FILM APPRECIATION THE COEN BROTHERS ‘RAISING ARIZONA’

FILM APPRECIATIONTHE COEN BROTHERS‘RAISING ARIZONA’

JOEL & ETHAN COEN • Writer/Director/Editors of 14 major motion pictures • Blood Simple (1985) a small budget independent film that received critical acclaim • Raising Arizona (1987) first commercial success • Fargo (1996) first to win major awards (Best Screenplay & Best Leading Actress) • No Country for Old Men (2007) winner of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Screenplay

JOEL & ETHAN COEN • Blood Simple (1985) • Raising Arizona (1987) • Miller’s Crossing (1990) • Barton Fink (1991) • The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) • Fargo (1996) • The Big Lebowski (1998) • O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) • The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001) • Intolerable Cruelty (2003) • The Ladykillers (2004) • No Country for Old Men (2007) • Burn After Reading (2008) • A Serious Man (2009) • True Grit (2010)

JOEL & ETHAN COEN –DIRECTOR’S TRADEMARKS • Films generally fall under the ‘screwball comedy’ or ‘noir thriller’ categories – but many incorporate elements of both • This results in many films showing the comedy in what would usually be a dark, serious situation (such as a murder or some other crime) • Screwball Comedy: Fast-talking (verbal) comedy with strong female lead characters that often challenge the masculinity of their partner as well as social classes • Films are often period pieces set in a specific era’s depiction of ‘Americana’ • Character’s dialogue feature repetition of lines, stylized speaking patterns, repetition of lines, quirky choice of words and repetition of lines.

NICOLAS (NIC) CAGE • Award-winning (Leaving Las Vegas) A-list actor in mainstream action, sci-fi and romantic films • Nephew of ‘Godfather’ director Francis Ford Coppola, changed his name to avoid gaining favors • Acting style is more of a ‘presentation’ of a part with some added spectacle in the performance • Infamous for making odd choices when accepting roles – many times his work achieves acclaim and popularity, but just as often his films are not successful • The Rock, Face/Off, Con-Air, National Treasure, Ghost Rider

HOLLY HUNTER • Oscar-winning actress (The Piano) • From Georgia, known for playing Southern characters • Broadcast News, The Firm, O Brother Where Art Thou?

RAISING ARIZONA (1987) • AFI #31 Comedy • Not a financial success upon release, but has become a ‘cult classic’, as many Coen Bros. films do • Cage would often offer suggestions, but Coen Bros. had a vision for the film and respectfully ignored him • Received acclaim AND criticism for heavy use of style in direction, acting and camera work • Many crewmembers and actors would return to work with the Coens on future projects

COMEDY IN RAISING ARIZONA • Physical – Sight gags, comedy from the camera work (framing a shot to achieve humor) • Verbal – Humor from the way characters talk and the content of the dialogue. Lines are often repeated for comedic effect. Where do you think these characters got their vocabulary? • Satire – Social/economic class differences, crime and punishment, media • Dark – The foundation of the plot is dark, criminals and their crimes, prison system, outlaws, mercenaries

JOEL & ETHAN COEN FILM ALUMNI • Frances McDormand (married to Joel Coen) – BS, RA, F, MWWT, BAR

JOEL & ETHAN COEN FILM ALUMNI • John Goodman – RA, BF, HP, BL, OBWAT

FILM APPRECIATION THE COEN BROTHERS ‘RAISING ARIZONA’