Warning! This post is jam packed with spoilers for "No Country for Old Men."
I found some peace in a most unlikely place during the Christmas break. I watched a movie with the Original Voodoo and Whodoggy entitled "No Country for Old Men." The movie was shocking, intensely gripping, and a great letdown (which I loved). This might be one of the most perfect movies ever made.
As I have perused the internets for the insight of others. There seems to be one scene that has become controversial. It is the scene where the old sheriff Ed Tom Bell returns to the scene of the crime where Moss was killed. I think that the simplest answer is the answer. I believe the Chigurh is really behind the door, and Ed Tom Bell simply missed finding him. If Ed Tom Bell would have looked behind the door, violence would have ensued, most likely resulting in the death of the sheriff. A .38 is no match for buck shot at close range and Chigurh would have simply shot through the door, having the advantage of surprise and superior firepower.
Back to this idea of me finding peace from this here violent movie. Simply put; it was Chigurh, who I think represents the uncertainty of death that we all face. There was a thread of rhyme and reason to his killing, but one thing it was not, was fair. Just like death, it never seems fair. Every character I was rooting for, was killed in this movie. Except for Ed Tom Bell, and I wasn’t really invested in him until the very last lines of the film. Moss was toasted by the Mexicans. Moss’ wife was killed by Chigurh. By the way, she was a true heroine, most unlike the super-acrobatic-invincible-skanks I so loathe in most newer movies (think Keira Knightley in King Arthur). She faced death without bargaining. I fell in love with her simple, resolute bravery. The only person I really wanted dead in this movie was death himself; Chigurh. And he never does die. Ed Tom Bell never catches him and fades into what seems to be a contented retirement. Life never was meant to be fair, and I found a granule of peace in the portrayal of that fact in this movie.
I never got my way when it came to this story, and I say that it’s about time.
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5 comments:
It was a great movie. I'm really glad that we were able to see it together. As with all movies I consider great, I thought about it for days, wondering if I got it right or if there was some underlying secret that I missed. Again, I'm very glad we made it happen. -J
It was a great time Professor. I've been thinking about this one for a long while as well. It was such a tense experience that it messed with my internal clock. I thought we were maybe 45 minutes into the film when it ended. Let's make it happen again someday.
Much Love
G
Of all the new releases that I saw last year, in my opinion, this one was the best.
Having read some Cormac, I just knew that I was in for dissapointment when I started enjoying the character of Llewelyn (however the hell you spell that). Brolin (Brand!) did an excellent job, along with Javier. It was exceptional, for the reasons you point out.
I will need to watch the hotel scene a few more times before I can come to a conclusion. My first reaction was to think that Chigurh wasn't really behind the door. I thought this because it would seem out of character for the veteran Sheriff not to notice another human being hiding just a few feet away from him, especially after his ace detective work at the scene of the drug deal fiasco. What convinced me that perhaps Chigurh was behind the door was the fact that the Sheriff never connected the use of a cattle gun with murders that he investigated. The physiological results of a cattle gun vs. a bullet would be pretty obvioius, even without specialized forensic equipment, and if the Sheriff had overlooked this, perhaps his attention to detila wasn;t as refined as I had thought. He was also distrught for having given his word to Moss's wife about making sure that no one harmed Llewelyn (or something similar...it has been a long time since I saw the show), so that might have factored into him not seeing Chigurh.
However you interpret that scene, the movie was perfect. Incidentally, have you ever seen Miller's Crossing?
please disregard how poorly typed my last entry was. shameful...
Grifter,
It is nice to know that you have at least one or two flaws when it comes to writing. Geez man, there is no need to apologize. Yours, Darren's, and Gillz' writing makes me feel like such a pygmy. It is so cool that he introduced me this trifecta of excellence. You guys are the BYU-I version of the Inklings. A clunky compliment, but it is sincere.
I appreciate your input about this film. Ol' Z has pulled the rug out from under my steadfast idea about this scene. A second viewing is in order to solidify or dash my current position.
I have not seen Miller's Crossing. Should I?
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