a little bit of an audience substitute. In the movies adaptations of Chandler it’s the main character that speaks offscreen, but we didn’t want to reproduce that though it obviously has echoes. It’s as if someone was commenting on the plot from an all- seeing point of view. And at the same time rediscovering the old earthiness of a Mark Twain. --The Coen Brothers Interviews (102-103) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Walter Sobchak, of course.  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): The other Jeff Lebowski  Vomiting: None, “though John Goodman does spit out part of a nihilist’s ear.”  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Severed toe, a car smashing, a near drowning in a toilet, a marmet in a bathtub  Dreams: Two major dreams, one very Busby Berkeleyish  Peculiar Haircuts: The Dude’s, Walter’s flat-top, Jesus’ hairnet ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000) There is a Bible in every wanderer's bedroom, where there might better be the Odyssey. James Hillman, Re-Visioning Psychology ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Brother Where Art Thou? (2000) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Homer’s The Odyssey  Odysseus—the King of Ithaca  Penelope—Odysseus’ wife (a “spinster”)  The Trojan War: The Trojan Horse  The Journey Home:  Scylla and Charybdis  The Sirens  The Cyclops  Circe/Calypso  Defeating the Suiters ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Pappy O’Daniel, Baby Face Nelson  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Big Dan Teague  Vomiting: None  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Cartoony variety—Big Dan’s whopping of Everett and Delmar  Dreams: The Siren encounter seems dreamlike  Peculiar Haircuts: Everett’s (aided by his pomeade), Delmar’s, Pete’s--  Lost Hats: Several hats are worn. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Other Titles Considered for The Man Who Was Not \There (according to Roderick Jaynes in his “Introduction” to the screenplay)  I, The Barber  The Man Who Smoked Too Much  The Nirdlinger Doings  Missing, Presumed Ed  Mr. Mum  I Love You, Birdie Abundas  The Barber, Crane  Edward Crane  The Other Side of Fate  None Know My Name  I Will Cut Hair No More Forever  The Man Who Wasn’t All There  The Man with the Gas Hearth or My Hearth is Gas ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

The Man Who Wasn’t There They got this guy, in Germany. Fritz something-or- other. Or is it? Maybe it's Werner. Anyway, he's got this theory, you wanna test something, you know, scientifically—how the planets go round the sun, what sunspots are made of, why the water comes out of the tap—well, you gotta look at it. But sometimes, you look at it, your looking “changes” it. Ya can't know the reality of what happened, or what “would've” happened if you hadden a stuck in your goddamn schnozz. So there “is” no “what happened.” Not in any sense that we can grasp with our puny minds. Because our minds... our minds get in the way. Looking at something changes it. They call it the “Uncertainty Principle.” Sure, it sounds screwy, but even Einstein says the guy's on to something. Werner Heisenberg ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Coen Motifs & Signatures:  Howling Fat Men: Frank Raffo, Creighton Tolliver  Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Big Dave Brewster  Vomiting: ?  Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Big Dave’s throat slit with a cigar cutter  Dreams: ?  Peculiar Haircuts: Ed Crane’s—and the film is about a barber  Lost Hats: Lots of hats worn ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

No Country for Old Men (2007) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

No Country for Old Men (2007) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Burn After Reading (2008) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Burn After Reading (2008) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

A Serious Man(2009) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

A Serious Man(2009) Cast ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

A Serious Man (2009) Ethan and Joel at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival screening of A Serious Man. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

A Serious Man(2009) “and that means... so that... from which we derive... and also... which lets us... and... Okay? The Uncertainty Principle. It proves we can't ever really know... what's going on.... But even if you can't figure anything out, you'll still be responsible for it on the mid-term.” ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) From Wikipedia: * bagel: a ring-shaped bread roll made by boiling then baking the dough (from בײגל beygl) (OED, MW) * blintz: a sweet cheese-filled crepe (Yiddish בלינצע blintse from russian "блины" bliny) (AHD) * bris: the circumcision of a male child. (from Hebrew brith 'covenant') (OED, MW) * boychick: boy, young man. (English boy + Eastern Yiddish -chik, diminutive suffix (from Slavic)) (AHD) * bubkes (also spelled "bupkis"): emphatically nothing, as in He isn't worth bubkes (literally 'goat droppings', possibly of Slavic origin; cf. Polish bobki 'animal droppings') (MW) * chutzpah: nerve, guts, daring, audacity, effrontery (Yiddish חוצפּה khutspe, from Hebrew) (AHD) * dreck: (vulgar) worthless material, especially merchandise; literally: "crap" or "shit" (Yiddish ‫ דרעק ‬ drek cf. German Dreck) (OED, MW) * dybbuk: the malevolent spirit of a dead person which enters and controls a living body until exorcised (from Hebrew דיבוק dibbuk, 'a latching-onto') (AHD) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * fleishig: made with meat (Yiddish ‫ פֿליישיק ‬ fleyshik 'meaty', from fleysh 'meat', cf. German fleischig 'meaty') (MW) * ganef or gonif: thief, scoundrel, rascal (Yiddish גנבֿ ganev or ganef 'thief', from Hebrew gannav). (AHD) * gelt: money; chocolate coins eaten on Hanukkah ( געלט gelt 'money', cf. German Geld) (AHD) * glitch: a minor malfunction (possibly from Yiddish glitsh, from glitshn 'slide', cf. German glitschen 'slither') (AHD) * golem: a man-made humanoid; an android, Frankenstein monster (from Hebrew גולם gōlem, but influenced in pronunciation by Yiddish goylem) (OED, MW) * goy: a Gentile, someone not of the Jewish faith or people (Yiddish גוי, plural גויים or גוים goyim; from Hebrew גויים or גוים goyim meaning 'nations [usually other than Israel]', plural of גוי goy 'nation') (AHD) * haimish (also heimish): home-like, friendly, folksy (Yiddish ‫ היימיש ‬ heymish, cf. German heimisch) (AHD) * huck; sometimes "hock", "huk", "hak". etc.: to bother incessantly, to break, or nag; from hakn a tshaynik (break a china teapot). Frequently used by characters intended to represent residents of New York City, even if not Jewish, in movies and television shows such as Law & Order.[2] ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * kibitz: to offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a kibbitzer, gossip (Yiddish קיבעצן kibetsn; cf. German kiebitzen, related to Kiebitz 'lapwing') (OED, MW) * klutz: clumsy person (from Yiddish קלאָץ klots 'wooden beam', cf. German Klotz) (OED, MW) * kosher: conforming to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from Hebrew כּשר kašer) (AHD) * kvell: to feel delighted and proud to the point of tears (Yiddish קװעלן kveln, from an old Germanic word akin to German quellen 'well up') (OED, MW) * kvetch: to complain habitually, gripe; as a noun, a person who always complains (from Yiddish קװעטשן kvetshn 'press, squeeze', cf. German quetschen 'squeeze') (OED, MW) * latke: potato pancake, especially during Hanukkah (from Yiddish ‫ לאַטקע ‬, from either Ukrainian or Russian) (AHD) * Litvak: a Lithuanian Jew (OED) * lox: smoked salmon (from Yiddish לאַקס laks 'salmon'; cf. German Lachs) (OED, MW)

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * macher: big shot, important person (Yiddish מאַכער makher, literally 'maker' from מאַכן makhn 'make', cf. German Macher) (OED) * mamzer: bastard (from Yiddish or Hebrew ממזר ) (OED) * maven: expert; when used in a negative sense: a know-it-all (from Yiddish מבֿין meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands') (OED, MW) * mazel: luck (Yiddish מזל mazl, from Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck, planet') (OED) * Mazal Tov: congratulations! (Yiddish מזל־טובֿ ‏ mazl-tov, from Hebrew mazzāl ṭōv: mazzāl 'fortune' or 'sign of the Zodiac (constellation)' + ṭōv 'good') (OED, MW:Hebrew) * megillah: a tediously detailed discourse (from Yiddish מגילה megile 'lengthy document, scroll [esp. the Book of Esther]', from Hebrew מגילה məgillā 'scroll') (OED, MW) * mensch: an upright man; a decent human being (from Yiddish מענטש mentsh 'person', cf. German Mensch) (OED, MW) * meshuga, also meshugge, meshugah, meshuggah: crazy (Yiddish משוגע meshuge, from Hebrew məšugga‘) (OED, MW) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * meshugas: madness, nonsense, irrational idiosyncrasy (Yiddish משוגעת meshugas, from Hebrew məšugga‘ath, a form of the above) (OED) * meshuggener: a crazy person (Yiddish משוגענער meshugener, a derivative of the above משוגע meshuge) (OED) * milchig: made with milk (Yiddish milkhik milky, from milkh milk, cf. German milchig) (MW) * minyan: the quorum of ten male adult (i.e., 13 or older) Jews that is necessary for the holding of a public worship service (Yiddish מנין minyen, from Hebrew מנין minyān) (OED, MW:Hebrew) * mishpocha: extended family (Yiddish משפּחה mishpokhe, from Hebrew משפּחה mišpāḥā) (OED) * naches: feeling of pride in 1: the achievements of one's children; 2. one's own doing good by helping someone or some organization (Yiddish נחת nakhes, from Hebrew נחת naḥath 'contentment') (OED) * narrischkeit: foolishness, nonsense (Yiddish נאַרישקייט, from nar 'fool', cf. German närrisch 'foolish') (OED) * nebbish: an insignificant, pitiful person; a nonentity (from Yiddish interjection nebekh 'poor thing!', from Czech nebohý) (OED, MW) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * noodge, also nudzh: to pester, nag, whine; as a noun, a pest or whiner (from Yiddish נודיען nudyen, from Polish or Russian) (OED) * nosh: snack (noun or verb) (Yiddish נאַשן nashn, cf. German naschen) (OED, MW) * nu: multipurpose interjection often analogous to "well?" or "so?" (Yiddish נו nu, perhaps akin to Russian "ну" (nu) or German na='well'; probably not related to German dialect expression nu [short for nun=now], which might be used in the same way) (OED) * nudnik: a pest, "pain in the neck"; a bore (Yiddish נודניק nudnik, from the above נודיען nudyen; cf. Polish nudne, 'boring') (OED, MW) * oy or oy vey: interjection of grief, pain, or horror (Yiddish אוי וויי oy vey 'oh, pain!' or "oh, woe"; cf. German oh weh) (OED) * pareve: containing neither meat nor dairy products (from Yiddish ( פּאַרעוו ( ע parev(e)) (OED, MW) * pisher: a nobody, an inexperienced person (Yiddish פּישער pisher, from פּישן pishn 'piss', cf. German pissen or dialectal German pischen) (OED) * potch: spank, slap, smack (Yiddish פּאטשן patshn; cf. German patschen 'slap') (OED) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * plotz: to burst, as from strong emotion (from Yiddish פּלאַצן platsn 'crack', cf. German platzen) (OED) * putz: an idiot, a jerk; a penis (from Yiddish פּאָץ pots) (AHD) * schav: A chilled soup. (AHD) * schlemiel: an inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt (Yiddish shlemil from Hebrew שלא מועיל "ineffective") (OED, MW) * schlep: to drag or haul (an object); to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish שלעפּן shlepn; cf. German schleppen) (OED, MW) * schlimazel: a chronically unlucky person ( שלימזל shlimazl, from Middle High German slim 'crooked' and Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck') (OED).[3] In June 2004, Yiddish shlimazl was one of the ten non-English words that were voted hardest to translate by a British translation company.[4] * schlock: something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from Yiddish shlak 'a stroke', cf. German Schlag) (OED, MW) * schlong: (vulgar) penis (from Yiddish שלאַנג shlang 'snake'; cf. German Schlange) (OED) schlub: a clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person (Yiddish ‬ זשלאָב zhlob 'hick', perhaps from Polish żłób) (OED, MW) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * schmaltz: melted chicken fat; excessive sentimentality (from Yiddish שמאַלץ shmalts or German Schmalz) (OED, MW) * schmatta: a rag (from Yiddish שמאַטע shmate, from Polish szmata) (OED); also means junk or low-quality merchandise: "Don't buy from Silverman; all he sells is schmatta." * schmeer also schmear: noun or verb: spread (e.g., cream cheese on a bagel); bribe (from Yiddish שמיר shmir 'smear'; cf. German schmieren) (OED, MW) * schmo: a stupid person. (an alteration of schmuck; see below) (OED) * schmooze: to converse informally, make small talk or chat (from Yiddish שמועסן shmuesn 'converse', from Hebrew shəmūʿōth 'reports, gossip') (OED, MW) * schmuck: a contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; literally means 'penis' (from Yiddish שמאָק shmok 'penis', maybe from Polish smok 'dragon') (AHD) * schmutter: clothing; rubbish (from Yiddish שמאַטע shmate 'rag', as above) (OED) * schmutz - dirt (from Yiddish שמוץ shmuts or German Schmutz 'dirt') (OED) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * schnook: an easily imposed-upon or cheated person, a pitifully meek person, a particularly gullible person, a cute or mischievous person or child (perhaps from Yiddish שנוק shnuk 'snout'; cf. Northern German Schnucke 'sheep') (OED) * schnorrer: beggar (Yiddish שנאָרער shnorer, cf. German schnorren 'to beg or steal (usu. a small item of a consumable good) of a friend'[5]) (OED, MW) * schnoz or schnozz also schnozzle: a nose, especially a large nose (perhaps from Yiddish שנויץ shnoyts 'snout', cf. German Schnauze) (OED, MW) * schvartze: term used to denote black people; can be used derogatorily. (from Yiddish שוואַרץ shvarts 'black'; cf. German schwarz). (OED) * schvitz: schvitz or schviting: To sweat, perspire, exude moisture as a cooling mechanism (From Yiddish).. (OED) * Shabbos or Shabbes: Shabbat (Yiddish Shabes, from Hebrew Šabbāth) (AHD) * shammes or shamash: the caretaker of a synagogue; also, the 9th candle of the Hanukkah menorah, used to light the others (Yiddish shames, from Hebrew שמש šammāš 'attendant') (OED, MW) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * shamus: a detective (possibly from shammes, or possibly from the Irish name Seamus) (OED, Macquarie) * shegetz: (derogatory) a young non-Jewish male (Yiddish שגץ or שײגעץ sheygets, from Hebrew šeqeṣ 'blemish') (AHD) * shemozzle (slang) quarrel, brawl (perhaps related to schlimazel, q.v.) (OED). This word is commonly used in Ireland to describe confused situations during the Irish sport of hurling, e.g. 'There was a shemozzle near the goalmouth'. In particular, it was a favourite phrase of t.v. commentator Miceal O'Hehir who commentated on hurling from the 1940s to the 1980s. * shicker or shickered: drunk (adjective or noun) (Yiddish shiker 'drunk', from Hebrew šikkōr) (OED) * shiksa or shikse: (often derogatory) a young non-Jewish woman (Yiddish שיקסע shikse, a derivative of the above שײגעץ sheygets) (AHD) * shmendrik: a foolish or contemptible person (from a character in an operetta by Abraham Goldfaden) (OED) * shtetl: a small town with a large Jewish population in pre-Holocaust Eastern Europe (Yiddish שטעטל shtetl 'town', diminutive of שטאָט shtot 'city'; cf. German Städtl, South German / Austrian colloquial diminutive of Stadt, city) (AHD) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * shtick: comic theme; a defining habit or distinguishing feature (from Yiddish שטיק shtik 'piece'; cf. German Stück 'piece') (AHD) * shtup: vulgar slang, to have intercourse (from Yiddish שטופּ "shtoop" 'push,' 'poke,' or 'intercourse') (OED) * spiel or shpiel: a sales pitch or speech intended to persuade (from Yiddish שפּיל shpil 'play' or German Spiel 'play') (AHD) * tchotchke: knickknack, trinket, curio (from Yiddish צאַצקע tsatske, טשאַטשקע tshatshke, from obsolete Polish czaczko) (OED, MW) * tref or trayf or traif: not kosher (Yiddish treyf, from Hebrew ṭərēfā 'carrion') (AHD) * tzimmes: a sweet stew of vegetables and fruit; a fuss, a confused affair, a to-do (Yiddish צימעס tsimes) (OED, MW) * tsuris: troubles (from Yiddish צרות tsores, from Hebrew צרות tsarot 'troubles') (AHD) * tukhus: buttocks, bottom, rear end (from Yiddish תּחת tokhes, from Hebrew תחת taḥath 'underneath') (OED) * tummler: an entertainer or master of ceremonies, especially one who encourages audience interaction (from Yiddish tumler, from tumlen 'make a racket'; cf. German (sich) tummeln 'go among people, cavort') (OED, MW) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man) * tush (also tushy): buttocks, bottom, rear end (from tukhus) (OED, MW) * vigorish (also contraction vig): that portion of the gambling winnings held by the bookmaker as payment for services (probably from Yiddish, from Russian vyigrysh, winnings) (OED) * verklempt: choked with emotion (German verklemmt = emotionally inhibited in a convulsive way; stuck) * yarmulke: round cloth skullcap worn by observant Jews (from Yiddish יאַרמלקע yarmlke, from Polish jarmułka, ultimate etymology unclear, possibly Turkish) (OED, MW, AHD) * Yekke: (mildly derogatory) a German Jew (Yiddish יעקע Yeke) (OED) * yenta: a talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (from Yiddish יענטע yente, from a given name) (OED, MW) * Yiddish: the Yiddish language (from Yiddish ייִדיש yidish 'Jewish', cf. German jüdisch) (AHD) * yontef also yom tov: a Jewish holiday on which work is forbidden, eg. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (from Yiddish יום - טובֿ yontef 'holiday', from Hebrew יום טוב yōm ṭōv 'good day') (OED) * yutz: a stupid, clueless person ([1] [2]) * zaftig: plump, chubby, full-figured, as a woman (from Yiddish זאַפֿטיק zaftik 'juicy'; cf. German saftig 'juicy') (OED, MW) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies.

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Presentation on theme: "Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies."— Presentation transcript:

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