On December 6th, Joel and Ethan Coen release their 16th feature film: "Inside Llewyn Davis." Will it be a big hit, or a cult oddity?
Their fascinating, eclectic career includes both. I tend to like their more obscure movies, the box office failures, the "off year" titles. Here's a list of my 5 overlooked favorites. Only one grossed more than $10 Million domestically and none were Oscar winners.
5. "Intolerable Cruelty" 2003
If you're not familiar with the Coen Brothers, this is a gateway into their world. Not one of their best, but the banter and retro charm elevate it above similar movies in the genre. The Coen Brothers picked up "Intolerable Cruelty" when their previous film abruptly fell apart. They were in pre-production on an adaptation of James Dickey's "To the White Sea" starring Brad Pitt (download the screenplay here). The estimated costs ran over budget and an agreement with the distributor could not be reached. As a result, they needed a new project. Hence this silly, conventional romantic comedy. Because of the star power, this is one of their highest grossing movies, yet most people forget this is even a Coen Brothers film. It's one of the few movies where the Coens share writing credit, on a story not originally from their imagination. The cast have a great time, especially George Clooney at his most Cary Grant. 4. "Barton Fink" 1991
It's hard to imagine "Barton Fink" neglected as it's one of only 10 American Films ever to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It's even been referenced on "The Simpsons." Yet I'm always amazed at how many people - even cinephiles and Coen Brothers fans - who confess to having never seen it. It's definitely a difficult movie, as it's subject is the dark mind of the writer and the act of creation. Essentially a surreal horror comedy, "Barton Fink" is the Coen Brothers most abstract film. And yet it's filled with their signature witty lines, hilarious characters and formal beauty. This story of a New York City playwright who meets the
great Hollywood Nightmare is essential viewing for anyone wishing to
work in the entertainment industry. 3. "The Hudsucker Proxy" 1994
"You know, for kids." At their most absurd and clever, this is the epitome of the Coens' synthesis of style and wit. The screenplay was actually co-written by Sam Raimi, who adds an even more bizarre sense of humor. The result is like a classic episode of "The Simpsons" right down to the Mr. Burns-esque corporate mentality. This movie might be The Coens' closest relative to "The Big Lebowski" in terms of wordplay, off-the-wall oddity and Hollywood references. The Coens' love for old Hollywood is visible in every movie, and especially detailed here. It almost feels like every line is taken from the Golden Age. And the production design is breathtaking, with art deco skyscrapers creatively imagined from the dungeon-like mailrooms to the inner workings of a clock tower. Take it all in because it needs redeeming. Even with Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Newman, "The Hudsucker Proxy" is The Coen Brothers' lowest grossing movie to date.
2. "Blood Simple" 1984
The template for how to make an independent movie, "Blood Simple" won the Grand Prize at Sundance in 1985. One of the most impressive debut films by any director - it almost seems unfair because there's two of them. The first image of a deserted highway set the tone for an entire career, including it's unofficial and unrelated companion piece "No Country for Old Men." Featuring beautiful neo-noir cinematography by Barry Sonnenfeld, "Blood Simple" is innovative in style, yet traditional in its themes of sinners and justice. And no one gets away clean. It undoubtedly influenced Tarantino, Scorsese, and most recently "Breaking Bad." At times violent, at times quirky and hilarious, this is the ultimate Coen Brothers universe. It's Texas, it's America, and it's pure cinema. 1. "The Man Who Wasn't There" 2001
I'll always hold a special place for this one, as I worked on the movie's marketing campaign, designed the official website, attended the premiere, and even personally interviewed the Coens. Yet it's the movie that endures, and it is timeless. And unappreciated. Probably because of the black and white period setting and the ambiguous title, "The Man Who Wasn't There" is still searching for an audience. A classic California film noir, it tells the story of a post-WWII barber caught in the malaise of middle-age. As Tony Shalhoub nearly steals the show, Billy Bob Thornton gives one of his best performances opposite many talented actors including a virtually unknown Scarlett Johansson. Check it out, along with one of the most beautiful trailers of all time:
When I mention Alan Rudolph to anyone under the age of 35, I get a blank stare. Apparently, if a director's movies are not streaming on Netflix they never existed. Such is the case with a true auteur who wrote and directed 19 movies between 1976 and 2002. A disciple and collaborator of Robert Altman, Alan Rudolph has a diverse, compelling body of work that deserves both rediscovery and examination.
An LA independent filmmaker through and through, Rudolph's jazzy, atmospheric films continue to entertain and educate. They represent authentic American Independent Cinema, about outsiders living on the margins. His films compliment Robert Altman's work, with his recurring repertory of actors, fighting for their American Dreams in the New West. Mr. Rudolph's films are often about artists and writers and musicians - as real people. He might even be the west coast version of Woody Allen. His work is eclectic and unpredictable. Yet taken together they comprise an unmistakably distinct oeuvre. Sure, he made some terrible movies along the way, including his career-killing adaptation of Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, but his high points more than compensate. One blog tribute can't do his work justice. See for yourself what an American master looks like. I suggest hunting down as many movies as you can find. Start with old VHS tapes, dig through your local library's basement, and keep your eye on eBay. Here are my top 5: 5. Trouble in Mind (1985)
Equal parts Alphaville and Blade Runner, this idiosyncratic neo-noir is typical Alan Rudolph. Set in a futuristic Seattle with hints of martial-law, Trouble in Mind features the underappreciated Kris Kristofferson as an ex-cop, and Keith Carradine as the Altman-Rudolph-esque loner. Filled with unconventional casting, surrogate families, and a surreal party scene to put The Great Gatsby to shame. Available on DVD in a great 25th Anniversary edition from Shout! Factory.
4. Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994)
When Mrs. Parker was released in November of 1994, it was overshadowed by Quiz Show, Bullets Over Broadway, and Ed Wood - all show business period pieces released within the same 2 months. Mrs. Parker, the least splashy of the four, holds up with the best of them. Collaborating with Producer Robert Altman, Mr. Rudolph returns to the witty, boozy banter of troubled artists in the 1920s (see #2). The difference, however, is this one focuses on one character - the writer Dorothy Parker played by the pitch-perfect Jennifer Jason Leigh. Not a conventional biopic, Mrs. Parker is a fluid snapshot of how this particular band of misfits fought, played and imploded. 3. Choose Me (1984)
Another similarity with Robert Altman and Woody Allen is Mr. Rudolph's skill with female actors. This is true for all the movies on this list, but most evident here with the excellent Genevieve Bujold and Lesley Ann Warren. Choose Me was an independent hit, that manages to be both quirky and quintessentially '80s. Another moody, jazzy tale of con-artists and loners, Choose Me brings the viewer back to a lost era of phone-therapy and radio call-in shows before the internet era. At times, Bergmanesque, and other times absurd and surreal, Choose Me continues Mr. Rudolph's exploration of love, friendship, and alienation. Featuring a great period score with songs by Teddy Pendergrass. 2. The Moderns (1988)
Before
Woody Allen went there in Midnight in Paris, Alan Rudolph
dramatized Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and the rest of 1920s Paris in The
Moderns. Once again Keith Carradine plays a broken-hearted artist,
surrounded by fellow misfits and liars. Like Woody Allen, Mr. Rudolph
draws parallels between present day creative circles and the highly romanticized
days of the Lost Generation. Only his Paris consists of forgeries, condom moguls, and
boxing matches refereed by Hemingway. Viewers may know Kevin J. O'Connor
from There Will Be Blood when he played Daniel Day-Lewis's
brother. Here, Mr. O'Connor practically steals the movie as Ernest
Hemingway because he makes Papa a fully realized, three-dimensional character,
not a brooding caricature like we often see. With yet another standout cast including John Lone and Linda Fiorentino, and brilliant quotable dialogue, The Moderns is a writer-director working at the top of his game. 1. Afterglow (1997)
"The hardest part of all is finding out too late that none of it lasts." Spoken by Julie Christie's character - a burned out, B-Actress chaneling Norma Desmond. But it could be referring to Mr. Rudolph, as this movie was his last popular and critical hurrah. A talented cast led by Ms. Christie's Oscar Nominated performance, and possibly Nick Nolte's greatest work ever, Afterglow is an original, mature love story set in Montreal. It calls to mind Leonard Cohen as it puts four lost romantics under the modern microscope. Sure, it's mostly the exceptional Ms. Christie's show, but Mr. Rudolph wrote the character. And his direction helped create the energized chemistry with Mr. Nolte. A modest hit at the time, it's disappearance today is a travesty. Produced by Robert Altman.
