NEW ULM — The New Ulm Film series will begin exploring the feature films of the Coen brothers, starting with their first film, the 1984 neo-noir “Blood Simple.”
The screening starts at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the New Ulm Public Library’s meeting room.
“Blood Simple” was the first movie directed by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen.
“Blood Simple” has the distinction of being the first film directed by the Coen brothers and it features many of the elements that would place them among the most acclaimed directors in history.
Their professional career began in the 1980s. The Coen brothers had written the script for “Blood Simple” and wanted to direct the film themselves. The brothers were able to create a teaser trailer for “Blood Simple” with the help of friends in the film industry. Using the trailer they leveraged enough money to get the film made. Joel and Ethan served as writers, editors, producers and directors. They shot the entire film in 1982 and it remained in post-production until it’s release in 1984.
The film’s title is taken from a Dashiell Hammet novel, in which the term “blood simple” describes the addled mindset of people immersed in violent situations.
The plot revolves around a bar owner, Julian Marty, played by Dan Hedaya, who hires a private investigator Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh) to kill his wife, Abby, and the man she is having an affair with, but things do not go as expected. Visser’s plan to betray Marty result in a series of misunderstandings for all involved in the murder plot.
“Blood Simple” is heavily influenced by noir films and other pulp movies that the Coens grew up watching. The Coens were born and raised in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The brothers became interested in cinema from watching old films that aired on Minneapolis stations during the 1960s. As kids, they would sometimes use a Super 8 camera to make their own films. Often these movies were remakes of movies they had seen on TV. From a certain perspective, “Blood Simple” can be viewed as an extension of Coen’s early interest.
On its initial release, “Blood Simple” was a modest success. As a small independent film from unknown directors, it was not expected to make a lot of money. However, the film did achieve strong critical praise. Critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert praised the film. Ebert even ranked it among the top ten films of the year.
In addition to being the first film directed by the Coens, “Blood Simple” is also the first film featuring actress Frances McDormand. McDormand plays Abby in the movie and is the wife of Joel Coen. McDormand would go on to have an extensive film career, winning three Oscars for acting. She has worked with her husband Joel several times, appearing in nine Coen Brother movies.
The critical success of “Blood Simple” allowed the Coen brothers to make further films with increasing success. By the mid-1990s, the Coens were considered among the best directors working in Hollywood. Many people go back and revisit their first film, bringing “Blood Simple” to a wider audience and even more acclaimed.
“Blood Simple” is the perfect entry point for understanding the Coen brothers’ filmography.
The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the New Ulm Public Library meeting room. The film screening is free to the public.
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