No Country For Old Men
- Thread starter slow944
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Owen Meany
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- Jan 5, 2008
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conwict said:
Whenever I plan on seeing a film, I try to read the book or play it is based on - before I see the movie, if at all possible. In this case, conwict is right. I thought the book was well done, and made its point very powerfully. I hoped the film would live up to the reviews it was getting, but it didn't for me. Someone else here used the word "blah", and I'd have to reluctantly agree.
In fairness to the Coen brothers, I'm not sure that the McCarthy's story lends itself to adaptation into a movie, or into a great movie, at least, without substantially changing something. The film, though it follows the book faithfully in its action sequences, falls short in conveying the Sheriff's worldview evident in his reveries, which fill the book. While some of this material is salted into the movie in voiceover form, it's not enough to transmit the message of the original work.
It was a decent movie, but something just didn't click. Too bad.
Whenever I plan on seeing a film, I try to read the book or play it is based on - before I see the movie, if at all possible. In this case, conwict is right. I thought the book was well done, and made its point very powerfully. I hoped the film would live up to the reviews it was getting, but it didn't for me. Someone else here used the word "blah", and I'd have to reluctantly agree.
In fairness to the Coen brothers, I'm not sure that the McCarthy's story lends itself to adaptation into a movie, or into a great movie, at least, without substantially changing something. The film, though it follows the book faithfully in its action sequences, falls short in conveying the Sheriff's worldview evident in his reveries, which fill the book. While some of this material is salted into the movie in voiceover form, it's not enough to transmit the message of the original work.
It was a decent movie, but something just didn't click. Too bad.
Neo-Luddite
Member
In the book, VERY close to the movie BTW and ALMOST EVERY scene and most dialog translated directly to the screen, Moss was a very successful sniper in Vietnam--but could do little stateside with that skill save hunt. McCarthy describes his rifle as a .270 IIRC, and the silenced shotgun as a Remington auto.
Moss is not morally perfect, but has a conscience and capacity for humanity; he KNOWS what he is risking when he returns with the water for the dying man. Redemption comes at a great price.
A 1911 will function underwater w/ standard ball ammo. As for the little clearing exercise--perhaps more for mud than anything. It has the air of being a reversion to a level of training in the way it's played--but hey, it's a movie.
Great performances all around--Tommy Lee Jones deserved an oscar nomination he didn't get.
"What's in the satchel?"
"It's full of money."
"That'll be the day-"
"Where'd you get the pistol?"
"At the gettin' place."
Moss is not morally perfect, but has a conscience and capacity for humanity; he KNOWS what he is risking when he returns with the water for the dying man. Redemption comes at a great price.
A 1911 will function underwater w/ standard ball ammo. As for the little clearing exercise--perhaps more for mud than anything. It has the air of being a reversion to a level of training in the way it's played--but hey, it's a movie.
Great performances all around--Tommy Lee Jones deserved an oscar nomination he didn't get.
"What's in the satchel?"
"It's full of money."
"That'll be the day-"
"Where'd you get the pistol?"
"At the gettin' place."
orienteeer
Member
i'm pretty sure that with a high-budget movie like this, there was a gun wrangler on hand to give pointers on what a "real" guy would do with a "real" gun in that situation. he prob'ly earned $200/hr or more to hang around & answer ?s just like the ones we're talkin about. i've worked on a couple of movies, & it's just like that - watchin the $ go down the drain while everybody's countin their bank balances & the director can't decide if he wants to do another take......or have a bagel....or get laid during lunch.
Tom609
Member
Another vote for NOT IMPRESSED.
Golden Hound
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- 778
Hah well for unrealistic gun situations in recent movies, there's the fact that little H.W. Plainview in There Will Be Blood is hunting quail with a big shotgun that doesn't kick back on him even a tiny little bit.
JCMAG, I was aware it was a book first, but having not read it I was speaking in a more speculative tone.
Neo-Luddite wrote:
With some movies this works very well (300 for example) and others it just isn't viable. 300, of course, was a graphic novel. It's pretty hard to "translate" a great book to the screen without losing something. In those cases a "direct translation" seems to lose something, whereas a director who really has a feel for the book can translate it with a personal touch that is perhaps more suited for the screen. That said, I can certainly respect someone who doesn't share my opinion. I'm not vain or pompous about my own taste.
Neo-Luddite wrote:
With some movies this works very well (300 for example) and others it just isn't viable. 300, of course, was a graphic novel. It's pretty hard to "translate" a great book to the screen without losing something. In those cases a "direct translation" seems to lose something, whereas a director who really has a feel for the book can translate it with a personal touch that is perhaps more suited for the screen. That said, I can certainly respect someone who doesn't share my opinion. I'm not vain or pompous about my own taste.
Neo-Luddite
Member
I read the book AFTER seeing the movie; I'm wondering how much the order has colored my opinion.
The thing is, too--I like NCFOM as a series of really interesting scenes--taken as a whole it's harder to take.
I'd like to see someone tackle McCathy's latest--"The Road" as a film. To keep this RKBA related, the gun lesson of THAT novel is; 1) buy more ammo 2) save your brass.
The thing is, too--I like NCFOM as a series of really interesting scenes--taken as a whole it's harder to take.
I'd like to see someone tackle McCathy's latest--"The Road" as a film. To keep this RKBA related, the gun lesson of THAT novel is; 1) buy more ammo 2) save your brass.
apachejack
Member
Barkert, I agree with you completely. It was a good shoot'em up movie but the ending left me with a "what the hell" feeling. I understand what thernlund is saying but it left too much stuff unanswered. That movie and "I am Legend" made me want to call Hollywood and ask for compensation for my wasted time. I could have been out shooting targets or practicing IDPA
JesseL
Member
Dope said:
I had thought that the Mexicans the killed Llewellyn got the money, and the coin in the motel room was from Chigurh's flip to decide whether he would kill the sheriff.
CDignition
Member
IT's entertainment.. take it with a grain of salt.. I don't care what can would be on the end of any shotgun, its gonna be loud(not ear safe). I have a 22 can and its louder than the one in that movie. But its for fun, not picking apart on silly internet boards.
cxg231
Member
clange said:
Agreed. Call it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAVEXE6ADcs
I noticed Moss clearing the .45 after being in the river, and I thought it was a smart move. You never know what could end up in there after being in a river, and better safe than sorry when it HAS to go bang.
jakemccoy
Member
cxg231 said:
Why can't people get the volume right when they upload videos? I have my volume up all the way on everything. I still can't hear that video. Here's a (slightly) better one for volume...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPE106en7pc&feature=related
Hmm. The way I saw it was:
The mexicans show up and kill Llewellyn. This is obvious, due to the whole lead up when the mexican guy asks his wife's mother where they're going etc etc..
However, the Sheriff then mentions later that the perps returned to the scene of the crime and killed some retired guy. I took this to mean that Anton showed up later, to the same room, killed the random occupant, and then grabbed the money in the vent. He knew Llewellyn liked to hide the money in the vents. The scene when the Sheriff shows up later shows that the vent has been removed with a coin. Anton used a coin earlier to unscrew a vent. Plus, the door lock was blown out, also indicating that Anton had been there last.
That was my take on it.
Dope
rero360
Member
I think you're mixing two scenes together there Dope, I think when the sheriff was talking about Anton returning and killing the retired Army Officer I think he was refering to Woody Harrelson (Carson Wells) seeing how he was in the same hotel that Anton had killed the desk clerk previously in his attempt to get at Moss. I could be wrong though. All in All I liked the movie.
loneviking
Member
The movie started out great and then went downhill to the ending. I have no idea what the point of the movie is. Hero dies, bad guy banged up limping off into the sunset, and old cop doddering around mumbling something about someone going before him to show him the way. ***? Who got the money? The Mexicans? Or the killer? What was the point? Don't take chances?:banghead:
JesseL
Member
The point was that the world was becoming a place with more evil than some people were equipped to handle, i.e. "No Country for Old Men".
ScottyT
Member
The first couple minutes of the movie were amazing, Jones' voice over with the desolate landscapes, really set the mood incredibly well. Anton's scene with the gas station attendant was fantastic. I thought the ending was perfect. I sure didn't see a better movie last year -- and I saw most of them -- this definitely deserved the Best Picture win.
I loved the movie and the ending. Great modern western IMHO.
Jones' dream soliloquy about his Father carrying fire in the horn and passing him by, perfectly summed up the the life of a man who recognizes the the world has passed him by. His time, methods, and understanding were over, but his Father/ancestors would be waiting for him.
The bad guy(s) wins, the "protagonist" wasn't, the good guy retires but passes on his knowledge to the next generation. Seems a lot like life.
p.s. I also liked how the bad guy was implacable and unstoppable, but ultimately trapped by his insanity. Whereas Jones was equally dogged, but free to choose his fate.
Jones' dream soliloquy about his Father carrying fire in the horn and passing him by, perfectly summed up the the life of a man who recognizes the the world has passed him by. His time, methods, and understanding were over, but his Father/ancestors would be waiting for him.
The bad guy(s) wins, the "protagonist" wasn't, the good guy retires but passes on his knowledge to the next generation. Seems a lot like life.
p.s. I also liked how the bad guy was implacable and unstoppable, but ultimately trapped by his insanity. Whereas Jones was equally dogged, but free to choose his fate.
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