Watched Miller’s Crossing last night for the first time in years. One of the best American films ever made, in my estimation.
Not only that, but it turns 21 this year.
I hope it celebrates by tossing a couple of chunky ice cubes into a tumbler and then pouring in two fingers of whiskey.
That’s the rumpus.
Just caught it again myself a few weeks ago. Great, great movie.
Got Blood Simple on deck for this weekend.
Caught TranSiberian last night, as well. Good little flick.
I have Hobo with a Shotgun, Rubber, and Stake Land lined up for the rest of the week. And Night of the Living Dead, but that’s for a project I’ve got going.
I’d forgotten how funny it was in spots without ruining the mood and turning into a comedy. Just subtle stuff.
With the hat or when he’s speaking the chief of police after the second raid and they act exactly the same even though they both just switched sides. Or a dozen other little things.
Oh, I got a recommendation. Submarine. Coming of age comedy with some fantastic characters. Paddy Considine as new age “ninja” is great.
TranSiberian was quite good. Haven’t caught those others yet.
I don’t know why (it was only 21 yrs ago) but at the time I wasn’t grabbed by Miller’s Crossing, whereas Blood Simple had me from the drop with a grip that wouldn’t release. It could have been as simple as having an argument with the girlfriend before the show or some other distraction for all I know, but I guess I should give it another go.
Try it again, sdferr. There’s not a bad line in the whole film. And not a bad shot, either.
A handsome film about men with hats, is I think how the Coens describe it. But it’s much more.
Then too, now that I think on it, I could have been shitfaced drunk, so there’s that.
bh,
That’s very typical of the Coen Bros. better movies.
Absolutely, Spiny. Unbelievably good writing.
It’s one reason why No Country… and True Grit left me somewhat cold. I don’t want them using other people’s material. I want their material. Let less talented writers do the adaptations and remakes.
Mrs Cookies and I saw that on a date. Still one of our favorite movies. And today, 21 years later, whenever we’re around someone’s kids who are being super obnoxious (not ours, of course, ours are perfect in all ways) a subtle, “Did sombuddy hit yoooooo…” under the breath will start us giggling.
There was one of those “Top [Insert Number] Films” programmes on telly and I think “The Usual Suspects” was in the Top 10. Gabriel Byrne was being interviewed, and he looked at the camera and said “What the hell was the matter with Miller’s Crossing?”
Great film.
bh,
I thought No Country For Old Men was very good, but grim and disturbing to say the least (like an ode to Sam Peckinpah). Javier Bardem as the drug cartel assassin was a brilliant piece of casting.
Definitely a very good movie, Spiny.
Just figure they only have so much time in total and each movie takes up how ever many years of their career. I can think of a few directors who could have been trusted with No Country… but no others who can put forth original material like they’ve come up with.
“Look into your heart!”
“What heart?”
One of the taglines for the movie was “Up is down, Black is white”, wasn’t it?
The whole script is quotable. And Polito and Turturro were great.
Caspar: I’m talkin’ about friendship. I’m talkin’ about character. I’m talkin’ about – hell. Leo, I ain’t embarrassed to use the word – I’m talkin’ about ethics.
My grandfather had a bit part in Miller’s Crossing. He played a rabbi.
The rabbi who presides over the service for Bernie Bernbaum at the end? In the woods of Miller’s Crossing?
Awesome.
Does Miller’s Crossing have explosions? I like explosions.
Actually it does, Cranky.
I can’t even pull off a decent, “Look at me, I’m stupid,” joke. At least, I cannot do it intentionally.
If it helps, they’re very un-Hollywoodish explosions.
I had no idea what it was about, so I looked it up. I think I shall watch it sometime.
I killed another thread.
Outlaw!
You didn’t kill it, cranky.
When it turns out that Yackums’ grampa was the rabbi in the last scene? No one can really add to that. He just won and rendered all our comments silly and far less cool.
I gave up being cool at PW a long time ago. You guys are way beyond me in terms of intellectual firepower.
Instead I spent my evening with a bunch of other LTs drinking beer, whiskey, and smoking cigars. Going to be an interesting graduation ceremony tomorrow.
Yeah, that’s the one. The service in the woods.
But I’m afraid I have to deflect all the coolness heaped upon me in the ensuing comments, and in what will undoubtedly earn me equal or surpassing heapings of scorn, humbly admit to you all that (Sorry, Grandpa!) I haven’t seen the movie.
YET. I haven’t seen the movie YET. I’ve definitely been intending to for many years. In fact, seeing this thread prompted me to get off my ass and
downloadlegitimately acquire it.I can tell you all the cute story of how he got the part.
They were filming in New Orleans, where Grandpa was from (he passed in 2004), and the casting director went to some representative of the Jewish community and asked for the rabbi; he explained that he wanted one for a scene in a film.
When the rabbi, a young, clean-shaven man, arrived, the casting guy said, “no, no, we need someone who looks like a rabbi!” The community rep immediately said “Oh, OK! You want Zolly!” (He was a slight old man with a goatee.) And the rest is history.
(The way Grandpa tells it, he and Albert Finney really hit it off.)
I had a mis-fire in my intellectualizer.
I’m supposed to wait a full minute before cracking the breech, right?
Sure, it’s old enough to be on American Movie “Classics” now, but that doesn’t mean it’s over the hill.
The boss is still an artist with a Thompson.