11 October 2009

Coming and Coen





When the Coen Brothers make a movie, you know there is going to be a twist.  Only they would come up with a pregnant sheriff tracking down a used car salesman feeding his victims into a wood chipper in Fargo.  Then there is the Hudsucker proxy mixing suicide, stock scams, and hula hoops.  Barton Fink takes you to the hell known as writing screen plays in Hollywood.  Raising Arizona has an infertile ex-con and his ex-cop wife kidnapping a more trouble than he's worth baby. 

This week's Take This Tune is the principal theme song from the Coens', "O Brother, Where Art Thou".  Set in depression era Mississippi, on the surface this is a jailbreak movie, with the main character trying to get back to his family.  Somewhere around minute 30 or so, something starts to feel familiar.  If you have read the classics, you start to suspect (Oh they didn't, did they?)  Characters named Penny and Ulysses (Say What? HUH?) and it all starts to fall into place.  Homer has moved to Mississippi.  Now this Penny isn't quite as faithful as the Greek Penelope, but the washing women temptresses have their Siren arms shoulder deep in suds, the lotus eaters are marching numbly into riverside baptisms, while John Goodman's one-eyed character makes a darn good cyclops.  There are a lot more references, but you will have to read the above link to get the full flavor.  If nothing else, it will give you a good reason to rent the movie again.

Throughout the whole movie there is the wonderful blue grass music and the Soggy Mountain Boys who probably stole their name from the Foggy Mountain Boys with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.  That in turn gives me an excuse to visit You Tube ONE MORE TIME because there is no better way to spend time than, listening to Foggy Mountain Breakdown.

6 comments:

Lois Grebowski said...

I love that movie... My favorite song from the movie was that baptismal song. If I had been born with a good singing voice, I'd be a gospel singer fer-sure!

Border Explorer said...

I only own a couple DVDs and "Oh Brother..." is one of them. [The other one is "De-Lovely" another shared fav of ours.] LOVE all that music!

Jeni Hill Ertmer said...

Jamie -I read your comments on Shelly Tucker's post about making potholder and you bemoaned not being able to find embroider patterns etc. I'm almost always working on some kind of embroidery project and I get the majority of my supplies through Herrschnerrs Crafts online store. I always buy the pre-stamped stuff or on rare occasions if I am feeling like living dangerously, I might embark on a counted cross stitch item. But, Herrschnerrs does carry transfer patterns, as well as all kinds of floss, needles, hoops -anything you could possibly ask for! Check it out!
And good luck too.
Peace,
Jeni

Recent blog:=- In Perspective

Lee said...

Yes, I am still around...still reading and have started posting again. I love this movie and almost anything the Coen brothers come up with. You are right, the soundtrack to the movie is great! I grew up listening to alot of this type of music.

keyboard.jockey1@gmail.com said...

Jamie,

One of my favorite lines in this movie is when they pick up Robert Johnson at the crossroads, and Delmar asks Johnson, what's he doing way out in the middle of no where. Johnson replied, he had to meet the devil, he made a bargain with him, so now he could play the guitar real good...Delmar ask, what did you trade him. Johnson replied my soul. Delmar oh son you traded your everlastin soul to the devil? Johnson, welll I wasn't using it. LOL!

Recent blog:=- Haugan, Montana - World Famous 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar

Travis said...

I'd never considered the movie in that light before. Perhaps I'll have to give it another look.

And that's a great play on words in your post title. Sorry I didn't get a chance to play this week.

Recent blog:=- And cue music for Vegas callbacks