Xixax Film Forum

The Director's Chair => The Director's Chair => Topic started by: mutinyco on July 14, 2003, 05:53:05 PM

Title: (Coen Bros) so far... so what?
Post by: mutinyco on July 14, 2003, 05:53:05 PM
Considering that the Coens have been around for about 20 years now, what do people think their lagacy has been so far?
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: Cecil on July 14, 2003, 06:31:26 PM
amazing
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Post by: mutinyco on July 16, 2003, 07:09:11 PM
What about influences? What have they contributed?
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Post by: BrainSushi on July 17, 2003, 06:27:26 AM
Quote from: mutinycoWhat about influences? What have they contributed?

You mean like, who has shown signs of being influenced by them? I have no clue. I'm sure we'll see people ripping them off and paying homages to them in the somewhat-distant future.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: Something Spanish on July 17, 2003, 09:01:35 AM
I plan on ripping them off within the next couple of years.

O Sadaam, Where Art Thou?
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Post by: mutinyco on July 17, 2003, 09:52:52 AM
They already did that in Lebowski...
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Post by: mutinyco on July 18, 2003, 11:44:24 AM
I mean...look at the other films that were being made hen they got started. Their sense of imagination. The way they stylize every aspect of their films...
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Post by: mutinyco on July 20, 2003, 03:42:44 PM
Think about it... Do you think there would've been a Punch-Drunk Love without films like Raising Arizona or Barton Fink to lay a cinematic groundwork for small, quirky, technically polished films like that?

Most indie movies have been traditionally low-fi experiences. The Coens really pushed boundaries. Their influence can be seen in everything from Fight Club to half the commercials on TV.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: MacGuffin on July 20, 2003, 04:27:18 PM
Just accept the fact that no one knows and/or cares what you're asking and let the thread die.
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Post by: mutinyco on July 20, 2003, 06:14:31 PM
Okay. I will. And you can fuck yourself. :)
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: MacGuffin on July 20, 2003, 07:19:36 PM
Truth hurts, doesn't it?
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: Alethia on July 20, 2003, 07:58:00 PM
ooooooh.......
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: MrBurgerKing on July 20, 2003, 08:38:07 PM
Have you guys ever tried the chocolate frosties at Wendys? I really gave them a shot the other day. I ordered the chicken combo with a frosty instead of a soda, and what a mistake that was. It's not really a drink! It's more like an ice cream. I could sit there and wait until it melts so I can have it with a straw (like a milkshake), but that'd be kinda weird.. I'd rather just eat it with a spoon (in which case it's not a drink!), it doesn't serve as an adequate replacement for a drink! So I sat there and ate my sandwich / fries with ICE CREAM and it was a miserable all around experience. I should've gone and got a soda but I'd look like a huge prick going in line and buying something else. I know what the cashiers are thinking: "this guy is coming back again, what a moron with his grin, coming to probably order another sandwich. I should spit right in his face, light him on fire, and dance on his grave." I'm not going to deal with that passive-agressive contempt. It's a tough situation, but next time I know to order a drink AND a frosty (or just the drink itself)
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: Sleuth on July 20, 2003, 08:43:06 PM
I love Frosties
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: MrBurgerKing on July 20, 2003, 08:49:15 PM
Quote from: tremoloslothI love Frosties

Thanks for the support, tremolo-sloth.. I wonder if MutinyCo likes frosties as well? Hopefully his next post will be in reference to his favorite Wendys combo instead of cussing out MacMuffin.
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Post by: mutinyco on July 20, 2003, 09:34:26 PM
>Truth hurts, doesn't it?<

Not really. However, the thread probably would've died if nobody had written anything. I certainly wouldn't have written a third shunned post.

But thanks to you being a dick it seems to have continued a little longer. Thanks buddy!
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ShanghaiOrange on July 20, 2003, 09:58:24 PM
MacGuffin is the MacGuffin that keeps this thread going.
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Post by: mutinyco on July 20, 2003, 10:38:56 PM
That was completely incoherent.
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Post by: Pubrick on July 21, 2003, 12:54:32 AM
u are completely impotent.
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Post by: mutinyco on July 21, 2003, 02:32:04 PM
Somebody just edited this thread for no real reason as I can see.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ShanghaiOrange on July 21, 2003, 09:24:49 PM
Do you know what a MacGuffin is, motherfucker?
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Post by: mutinyco on July 21, 2003, 11:12:44 PM
I wipe my ass with Hitchcock, bitch.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: Sleuth on July 22, 2003, 08:03:41 AM
I'm tired of arguing with you cocks about this, shut the fuck up
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Post by: mutinyco on July 22, 2003, 09:47:53 AM
Somebody put a lock on this.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ElPandaRoyal on July 22, 2003, 09:53:56 AM
Why so? I think it's an interesting thread. I also think you guys just fight a lot for no reason on this boards. Personally, I think the Coens influenced not only other directors in style but also by turning independent films to another level, that can not only have a lot of quality but can, in fact, be seen by masses. As for influences on other filmmakers.... wasn't Wes Anderson who sayd the Coens are the best?
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Post by: mutinyco on July 22, 2003, 11:14:32 AM
THANK YOU! Thank you. Finally...

Yeah, Wes Anderson seems influenced by the Coens, A Clockwork Orange, Woody Allen and Polanski.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: SoNowThen on July 22, 2003, 11:16:57 AM
and Barry Lyndon, and all things Bunuel....
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ElPandaRoyal on July 22, 2003, 11:32:07 AM
Yeah, and a lot by Truffaut too. But this is not the Wes Anderson influences thread is it?  :wink:

Also, I was thinking about something... I think there may be some new filmmakers who take a lot from the Coens and, well, as longs as they take the best from them and turn those into good movies, it's OK by me (as I wrote a short screenplay a while ago to which I took a lot from Woody Allen's work, but hey, he did the same to Bergman and his movies are still great :P ). But I don't think you can't tell that the Coen Brothers really take that lot from other filmmakers, at leat directly. With the exception of "The Man Who Wasn't There" and "Miller's Crossing" I really think the Coens are real originals. What do you think?
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: SoNowThen on July 22, 2003, 11:36:56 AM
I don't know about ripping them off, but PTA seems to really respect their amazing command of dialogue, and how they build those amazing beats of characters playing off one another. He talks about it with Julianne Moore in one of the BN commentaries.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ElPandaRoyal on July 22, 2003, 11:43:57 AM
QuoteHe talks about it with Julianne Moore in one of the BN commentaries.

Damn, I don't remember that being mentioned in the commentary... I'll just have to listen to the damn thing again  :wink:  aahhhh.... if our life problems were all like this it would be great.

Anyway, I don't see Paul ripping the Coens. But Paul is one of those guys who could ripp anyone because he knows how to do so. I mean, there are certain shots in Boogie Nights and Magnolia that reminded me (especially) Casino, but he used them the right way in both films. Paul is one of those who uses influences the right way I think.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: SoNowThen on July 22, 2003, 11:50:29 AM
oh yeah, yeah. I don't mean "ripping off" in a negative connotation. I just use that term interchangeably with "influenced by". I try to rip off whatever I think is cool, and would work for the project I'm doing.

I think the point I'm trying to make was that when I personally write a scene that I would call Coen-influenced, I usually think of some sort of unusual situation that is threatening and funny all at once, that involves two or more goofy characters talking in stylized motor-mouth. That, to me, in the most forefront Coen influence on others.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ElPandaRoyal on July 22, 2003, 11:57:15 AM
Agreed. I also ripp a lot of stuff from other work and I personally think - at least while I'm an amateur filmmaker - that it's even cooler when you really show people you're ripping stuff. Like for instance, I once wrote a scene that would be a lot Wes Anderson influenced, so what did I do? In the previous scene I put two characters talking and in the background there was a TV with "Rushmore" playing. I love that stuff  :P

QuoteI think the point I'm trying to make was that when I personally write a scene that I would call Coen-influenced, I usually think of some sort of unusual situation that is threatening and funny all at once, that involves two or more goofy characters talking in stylized motor-mouth. That, to me, in the most forefront Coen influence on others.

Exactly. And I think that the "low budget" and high sucess of the Coens may be one of the bigger not influences, but inspiration to other filmamakers to get their stuff going. It was back when Blood Simple premiered and it was again 10 years latter, when Pulp Fiction came out
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Post by: mutinyco on July 22, 2003, 07:59:54 PM
Okay. I'm happy. That was my goal. We got the Coens past 300 posts. :)
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ElPandaRoyal on July 22, 2003, 08:06:42 PM
seeeeee....... just need to avoyd all those confusions you guys create in here which, although somewhat funny at times to read, they overshadow some of the post here. and this one is pretty interesting in my poit of view. so what are your thoughts about the whole Coen situation, mutinyco?
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: Alethia on July 22, 2003, 11:06:25 PM
see i knew this thread would be okay!!!!!!!!!
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Post by: mutinyco on July 23, 2003, 02:09:05 PM
I think their influence is pretty wide spread. I think they were well ahead of their time with their late-'80s/early-'90s output. I think they laid the groundwork for a lot of what we're seeing now. A lot of what we're seeing is a fusion of indie filmmaking and video directors. It's offbeat storytelling with tight visuals. Prior to that it seemed like indie movies were decidedly low-fi, but had great ideas -- while video directors made great looking movies that were vacant. Everybody from Wes Anderson to David Fincher owes them gratitude.

You know when filmmakers are influencing others because their core unit is being hired by other people. Although Roger Deakins was a successful DP prior to working with the Coens, it was with them that he really made his reputation. Their films have been as visually diverse as were Woody Allen's and Gordon Willis' 2 decades ago. Deakins has been hired by everybody from Martin Scorsese to Ed Zwick now. Likewise, composer Carter Burwell started with the Coens and an obvious admirer named Spike Jonze began using him. And Mary Zophres was hired by Spielberg to do the costumes for Catch Me if You Can based on her work with them.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: ShanghaiOrange on July 25, 2003, 08:30:26 PM
Their tongue-in-cheek style has kinda become prevalent in the nineties.

Maybe. :( I don't know.
Title: so far... so what?
Post by: mutinyco on July 26, 2003, 03:41:28 PM
I think they've become the most influential directors of TV commercials. Think about it -- a lot of commercial directors are up and coming filmmakers and they're playing off their influences.
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Post by: thedog on July 31, 2003, 03:43:10 AM
Quote from: mutinycoWho have they influenced?

http://www.xixax.com/viewtopic.php?t=2628

yeah.