With regard the first, George, I don't know that I've ever in my life heard anybody use that phrase seriously. And if I heard anybody use that phrase as a goof, it was so long ago I don't remember when.
The thing is, there are phrases like that. I mean I didn't have to explain to you what the phrase meant, and probably nobody ever did. You heard it in some context and guessed the meaning, put it away in your brain, and even though it is so uncommon that you don't remember anyone saying it, you instantly recognize it and probably have some kind of association of who you imagine might say it. There must be hundreds of thousands of phrases wandering around up there like that. Take "hoi polloi" for instance.
Right. Nobody ever had to explain it. Perhaps I learned of it from a movie like, you know, maybe Animal House? Speaking of which, Belushi has been dead 30 years this year. That hardly seems possible...
And I definitely have associations as to who might say this phrase, yes...
1. I actually think I heard somebody say it in grad school, so that'd be 1994ish - it was a stats guy, which probably explains it.
2. Wow - tough. You said 'liked' rather than 'best', so I'm going with either Oh Brother Where Art Thou or Raising Arizona. But Miller's Crossing is definitely in there.
Least liked - that black & white one with Billy Bob.
Blotto: I may have used it this decade. Reminds me of being out on the Mokolumne river in the late 90's and hearing an aged hippie happily rave, "Outta Sight Man!". I was first stunned then amused and grateful. Clearly it was part of his vernacular. His heart was behind it. -------- Top three: Raising Arizona; Fargo; Burn after Reading. Hudsucker least favorite though I liked it too. I love the rules these guys break.
With regard to the Coens, my least favorite is absolutely Intolerable Cruelty. I think it goes along somewhat okay for the first half and, then, becomes supremely boring, which seems to be an unforgivable sin for them. (For the record, I've seen all the features save for Ladykillers which didn't get good reviews, came after or before IC so I was suspicious, plus I liked the original with Alec Guinness and decided to skip).
My favorite may well be No Country For Old Men, as it was for John Marcher. Brilliantly shot, true to the book, and with that wonderful closing soliloquy from Tommy Lee Jones. Also, I liked A Simple Man very much (aka The Book of Job; I saw this movie with Caleb Dardick in a theater and he kept repeating "Yes, but is it good for the Jews".) Honorable mention to Fargo and Barton Fink but, with the exception of IC, in general I like all their movies...
With regard the first, George, I don't know that I've ever in my life heard anybody use that phrase seriously. And if I heard anybody use that phrase as a goof, it was so long ago I don't remember when.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe thing is, there are phrases like that. I mean I didn't have to explain to you what the phrase meant, and probably nobody ever did. You heard it in some context and guessed the meaning, put it away in your brain, and even though it is so uncommon that you don't remember anyone saying it, you instantly recognize it and probably have some kind of association of who you imagine might say it. There must be hundreds of thousands of phrases wandering around up there like that. Take "hoi polloi" for instance.
ReplyDeleteRight. Nobody ever had to explain it. Perhaps I learned of it from a movie like, you know, maybe Animal House? Speaking of which, Belushi has been dead 30 years this year. That hardly seems possible...
ReplyDeleteAnd I definitely have associations as to who might say this phrase, yes...
To the first question. Not since the 70's.
ReplyDeleteTo the 2nd, most: No Country for Old Men
Least: Tie: Fargo, Raising Arizona
1. I actually think I heard somebody say it in grad school, so that'd be 1994ish - it was a stats guy, which probably explains it.
ReplyDelete2. Wow - tough. You said 'liked' rather than 'best', so I'm going with either Oh Brother Where Art Thou or Raising Arizona. But Miller's Crossing is definitely in there.
Least liked - that black & white one with Billy Bob.
Blotto: I may have used it this decade. Reminds me of being out on the Mokolumne river in the late 90's and hearing an aged hippie happily rave, "Outta Sight Man!". I was first stunned then amused and grateful. Clearly it was part of his vernacular. His heart was behind it.
ReplyDelete--------
Top three: Raising Arizona; Fargo; Burn after Reading. Hudsucker least favorite though I liked it too. I love the rules these guys break.
Mister Paul - the black and white Billy Bob was The Man Who Wasn't There...
ReplyDeleteWith regard to the Coens, my least favorite is absolutely Intolerable Cruelty. I think it goes along somewhat okay for the first half and, then, becomes supremely boring, which seems to be an unforgivable sin for them. (For the record, I've seen all the features save for Ladykillers which didn't get good reviews, came after or before IC so I was suspicious, plus I liked the original with Alec Guinness and decided to skip).
ReplyDeleteMy favorite may well be No Country For Old Men, as it was for John Marcher. Brilliantly shot, true to the book, and with that wonderful closing soliloquy from Tommy Lee Jones. Also, I liked A Simple Man very much (aka The Book of Job; I saw this movie with Caleb Dardick in a theater and he kept repeating "Yes, but is it good for the Jews".) Honorable mention to Fargo and Barton Fink but, with the exception of IC, in general I like all their movies...
"But my seed could find no purchase."
ReplyDelete"I'm the damn paterfamilias!"
"'What's the rumpus?" "I was just in the neighborhood feeling a little daffy."
"And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper..."
"But I went to high school in White Bear Lake...go Bears."
"Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos."
"I don't roll on Shabbos!"
They do dialog better than Tarantino or Spike Lee.