Transcript 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
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
The Coen Brothers (with Roger Deakins)
Ethan & Joel Coen
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Joel & Ethan Coen
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Ethan & Joel Coen
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Joel & Ethan Coen
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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: 1623.
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
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Strange Dialogue
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
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Blood Simple (1984)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Blood Simple (1984)
Cast
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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
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
Chapter 18 of
Raising Arizona:
“Warthog from
Hell”
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”
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
Miller’s
Crossing
(1990)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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
Barton Fink
(1991)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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
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 (18981959)
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)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Fargo
(1996)
Cast
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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
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
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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.
The Cult Film
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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.
The Cult Film
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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.
The Cult Film
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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.
The Cult Film
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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.
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
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 allseeing point of view. And at the same time
rediscovering the old earthiness of a Mark
Twain.
--The Coen Brothers Interviews (102-103)
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
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
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
The Man Who Wasn’t
There (2001)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
The Man Who Wasn’t
There (2001)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
The Man Who Wasn’t
There (2001)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
The Man Who Wasn’t
There (2001)
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
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
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
They got this guy, in Germany. Fritz something-orother. 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
The Man Who Wasn’t There
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
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Burn After Reading
(2008)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Burn After
Reading
(2008)
Cast
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Burn After
Reading
(2008)
Cast
ENGL 6750/7750
Film Studies
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 ‫ בלינצע‬blintse 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 ‫ חוצּפה‬khutspe, from
Hebrew) (AHD)
* dreck: (vulgar) worthless material, especially merchandise; literally: "crap" or
"shit" (Yiddish ‫ דרעק‬drek cf. German Dreck) (OED, MW)
* dybbuk: the malevolent spirit of a dead person which enters and controls a living
body until exorcised (from Hebrew ‫ דיבוק‬dibbuk, '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 ‫ ֿפליישיק‬fleyshik 'meaty', from fleysh 'meat', cf.
German fleischig 'meaty') (MW)
* ganef or gonif: thief, scoundrel, rascal (Yiddish ‫ גנב‬ganev or ganef 'thief', from
Hebrew gannav). (AHD)
* gelt: money; chocolate coins eaten on Hanukkah (‫ געלט‬gelt '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
‫ גולם‬gōlem, 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 ‫ גוים‬goyim; from Hebrew ‫ גויים‬or ‫ גוים‬goyim meaning 'nations [usually other than
Israel]', plural of ‫ גוי‬goy 'nation') (AHD)
* haimish (also heimish): home-like, friendly, folksy (Yiddish ‫ היימיש‬heymish, 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 ‫ קיבעצן‬kibetsn; cf. German kiebitzen, related to
Kiebitz 'lapwing') (OED, MW)
* klutz: clumsy person (from Yiddish ‫ קלָאץ‬klots 'wooden beam', cf. German Klotz)
(OED, MW)
* kosher: conforming to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate
(originally from Hebrew ‫ ּכשר‬kašer) (AHD)
* kvell: to feel delighted and proud to the point of tears (Yiddish ‫ קװעלן‬kveln, 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 ‫ קװעטשן‬kvetshn 'press, squeeze', cf. German quetschen 'squeeze')
(OED, MW)
* latke: potato pancake, especially during Hanukkah (from Yiddish ‫לַאטקע‬, from
either Ukrainian or Russian) (AHD)
* Litvak: a Lithuanian Jew (OED)
* lox: smoked salmon (from Yiddish ‫ לַאקס‬laks 'salmon'; cf. German Lachs) (OED,
MW)
Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man)
* macher: big shot, important person (Yiddish ‫ מַאכער‬makher, literally 'maker' from
‫ מַאכן‬makhn 'make', cf. German Macher) (OED)
* mamzer: bastard (from Yiddish or Hebrew ‫( )ממזר‬OED)
* maven: expert; when used in a negative sense: a know-it-all (from Yiddish ‫מֿבין‬
meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands') (OED, MW)
* mazel: luck (Yiddish ‫ מזל‬mazl, from Hebrew ‫ מזל‬mazzāl 'luck, planet') (OED)
* Mazal Tov: congratulations! (Yiddish ‫ מזל־טוב‬mazl-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 ‫ מגילה‬megile 'lengthy
document, scroll [esp. the Book of Esther]', from Hebrew ‫ מגילה‬məgillā 'scroll')
(OED, MW)
* mensch: an upright man; a decent human being (from Yiddish ‫ מענטש‬mentsh
'person', cf. German Mensch) (OED, MW)
* meshuga, also meshugge, meshugah, meshuggah: crazy (Yiddish ‫ משוגע‬meshuge,
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 ‫ משוגעת‬meshugas,
from Hebrew məšugga‘ath, a form of the above) (OED)
* meshuggener: a crazy person (Yiddish ‫ משוגענער‬meshugener, a derivative of the
above ‫ משוגע‬meshuge) (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 ‫ מנין‬minyen, from Hebrew ‫מנין‬
minyān) (OED, MW:Hebrew)
* mishpocha: extended family (Yiddish ‫ משּפחה‬mishpokhe, from Hebrew ‫משּפחה‬
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 ‫ נחת‬nakhes, from
Hebrew ‫ נחת‬naḥath 'contentment') (OED)
* narrischkeit: foolishness, nonsense (Yiddish ‫נַארישקייט‬, 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 ‫ נודיען‬nudyen, from Polish or Russian) (OED)
* nosh: snack (noun or verb) (Yiddish ‫ נַאשן‬nashn, cf. German naschen) (OED, MW)
* nu: multipurpose interjection often analogous to "well?" or "so?" (Yiddish ‫ נו‬nu,
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 ‫ נודניק‬nudnik, from the above
‫ נודיען‬nudyen; cf. Polish nudne, 'boring') (OED, MW)
* oy or oy vey: interjection of grief, pain, or horror (Yiddish ‫ אוי וויי‬oy vey 'oh, pain!'
or "oh, woe"; cf. German oh weh) (OED)
* pareve: containing neither meat nor dairy products (from Yiddish (‫ּפַארעוו(ע‬
parev(e)) (OED, MW)
* pisher: a nobody, an inexperienced person (Yiddish ‫ ּפישער‬pisher, from ‫ ּפישן‬pishn
'piss', cf. German pissen or dialectal German pischen) (OED)
* potch: spank, slap, smack (Yiddish ‫ ּפאטשן‬patshn; 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 ‫ ּפלַאצן‬platsn 'crack', cf.
German platzen) (OED)
* putz: an idiot, a jerk; a penis (from Yiddish ‫ ּפָאץ‬pots) (AHD)
* schav: A chilled soup. (AHD)
* schlemiel: an inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt (Yiddish shlemil from Hebrew
‫" שלא מועיל‬ineffective") (OED, MW)
* schlep: to drag or haul (an object); to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish ‫שלעּפן‬
shlepn; cf. German schleppen) (OED, MW)
* schlimazel: a chronically unlucky person (‫ שלימזל‬shlimazl, from Middle High
German slim 'crooked' and Hebrew ‫ מזל‬mazzāl '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 ‫ שלַאנג‬shlang 'snake'; cf. German Schlange)
(OED)
•schlub: a clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person (Yiddish ‫ זשלָאב‬zhlob '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 ‫שמַאלץ‬
shmalts or German Schmalz) (OED, MW)
* schmatta: a rag (from Yiddish ‫ שמַאטע‬shmate, 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 ‫ שמיר‬shmir '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 ‫ שמָאק‬shmok 'penis', maybe from Polish smok 'dragon') (AHD)
* schmutter: clothing; rubbish (from Yiddish ‫ שמַאטע‬shmate 'rag', as above) (OED)
* schmutz - dirt (from Yiddish ‫ שמוץ‬shmuts 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 ‫ שנוק‬shnuk 'snout'; cf. Northern German Schnucke 'sheep') (OED)
* schnorrer: beggar (Yiddish ‫ שנָארער‬shnorer, 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 ‫ שנויץ‬shnoyts 'snout', cf. German Schnauze) (OED, MW)
* schvartze: term used to denote black people; can be used derogatorily. (from
Yiddish ‫ שווַארץ‬shvarts '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 ‫ שגץ‬or ‫ שײגעץ‬sheygets,
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 ‫ שײגעץ‬sheygets) (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 ‫ שטעטל‬shtetl 'town', diminutive of ‫ שטָאט‬shtot '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 ‫" שטוּפ‬shtoop" 'push,'
'poke,' or 'intercourse') (OED)
* spiel or shpiel: a sales pitch or speech intended to persuade (from Yiddish ‫שּפיל‬
shpil 'play' or German Spiel 'play') (AHD)
* tchotchke: knickknack, trinket, curio (from Yiddish ‫ צַאצקע‬tsatske, ‫טשַאטשקע‬
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 ‫ צימעס‬tsimes) (OED, MW)
* tsuris: troubles (from Yiddish ‫ צרות‬tsores, from Hebrew ‫ צרות‬tsarot 'troubles')
(AHD)
* tukhus: buttocks, bottom, rear end (from Yiddish ‫ ּתחת‬tokhes, 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 ‫יַארמלקע‬
yarmlke, from Polish jarmułka, ultimate etymology unclear, possibly Turkish) (OED,
MW, AHD)
* Yekke: (mildly derogatory) a German Jew (Yiddish ‫ יעקע‬Yeke) (OED)
* yenta: a talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (from Yiddish ‫ יענטע‬yente, from a
given name) (OED, MW)
* Yiddish: the Yiddish language (from Yiddish ‫ יי ִדיש‬yidish '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 ‫ טוב‬-‫ יום‬yontef 'holiday', from Hebrew
‫ יום טוב‬yōm ṭōv 'good day') (OED)
* yutz: a stupid, clueless person ([1] [2])
* zaftig: plump, chubby, full-figured, as a woman (from Yiddish ‫ זַאֿפטיק‬zaftik 'juicy';
cf. German saftig 'juicy') (OED, MW)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
True Grit (2010)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies
Inside Llewyn Davis
(2013)
ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies