Down Here, You're On Your Own

Everything comes together in Blood Simple (1984) to make it an A-class film. Since it has most of the same elements and techniques, I’m not sure exactly why it’s more effective than The Ice Harvest, but can offer some ideas. First, there’s something to be said about showcasing lesser known actors rather than tried and true stars – the viewer can come at the film without having as many definite expectations, or even orientation, which allowed Blood Simple a fresher approach on its release. Because The Ice Harvest features John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton, viewers – anyone who has seen Pushing Tin or any other of those stars’ work – expect certain things; but Blood Simple was a first on the big screen for the Coen brothers, and for Frances McDormand. The others were character actors, not headliners. Hence, there is no easy moral compass, even though for a while we can see Ray (John Getz) as a sort of relatively “good” Clint Eastwood character – until he’s traumatized by events (diverging from a typical Clint role). The Coen brothers’ script is impeccable, giving M. Emmet Walsh the most colorful lines as creepy private detective Visser. The directing, combined with Barry Sonnenfeld’s ingenious cinematography and perfect combined use of sound effects, music, and editing – the persistence of intuition and vision, like following a car’s headlights, perhaps, a la Anne Lamott -- is something to behold, especially when one considers that Blood Simple was reportedly created on a small independent film budget of $1.5 million.

The Devil is in the details: if The Sopranos points out the dangers of the undisciplined mouth saying regrettable things that spark violence, Blood Simple follows deliberately planted Iago-like words that produce doubt in every other character’s mind – always with the ears. Many details are impressive in this film: the eerie, on-the-edge feel of Texas back roads flanked with bar ditches, the accents, traffic noises, interior noises, whirring overhead fans, shadow play, color, windows, lighting, smoke rings, maniacal laughing, unpredictable German shepherd, cigarettes, lighters, the jukebox, silhouettes, an incongruously sinister VW, close-ups of shoes, a blipping green-screened computer, ashtrays, a finger splint, seeping blood, a shovel, hand guns, bullets and a rifle, knives, rain, ringing phones, the incinerator, even a bug zapper, whirl together in a wildly entertaining kaleidoscope. The energetic use of different camera angles, moving shots, memorable set design, combined with tight close-ups of characters twitching and sweating, with unique facial tics and shifty eyes reminiscent of Sergio Leone – and deliberate pacing – power the plot forward with a mere six coherent characters.

McDormand as Abby gets to play a strong, independent woman who, though scared of her husband Marty (played well by Dan Hehaya), makes her own choices – some good, some bad, like the rest of the crew. In the end, Blood Simple reminds me once again of Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood, specifically when Visser asks Marty: “Now why should I trust you?”

Yesterday was the birthday of several influential authors, including Dashiell Hammett (5/27/1894-1/10/1964), whose phrase about the traumatizing effects of violence and deceit became the title Blood Simple. All the film’s actors have continued to take on roles, some good, some bad; and of course the Coen brothers have kept at it, while Barry Sonnenfeld subsequently became a big-budget director. The last thing to note is the remarkably simple yet powerful piano track scored by Carter Burwell and available on Coen brother soundtrack collections.

For the Pistons last night, everything did not come together -- but with their backs to the wall again, they'll fight things out with the Heat in game four of the latest cycle.

Ciao!