Blood Simple Film Analysis

The Coen brothers can be considered an example of what not to do when first starting out as a writer and director in the film industry. From the beginning, they did not try to get a big name producer, go for big name actors, or write movies they knew would be hits. Instead, they raised money from the citizens of their hometown to make their first film Blood Simple, which starred pretty much no-name actors and actresses in an absurd plot. However, this put their name on the map, and it was because of that movie that we have masterpieces today like Fargo. They use their own techniques that, if tried by any other director, would seem forced, but when put to fruition by the Coens create a film that captivates many.
Although they are well-established
It is beautifully made, taking on a style that is new for the Coen brothers while still allowing them to insert their typical style choices, but the plot is less than satisfying. There are people in the world that thoroughly enjoyed this film, but the fact that it made less than three million dollars at the box office shows that somewhere they went wrong. One element that could be seen as a flaw is the combination of real and fantasy. This came into play in their previous film, Barton Fink, that, while it did not do incredibly at the box office, became a fan favorite because of the quirky but serious vibe it portrayed. At the end of the film, Barton encounters his neighbor at the hotel he is staying in who is supposed to replicate the devil, lighting the hallway on fire as he passes by. The whole movie had an odd feel to it, so it really was no surprise for it to get even more strange. The Hudsucker Proxy was not a particularly normal film, but the placement of the supernatural element did not work like it did for Barton Fink. Towards the end of the movie, the main character, Norville Barnes, is stopped mid-air—after falling from the top of an enormous building—by an angel who is actually the CEO of the company that committed suicide
With The Hudsucker Proxy, they managed to make an already slow plot seem that much more slow. The only time the movie picked up the pace was when Norville was successfully selling his hula-hoops, making it the most interesting sequence of the film. The rest of the time was spent developing the life of Norville and his relationship with Amy which never reached a point of making people care because no one cared for the characters to begin with. In Fargo, the pace is set by both the characters and the plot. With Marge, a slower pace is used because of her slow-paced personality. The scenes with Marge and Norm are especially slow because their lives have no reason for rushing. Scenes where the kidnapping is concerned move significantly faster, showing the anxiety the kidnappers have in making sure the procedure goes well and the overall high-pressure situation at