Spring Break
Quick guide to the Coens:
Brothers mix dark humor, quirky characters
Kip Mooney
Issue date: 9/12/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE
Joel and Ethan Coen have won an armful of Oscars but are still relatively unknown to the average filmgoer. Here's what you need to get to know them before you check out their latest film, "Burn After Reading."
"Blood Simple" (1984)
The Coens' debut is a dark (and darkly funny) film noir set in Texas and established their recurring theme: average Joes trying to get away with a crime and the disastrous results of their actions.
"Raising Arizona" (1987)
Featuring hilarious turns from future Oscar-winners Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage and the only time someone could use the word "awesome" to describe yodeling, the brothers' first foray into comedy is a zany caper about an infertile couple who resort to kidnapping to fulfill their dreams of having a family.
"Miller's Crossing" (1990)
Here, the crafty duo combine noir and Irish mob lore into a twisty thriller that keeps you on your toes.
"The Hudsucker Proxy" (1994)
This big-budget ode to screwball comedies of the '30s and '40s fell flat with audiences, but it's a treat for film buffs who miss the days of Preston Sturges.
"Fargo" (1996)
Joel and Ethan finally got some well-deserved recognition from the Academy for their original screenplay and Frances McDormand's deadpan portrayal of a Minnesota cop trying to solve a botched kidnapping.
"The Big Lebowski" (1998)
Possibly the Brothers' most well-known film, at least on college campuses, is this cult hit about the Dude - "the laziest man in Los Angeles County" - who gets mixed up with seedy businessmen, kidnapped trophy wives, and a German pop group/terrorist cell.
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000)
George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro star as a trio of escaped convicts who meet a cast of crazy Southern characters in this adaptation of Homer's "Odyssey." The soundtrack went on to win the Grammy award for Album of the Year.
"No Country for Old Men" (2007)
The Coens' Best Picture winner, an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, features an absolutely terrifying performance from Javier Bardem (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor) and an ending that's sure to split viewers.
"Blood Simple" (1984)
The Coens' debut is a dark (and darkly funny) film noir set in Texas and established their recurring theme: average Joes trying to get away with a crime and the disastrous results of their actions.
"Raising Arizona" (1987)
Featuring hilarious turns from future Oscar-winners Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage and the only time someone could use the word "awesome" to describe yodeling, the brothers' first foray into comedy is a zany caper about an infertile couple who resort to kidnapping to fulfill their dreams of having a family.
"Miller's Crossing" (1990)
Here, the crafty duo combine noir and Irish mob lore into a twisty thriller that keeps you on your toes.
"The Hudsucker Proxy" (1994)
This big-budget ode to screwball comedies of the '30s and '40s fell flat with audiences, but it's a treat for film buffs who miss the days of Preston Sturges.
"Fargo" (1996)
Joel and Ethan finally got some well-deserved recognition from the Academy for their original screenplay and Frances McDormand's deadpan portrayal of a Minnesota cop trying to solve a botched kidnapping.
"The Big Lebowski" (1998)
Possibly the Brothers' most well-known film, at least on college campuses, is this cult hit about the Dude - "the laziest man in Los Angeles County" - who gets mixed up with seedy businessmen, kidnapped trophy wives, and a German pop group/terrorist cell.
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000)
George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro star as a trio of escaped convicts who meet a cast of crazy Southern characters in this adaptation of Homer's "Odyssey." The soundtrack went on to win the Grammy award for Album of the Year.
"No Country for Old Men" (2007)
The Coens' Best Picture winner, an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, features an absolutely terrifying performance from Javier Bardem (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor) and an ending that's sure to split viewers.
Be the first to comment on this story