No Country For Old Men - Dissecting A Collaborative Masterpiece
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 มี.ค. 2017
- Get Practical Tools to Write Your Great Screenplay: www.practicalscreenwriting.com
Are you a screenwriter looking to generate ideas, give and receive feedback, and talk stories with other writers? Then join the community in the Facebook Group! It’s free and open to all screenwriters. - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
Get Practical Tools to Write Your Great Screenplay: www.practicalscreenwriting.com
Damn after that ghost theory i feel like watching that movie again
I have written someone stories
If you think Chigurh is a sick psychopath, try the movie: Funny Games US
If you think Chigurh is a sick psychopath, try the movie: Funny Games US
If you think Chigurh is a sick psychopath, try the movie: Funny Games US
The scene where Chigure was standing behind the door with only half his face visible is meant to represent a 50/50 chance of him actually being there, the shot where the sheriff opens the door only to end up facing his shadow is meant to subdue the expectations of first time viewers, who might have been awaiting for that final duel between good and evil we see in most westerns, and finally the sheriff finds the dime facing heads, implying that he got lucky like the old guy from the convenience store at the beginning of the movie.
I really love how indirect this movie is, it's very subtle and nuanced unlike most formulated movies we tend to see.
nice one dude
That is in fact the explanation, thank you man.
Chigurh only pays .25cents for the gas and peanuts. Nice move
SgtMarkins That's a 90% silver quarter. January of 1980 the price of silver was almost $50 a Troy ounce. That quarter would be valued at about $9.00 give or take some change back then.
That man got way more than 25 cents for that gas and peanuts
Well done!
@@Burner2608 Hellen of Troy ounce or Hector of Troy ounce?
Miki Miyazaki Orlando Bloom of Troy ounce
The last scene - the car crash (something random, uncontrollable, happening to the "force of nature" Chigurh) is supposed to show that he was really just a man all along.
Alexander; Good point. Thanks.
or that a much greater foce is watching Anton.
or maybe this is meant to remind Anton of how the world works and it really reinforces the idea of random chance.
@@onefairyfan87 But Anton arrived at the intersection at tthe same time as the other driver - as well as the kids....LOL.....and any coins that may have been in their pockets.
It’s all just chance, and really i think this proves it
3:25 "I need you to step out of the car sir". It's funny how we can all watch a great film and get something different out of it. You think he smiles because he enjoys the power he has over his victim. I thought he smiled because he's trying to put his victim at ease. Hes trying to look "normal" and this is the best he can do. Its forced.
Great critique. I love this film!
sounds about right. like he was trying but abysmally failing to appear normal
You nailed it. I agree 100%. That's how I always looked at it.
Ya i agree i thought the same thing when i first saw it.
Totally agree. I think the narrator of this video is messing up the smile with his eyes. Smile is fake and forced but his eyes are saying he enjoys it and in complete control as far as he knows. He's using the smile to put him at ease but his eyes give it away. The guys confused because he's looking at a man with 2 expressions.
@@rjperkins365 also nailed it.
You've got to acknowledge the acting skills of the shop keeper. Not as well known actors like that always go under the radar.
absolutely..I was thinking the same thing.
The “ Extra’s “ with speaking parts help make this movie.
Yup
Yes, as well as the lady manager at Llewellyn's trailer park.
And the lady at the trailer park
When sheriff Bell returns to the crime scene, I don't think that Anton is actually inside the room.
It's just Bell's imagination at work. He sees the broken lock, and he is expecting that Anton is inside (the Anton we see hiding is actually what Bell is thinking what he is doing inside). He then opens the door, and the room is empty. Bell confronted his fears.
Game of Thorns Actually if you watch that scene closely you’ll note the shadow created by the caution tape reflected on the wall when the sheriff enters. After he comes back from investigating the bathroom, you’ll see the shadow is now gone. I believe this is suppose to signify that Chigurh was in the room hiding, and left quietly off screen while the sheriff searched around. Possibly knocking off the tape while escaping.
That's what I thought too.
Well said. I never thought of it like that but that makes total sense.
"What time do you go to bed??"...""oh I don't know around 9:30"..."I could come back then"..."well why would you come back then??
We'd be closed"..."yeah you said that"
XD
daren harris chills
I don’t get it please explain?
@@gamingxsmoking3007 no
@@gamingxsmoking3007 die in your sleep. That's what he meant
I just thought about the fact this movie has no soundtrack built into it. I think it adds a sense of uneasiness throughout the film. Almost like the events take place within a vacuum. Chigurh has full control over the fates of everyone in the film. They are simply trapped within his domain and must face the coin toss to move on.
The imagery of empty landscapes at the beginning also adds to that sense of helplessness to. It reinforces the idea that this world is inhumane (both metaphorically and literally).
There actually is one track that technically counts as a soundtrack. It can be heard, however faintly, during the tense exchange between Chigurh and the gas station owner. It's just a low chord of a stringed instrument held steady through the exchange. I pondered over why the directors included that simple track there and no where else when they could have used wind to achieve the same effect. What's significant about the gas station? I'd like to talk to the directors and ask...haha.
This movie has music wichever way you look at it. The scene in mexico where moss wakes up to mariachi, the scene where bell finds moss dead in the motel, the ending credits.
and also, I love this movie but the song at the end is only there because the coens didn't want to be compared to european cinema.
Get a life
@Hate mail the motel scene still counts
Javier really got into this role. You really can't see anyone else doing it as well or convincingly imo. It was just great casting in general.
"You have any idea how crazy you are?"
"You mean the nature of this conversation?"
"I mean the nature of you..."
Great scene.
That's what everyone was thinking
5:15 The storekeeper deserves recognition for the way his now-more-spasmodic breathin signal his fear. So what he's less noticeable -- he deserves as much recognition.
Tommy Lee Jones who did a great job was still outshadowed by Anton who played the greatest psychopath since Hannibal Lector
.......if you don't count my EX WIFE !!
Interesting you mentioned Hannibal Lector. Among my top favorite movies are "Silence of the Lambs", "No Country for Old Men", and "Seven".
@@blondwiththewind Yes I love those as well. The mind of a psychopath always interested me. How can someone be without a conscious or not have empathy? Very complex.
TL Jones best acting...Somewhat desultory and confusing, but terrific nonetheless. And agree about Anton. think his character and his brilliant performance have/will make this a cult classic. Coen Bros. are amazing.
The five greatest psychopaths in cinematic history.
1) Anton Chigurh (No Country For Old Men)
2) The Joker (The Dark Knight)
3) Hannibal Lector (Silence of the Lambs)
4) Nurse Ratchet (One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest)
5) John Doe (SeVen)
"Don't put it in your pocket. This is your lucky quarter." "Where should I put it?" "Anywhere not in your pocket. Where it'll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is."
What a great quote I love the whole scene. Don’t you, Friendo?
That's a classic! His acting was brilliant. That scene was so intense
Nice analysis. Chigurh is a man but he also represents death. I don't think Chigurh was in the room while Bell was in the room. The punched out lock represents the coin toss. Is Chigurh there or not? Bell has to decide. He calls it and it turns out Chigurh isn't there. This matches the book. Chigurh is actually watching Bell from a parked car.
+Matthew Scott Miller interesting thoughts!
Maybe these shots are different times, made to look like they are together. Just representing the choice that Bell has as explained by Matt?
I always though Chigurh was in the room next door. Remember, they hired 2 rooms beside each other and the coin toss = 50/50, just like door 1 or door 2 50/50. Pretty sure if you pause him hiding behind the door and figure out which way he's facing and which way the door opens, it's the other door.
@@philmcclenaghan7056 I was thinking a similar point. The rooms were identical chigurh was in another room
Tyler Mowery u
Chigurh didn’t disappear when sheriff Bell was at the door of the motel. These are two different time lines but shown at the same time.
Jamie Lancaster I thought he was just standing behind the door the whole time
Actually if you watch that scene closely you’ll note the shadow created by the caution tape reflected on the wall when the sheriff enters. After he comes back from investigating the bathroom, you’ll see the shadow is now gone. I believe this is suppose to signify that Chigurh was in the room hiding, and left quietly off screen while the sheriff searched around. Possibly knocking off the tape while escaping.
?
Chigurh is clearly in the other room. Draw out the angles and note both doors and it is quite clear.
@@moviebufftexas5277 Yes this is what I thought.
Unquestionably one of my all time favorite movies. Harrilson as the bounty Hunter exposed the true depth of his skills as an actor here as well. This was as close to perfection as any movie to date had achieved, in my opinion. A masterpiece!
Chigurh seems like the Angel of Death. He is more an archetype than a real character. I teach this novel to high school seniors and one of the exercises is to identify the archetypes in the story. Bell is a good shepherd trying to care for his flock. Moss is the everyman who cannot walk away from the temptation that ultimately destroys him. Bell and Moss are real people, we all know these guys, but Chigurh comes from the primordial mass. He does things that defy reason. Wells has to plug in a special code to get to the 17th floor to meet the corporate sponsors of this freakshow, but Chigurh just walks up the 17 flights of stairs and punches the lock out of the secret door, that nobody knows about. He then slaughters the man who hired Wells and watches him die for fun. This is not to mention the untold number of bodies that he disposes of with casual indifference throughout the film. I agree with the comment by Sly about the soundtrack. The sense of uneasiness pervades the entire film. I respectfully don't agree with Alexander. I think the final scene has Chigurh walking off to show that the evil is still out there. We can crash into this primordial force and maybe slow it down for a while, but we can never stop it.
Not really stated here, and no shade to the Coen Brothers, but the brilliance of the dialogue much came from the novel they adapted. Much of it line for line.
yea, I've heard that. I probably should've included that.
if it works, don't fix it...subscriber now...good job!!
In a discussion of this movie you neglected this crucial fact. The movie was originally a book by Cormac McCarthy... you should have acknowledged his brilliant work and not attributed it to the Coen brothers.
Yes but ask 100 authors about their books that were turned into film/TV and listen to the rants. Dean R. Koontz actually stopped letting his books be bought because he thought the outcome was trash. I believe Stephen King said something similar in the 80s. Point is. The Coen Brothers did an amazing job. The book is dialogue, characters. Sure. The movie? Is everything else. And I mean EVERYTHING. Right cast. Pacing. Music or not. Cinematic shots. So yes. The book was the beginning. The movie? Is a masterpiece culmination.
Read the other book... Frightening, future after world nuclear weapons, cannibalism, baby's toasted oh my god, so nitmareish ..
He was never in the motel room. It was just a image or fear that he was just waiting for him.
G_A_M_M_A no
My opinion, he was in the room next door. Just like the other scene where Moss shoved the cash deep into the vents, making Anton think the cash was in a different room when he used the tracker.
That was my take also.
@@TitoMolina604 I feel like they create ambiguity intentionally - there is no right way. He is sort of ghost, or sheriff`s thoughts, or he is next door, or in the car.
Certainty would dissolve mystery of Anthon
@@TitoMolina604 Yeah, that was always my understanding.
the peanut wrapper unraveling sound like a fuse being lit on a dynamite stick ; potentially blowing at any moment.
Also the automotive belts behind the gas station attendant look like a bunch of nooses symbolizing death is near.
Subtle details like this makes this film stand out really well.
@YouMake MeReal Give me a break on calling "random fog" a moron. You're lost if you can't appreciate his nailing it on the belts. Jeez!
To me the best line is "I guess their TV set was broke". When he was speaking about the newspaper article
Your channel deserves more attention. It truly fuels my interest for cinematography (as a hobby). Well done.
+Anti-Yacon thank you so much!
H
The scene at the hotel is one of many “coin tosses”. There are 2 doors and you see Sheriff Bell look at them. From the wide shot you see both locks blown out. Bell must choose which room to go into. He chooses correctly as Chigurh is behind the other door. Something that is obvious by the position of the hole in the door when we see Chigurh on the floor. Bell finds the coin on the floor and knows Chigurh was there. He also figures he is still next door. Rather than go next door and check he sits down with his lucky coin. The scene is now tied to the Del Rio motel and to the gas station. Chigurh got away cleanly - whether because Bell never went to the other room or by strolling away while Bell was in the first hotel room. Watch the scene closely, pay attention to both doors, note there is no space behind the door Bell enters and note the opening where the knob was in the room where Chigurh is crouched. The Coens are detailed and deliberate and Roger Deakins joins with them to spell out what happens. There are no other hypotheses needed.
I never noticed the second room had it's lock blown out as well. This film has such incredible detail and is so well thought out.
i guarantee that Chigurh was in Vietnam like Moss and Carson. That is the bond that all three share. I would say that Chigurh was one of the soldiers that did many evil things in Vietnam that when beyond the call of duty that came out years later and that is how he became so evil and cold. If you watch the documentary on "The Nightstalker, Richard Ramirez", he learned Stealth and saw pictures of brutality to civilians from his cousin who was in the Vietnam war. Hearing those stories from his cousin warped his mind and helped create the serial killer that he became
interesting thoughts!
Carson, Moss and Chigurh are all the same age. If Chigurh wasn't drafted then I guarantee he signed up for the Vietnam war to kill. Many Vietnam solider did god awful things over there just because they knew they could get away with it. I bet thats one of the reason why Carson knew about Chigurh so much and what he was dealing with
Twin Turbo
And/or he was experimented on by the American government. So many soldiers were left damaged by mind control and the like.
Wells knew Anton when he was less mad during the beginning of the war, maybe were friends. Then he saw the change in his behaviour and it was frightening but you can still hear the "love" in his voice when he talks to him and about him.
This is if he is a real person. I think it's more likely that he is a demon inhabiting an old, cloned body going around doing demonic shit because that's the demon way.
Possibly CIA. Stephen Root's character who hired Chigurh, seems to fit the bill of CIA. The 13th floor reference.
I heard from a comment on another No Country for Old Men video that Chigurh could possibly be Russian, KGB even. Reason being that the name Chigurh derives from Ukrainian (I know that Ukrainian isn't exactly Russian but it's former Soviet Union) and that his MO could point to secret service training and experience.
This is all speculation though. McCarthy wrote Chigurh to be foreign however as there is never any hint to where he is from. This could also just point to the idea that Chigurh is a force of fate and death.
I think when the sheriff went back to the hotel room, Chigurh was not really hiding behind the door. That was just the sheriff's imagination running wild because of fear.
Joseph Casey As a former LEO I think the same thing. As cops 👮♀️ we are always considering what if? We’ve seen the depravity of mankind. We know anything’s possible when it comes to desperate people in desperate circumstances. We learn to sit w our back towards a wall. We subconsciously consider every possible opportunity for being ambushed. We’re a walking bullseye 🎯in uniform. No Country for Old Men is a well written reflection of the writer’s understanding of human nature & the hidden lurking potential for violence. All that’s required is the right set of circumstances & a series of unfortunate events that spiral towards a tipping point. The potential for violence is there lurking just beneath the surface in each of us & will come out if the right buttons are pushed.
@@lt.e.a.sewell6555 Wouldn't they have had the motel room staked out after Moss dies? It's also stretching credibility that Ed Tom doesn't know about the money at this point,
otherwise why would they all be after Moss? Or his wife would've figured it out. In any case, Anton is not actually in the room, he's been there and gone already.
You are absolutely right. The movie depicts the narrative that the sheriff is always behind in his old age, like he was here. The moment he stared at the door and walked in he was confronting his imagination and the fact he was no longer fearless or capable of his duty. Thats why he was retired. Anton wasn't behind the door, he was long gone and always a step ahead.
Joseph Casey I believe all fear is driven by imagination gone wild. Just look at our reaction to a virus that’s no more deadly than influenza. Fear is useful to autocratic politicians in governments. Fear allows despotic politicians to make policy based on fear instead of the data, the facts, science & reason.
well said.
Wow...after all these years I still seek answers and expiration on the movie. It was filmed in my hometown of Las Vegas New Mexico. Every time I go back to Las Vegas I pass the “coin toss” station. It should be a historical site!
Were in vegas was the toin coss
I want the address on the damn station.
@SoonerNSMD
No, actually the station in Red Dawn was built and was North of Las Vegas. It isn't there any more. BUT, remember the scene where they pop out of the ground and ambush the armored personnel carrier? That was filmed at this station. Check it out....I just noticed that a few months ago.
Stayed in that hotel, didnt realize it at the time. While I was there they were filming Longmeir :-) I also didnt know anything about that at the time, either, nor did I know I'd walked past the actress who played Starbuck (Kater Sackloff) in the remake of Battlestar Galactica. One of my friends in out group told me later and took some good pictures of her.
Stayed in the "Eagle Hotel" in the exact room Moss stayed in a few years before the movie came out ... was awestruck and a little creeped out when I saw the movie. Spine chilling actually!!!
Carla Jean: "No, I aint gonna call it." Extremely important scene. She might be the hero in all of this.
Greg Hackenberg and then he checks his boots as he leaves Carla Jean, and the bottom falls out again.
I agree, Greg. She knew what this guy had done...she knew Llewelyn was dead....and she knew she was about to die, too. She had to have been terrified....but she did not allow him to control her. He was obsessed with being in control....and in a very real sense: she beat him at his game.
Jesus dude who hurt you?
I'm sorry you're wrong do better next time he’s only being honest, shill
@NibiruLives I understand why but she died because she was to hard headed and ignorant to be a little flexible when it came to her life.
Do you know what nemesis means? A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent. In this case Anton Chigurh.
Snatch 😅
The silhouette in the TV screen is reflected image. CRT glass doesn’t show grey. Only no photons produced. An off TV is not aTV.
Lol ok brick top !
The word nemesis originally meant the distributor of fortune, neither good nor bad, simply in due proportion to each according to what was deserved. Later, Nemesis came to suggest the resentment caused by any disturbance of this right proportion, the sense of justice that could not allow it to pass unpunished. In the 2013 action movie “Parker” the lead character, played by Jason Stathum, relentlessly pursues justice because he can’t allow chaos to go unchecked. If he does not pursue justice then he’s just as guilty of wrong doing as the ones who caused chaos by stealing from him & breaking an agreement.
Love this movie but I never fully understand it, there's always something I forget about it and have to re watch it but its the themes and the quiet chilling moments that I really enjoy.
Another great video I never knew bloodied wrists represented death in movies, always learning.
+Bluer Sora thank you for continually supporting this channel!
Interesting analysis. One of my favorite movies. It presents something new every time I watch it. It's one of those movies where it feels like everything went right in creating it. Great script, acting, direction, and cinematography. Everyone focuses on Bardem and granted he was phenomenal but there's something about Tommy lee Jones' performance that kind of sticks with you. It felt so genuine and there was a kind of desperation in certain moments that made it so memorable in a subtle way. And kelly macdonald's acting was fantastic as well.
A lot of people I know didn't like the ending. They say this is no ending at all. They didn't get it. For me this is one of the brilliant film ending, maybe THE best I have ever seen. The last shot of Ed Tom. You can see his feelings in his face. I love this movie!
Sir, this is extremely well thought out, and well written. Excellent work
I was flying from Dallas to London and watched it on the plane but thought it was so good I watched it twice. Then I bought the DVD.
Very cool analysis! I just watched this film for the first time a few weeks ago, so this was very timely.
I was struck in particular by the absence of music throughout the entire movie, and I felt that it added to the tension you described. particularly in scenes where there are very subtle foley and audio effects, the lack of music allowed these to really come to the forefront, and that worked to the film's advantage.
I agree
Leaving the wrapper on the counter showed what Anton felt about the store owner. Garbage. He could not care less but for the coin toss.
But the scene in the hospital really laid it out. The way Llewellen responded to Carson revealed a lot about him. He was reluctant to admit he was even in the military saying his previous job was "welding". This is unusual for people that fought in a war. So it's clear he must have been in special operations and Carson is no buddy.
A disappointing feature of the story was that it wasn't even Anton that got him, but the cartel.
Its such a good film, I even thought the dogs did a fine act.
One of the most suspenseful tense film i ever saw and yes since Hannibal Lector the weirdest psycho but unlike Lector he has no shred of charm in him. I watched it on the big screen when it first came out and it had me not go to the bathroom once for i might miss something important . The whole film kept you guessing and you never really got to grips with the killers angle or personality . What made me a bit sad is the good cowboy sealed his own fate by going back to the murder scene in the dessert to give to the dying mexican some water who then when he finaly arrives is dead and coming events seal his fate too. There are no winners in this film. Even the cowboy's wife gets done at the end . The sheriff retires and is none the wiser.
Especially in the beginning when the dog is limping off, he stops and looks back as if to say “ what are you looking at!”
“And then I woke up”
Ed Tom Bell realizes that this is no country for old men.
If you notice at the end that the police tape is marking off 2 rooms, not just the room moss died in hence the other room must of been of importance, i think moss would likely rented a room and place the money there while he was in the girls room,
the room that bell goes into is the one where moss died but the vent couldn't of held the case of money, i think Anton was in the other room behind the police tape and bell choose the wrong room to enter, that can be the only explantion since if anton wasnt there at the same time as bell we wouldnt of received the scene telling us as such since the anton motivation the whole movie was to retrieve the money and not necessary just kill moss. and notice anton got the money back before killing carla jean but i believe it is different in the book slightly
I read about the multiple room theory. The one issue I see is the reflection in the keyhole. How does Anton see the reflection of the Sheriff in the keyhole if he is in the other room?
Tyler Mowery its not implied nor do we seen any reflection on keyhole, we merwly see the light coming thru the keyhole since anton air gun the bolts out, and if you look at the kight source on the wall between the 2 doors , it makes more sense that anton is in opposite room since we know the money couldnt of been in the vent in the room moss died since the vent is shown to be too small , bell also was looking to protect moss thru the movie hences bell wasnt chasing the money which is where he became "slow" since anton ultimate goal was getting the money back which anton does
The crime scene tape doesn't appear to have been placed to intentionally cover the door of the neighboring room. If you look closely it is attached to the poles that support the awning which covers all of the motel room doors. This is the only place available to attach the tape. The spacing of the poles makes it necessary to place the crime scene tape in front of both rooms
I don't understand the confusion. We clearly see two doors when Bell is approaching the building. He went inside one room and Chigurh was in the other. It doesn't seem like there's anything very distinguishing in the reflection of the keyhole but even if there was, a cylindrical mirror might capture the sheriff on the adjacent door, since they are very close.
@@TylerMowery The reflection, if there is one and not just light coming through the hole, is the confirmation that they're on opposite sides of different doors.
The view of the hole from inside the room is that of a person with the hole on their left, looking at the inner left surface of the hole which would only be able to reflect things outside the hole and somewhat to the right(from the perspective of the person in the room). Based on the shot from the sheriff's perspective, with the hole to his left, he shouldn't have been able to cast a reflection in the hole to someone looking at it from the direction that the inside view used.
Thus a reflection of the sheriff in the blown out keyhole must either confirm that they were on opposite sides of DIFFERENT doors or never have actually been there and it was just light coming through.
One thing I noticed about Chigurh that stuck with me (besides all the other lunatic things he does) was that Chigurh does not blink once in the entire movie, reinforcing the notion that he is not human or at least not normal at all.
Double Dose yes he blinks.
“I got here the same way the coin did” and the “Do you know what date is on this coin? 1958. It’s been traveling 22 years and now it’s here” are my favorite lines of any movie or book.
Mine is “if the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule”
Best movie of Javier Bardem. Just plain brilliant.
When I saw this film I thought "If I were ever the bad guy.........I would want to be Chigurh". That dude was scary.
Chigurh is the weird cousin of the Cartel boss who he sends to tie up loose ends. He has been sharpened as a weapon his whole life, and considers himself as one. That’s why he gets so puzzled by small talk and open ended questions. I met a guy like him down near Sonora when I lived in Tucson. I’ll never forget his mannerisms.
consider himself as one. Hmmm. Unity of identity or wholesomeness something
There is no comment on the most interesting part of this awesome movie for me: The dream of the Sheriff after he retires. It is about how he knows his dad in the dreams is waiting for him with a fire burning. This is an image of heaven. This is the whole point of the film: it isn't about beating evil that matters. It is about trying to stand up to it and doing your best. Because when we have done our best to stand up to evil, when our time is done, our Father will be waiting ahead for us with the warmth of His fire burning. This is the essence of hope, strength and courage.
At 8:39 Can you understand what he says? I cant make it all out. (If the road you followed brought you to this __________! What did he say?
Bill Williams if the rule you follow brought you this then what use was the rule. I think
@@bscott83 That might be it. Thanks man. What a awesome movie.
What I think is .. The fire burning is the justice which was applied before at the time of his dad , and his dad didn't give it to him because he (failed) to apply it .. but the real mystery is chigure which represent the violence and the badness that is unjustified (with no specific reason for it) that almost everyone fear to face it and it present in every one of us . They represented it without a background because it doesn't has a reason....
Any way that is my opinion and sorry for my english.
In the book, Bell recalls a situation during his war times when he acted un-heroicly in order to protect himself. He's haunted by his own cowardice.
I've been doing a lot of research into this late scene with Bell at the crime scene, and I've arrived at the conclusion that Chigurh was NOT in either of the rooms taped off. Bear with me here. First we have all the "He's pretty much a *ghost*" set-up in Bell's chat with the local sherrif, and we also knows that he dreads coming in contact with "something he doesn't understand." He has heard the local sherrif say that Chigurh is now known to be one who brazenly returns to the scene of crimes, and that's why Bell goes back to the hotel that night. He's terrified, and stands long seconds contemplating the blown-out lock cylinder in the door of 114. As he does so, we get what appears to be a view of Chigurh, lurking "behind" the door, and against the wall of 114. Now, it's not abundantly clear, but a long shot at the beginning of this scene seems to suggest that the lock is blown out of room 112, to the right next door, and both room entrances are taped off. However... the view we get of Chigurh could ONLY have been in 114, where he would be looking from the "back wall" of the room, to the hinge side of the door. If he were lurking in 112, a "mirrored layout" relative to 114, he would be inside the room looking towards 114 to watch the blown out lock cylinder hole in the door, and would not have his back in a corner. Nor would he put himself in a position where Bell was "behind him". All these dynamics are confirmed when Bell finally does open the door to 114, because our eyes go the the front corner behind the opening door... and Chigurh is not there. That whole wall on Bell's right is the "back wall" of the room: there's a long dresser, a couple lamps, a mirror in a frame all along the wall. it's a shared wall with 112. Bell clears the room, finding nothing. No way Chigurh could have escaped through the bathroom window, as Bell sees it's locked from inside; similarly, no way he could have escaped through the vent, because that doesn't lead to any egress point, and it would have made way too much noise. It's clear that Chigurh got the satchel from Moss' usual hiding place some time ago and is long gone. It was his "ghost", and Bell's dread, that we were "seeing" in the cutaway shots as Bell struggled with his decision to open the door or not. The tension here also, I think, represents Bell's decision to retire. After this, he's *done*.
This interpretation is the one and only right answer: Chigurh was not in the room when Bell was outside. What we saw was Chigurh in the imagination of Bell. Showing that image of Chigurh gave the audience the same apprehension as Bell. However, once Bell entered and found no one, he was relieved, but the audience is left puzzled, because there is no cinematic clue that we were seeing a mental image. That scene puzzled me for a while after I saw the movie, until I figured out the only possible answer. I guess the Coen brothers made this mystery on purpose, so viewers would think about the movie afterward, but many are still confused.
He was in the room next door.
Tyler Mowery helps me realize what a fine art filmmaking is. I don't know if Tyler went to film school but I sure did learn a lot of tradecraft from this video and see how much complexity I miss as a movie washes over me. I have even more respect for all that goes into making a great movie.
You should check out the novel the film is based on by Cormac McCarthy if you haven't already. A lot of the dialogue and even direction was lifted almost directly from it. Not taking away from the Coens' but McCarthy deserves credit as well.
+Bernie Urban he definitely does. One of the greatest authors America has had
Certainly agree with this, having read the book years ago prior to the theatrical release, I was inspiring to encounter so many scenes and direct lines virtually unchanged from Cormac's novel. I'm glad to see someone else comment similar, I was surprised after this strong film review that there wasn't more comment relating to the parallels between film and novel.
@@coreyb9920 I am also a huge Cormac McCarthy fan (and a Cohen Brothers fan) so I was thrilled that they didn't screw up McCarthy's fine work.
Same with "The Road". Hard to compare to this work, but a faithful and quality adaptation in my opinion.
Indeed 👏👏
Most of the film's dialogue is taken verbatim from the novel
I think the film is a reflection on the decision-making processes that we all use to drive our journeys in life. You become an "old man" when your decision making process is no longer effective for the world in which you live....and this is no country for old men. Anton both questions others' and defends his own decision making process, albeit subtlety. He asks Carson Wells, "If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?" He's calling him an old man and then takes him out. He also says, "I got here the same way the coin did." to Carla Jean before he kills her. He's got his code that he lives by, which I think includes elements of both fate and chance. He hates small talk and believes that every word should be spoken with absolute clarity and conviction....and also that one should stick to their belief system. He shows this in the surprised glance he gives to the landlord of Moss's trailerpark when she sticks to her guns and refuses to give out information about him. He will take anyone out that interferes with his aims...which I think he sees as fate, but when they are not gives them the coin toss to let chance, and not him decide if they live. You'll note that he flips the coin first, so the outcome is set already when the person chooses.
This movie is brilliant to me and I have been trying for a while to get into the mind of Chigurh to really understand how he sees the world. Normal people think he's crazy, but at the end of the movie he's the only one still active...that is to say not dead or otherwise retired.
Good video man. I'll definitely have to check out your others.
What I like about your videos is that it never feels like you're "reaching".
This will be a big channel someday
+Jerome Ryan thank you! I really try to back up what I point out so that it doesn't feel like pure speculation. I've definitely done that sometimes but I try to avoid reaching.
I was just thinking that before I read this! It's a rare quality about social media these days and should be sought after and replicated.
The coin toss in the gas station is one of my favorite scenes of any movie all time. I had to go out and buy a silver quarter from 1958 after this lol
Chigurh is the Jungian shadow-self made manifest. He is at once terrifying and mesmerizing, as he represents in action, the darkly suppressed desires of man; to be free of established moral norms, to wreak havoc upon the world, and by extension, God, for having us on a planet where the prospect of death is inevitable. But he is also God in nature's form, at times merciful, usually unforgiving, wholly indifferent to the plight of the living.
Great videos, really enjoy your analysis, keep up the good work.
thank you!
This is the type of movie that should win awards. And did. It's fast paced. Dialogue. Acting. Cinematic shots. Just a masterpiece. Then you have 10 years later shit like The Favourite. People want to call it artsy and art house and its just crap. And yes sadly. I saw it. The fact is films can be amazing and when they are, they should be lifted up. No Country is such a film.
The Coen Brothers taught me that the very best movies are the ones - that after you see them the first time - you leave the theater with your head cocked like a confused dog.
This is the most INGENIOUS AND ATTENTIVE piece of Coen Bros analysis I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I remember being in a test audience (of all ridiculous things, at that point in their career) for "Miller's Crossing," and thinking, "I am not the man for this particular job. I am too AMAZED." Tyler Mowery, you are certainly up to the task. "No Country for Old Men" is constantly asking, "Are you the man for the job?" Everyone fails. (The nitwit who doesn't properly secure a load of dead bodies.) Except the man who "retires," or BELIEVES that he can. But the ghost of disorder and randomness, the defier of any concept of "rule," is relentless. My interpretation of the multiple-shadow motel room scene is that Sheriff Bell (who is double-shadowed in the TV set, also?) is simply ignoring an aspect of himself in that motel room, to which - against all reason, like Moss with the water - has returned. "The rule you follow." Bell let the "ghost" go. Well, now I am lost in thought, thanks to you, Cinema Tyler. What AMAZING work you do! "He's seen the same things I've seen, and it's certainly made an impression on me." But I cannot BEGIN to articulate them, as you do! Kudos and thanks!!!
Anton was in the other room. If you looked closely, two rooms were marked off by police tape. As Bell entered the room he went in, he saw the coin, heads up. This represents the coin toss, the luck. He went into the room Anton wasn’t in by chance and escaped death. Another “random chance” moment in this movie, that plays together perfectly with the rest of the plot.
He went to the room next door because of previous motel sequence, not chance.
He went into the room that Llewelyn was staying in because he was looking for clues, the money, etc.
Notice similar shirts worn by Moss, clerk and sheriff end scene retired. Different stages of a character as one is alive by chance (clerk), death Moss (chose the dangerous path) and life Sheriff retires end scene with similar shirt.
interesting! I didn't notice that.
Anton Chigur still gives me nightmares to this day. Well done Javier. The part for me that still haunts me is his scene with Lewelyns Wife at the end. Its so powerful, and subtle, and every emotion you can think of building to that final scene. Leaves you satisfied regardless of whatever happened in that room.
I have no idea what your other videos are like, but this video made me sub even though it's 2 years old. I'll trickle in your videos over time & know I'll already love most of them. This analysis is fantastic.
Best dialogue I’ve ever sat thru. Love this movie
This is a piece of work itself. Beautifully done. You should write a movie.
Great analysis Tyler! I enjoyed every minute of it.
+John Chaulk thank you!
From start to finish that was very well done and informative. This is one of my top 50 movies of all time and I've seen it at least a dozen times and the part that always got me was where did Anton go when the sheriff open the door to the motel at the end. I definitely realize that was a moment in the sheriff's life and in the movie where he had to open the door so he wouldn't never have to live a life of regret in his retirement. That's why I always thought they built that scene up so much the way to Cohen's do was to emphasize the importance of him entering that door to prove to himself one last time before retirement. I never thought of Anton as being a sort of ghost or something mythical but since you brought that to my attention there's something that stuck out and that was Carson's awesome speech to the businessman on what he thought of Anton. Carson refers to him as at disease or virus as the bubonic plague and is basically Pure Evil Carson never refers to him in any physical manner of a man with strengths or weaknesses. That's just my two thoughts but thanks again for the video. I'm curious to know your thoughts on the hateful eight and all the amazing subtle situations Quentin Tarantino was able to do throughout
Only line I care for is the coffee “we make it fresh every week”
Anton Chigurh is not just death, he's the angel of death, enforcing God's prohibition against the love of money (everyone in the movie who crosses his path and is after the money, he kills ... the money guys in the desert, the cartel guys in the motel room, even the man who hired him, and we know he's going to kill the associate who asks "are you going to kill me?" because Chigurh asks "who are you" and the man says "nobody ... accounting"). "Anton" is short for Antonius; the name means 'priceless'. He flips money for the irony. Money brought you here; now it's half determined your fate. Call it! Look at 4:28. The scene shows you the world's most harmless cashier ... but Chigurh finds himself agitated by even this mild mannered merchant.
In human pursuit of happiness, we mistakenly fix on money. Chigurh laughs at Carson's mention of the ATM just before killing him. If you pursue this cursed money (the movie begins with a scene where a dozen men have killed each other over it), you're toast. Why does this 'angel of death' kill the cop, the Ford driver, the chicken truck driver, the night attendant, etc.? Well, I think that's just because they're in his way, and he's death! (What's he supposed to do, just rough them up?! He's the angel of fist-o-cuffs? lol!) Why does the angel of death kill Llewelyn's wife? Because he knows Llewelyn's desire for the money was for her; she's the one who's consumed with worry over money ... the first thing she says to Llewelyn is what's in the bag, scoffs at 'money', then "hollers" at him for buying a gun. She's sweet, but she makes a fatal confession when she sees Chigurh in the corner: "I knew this wasn't the end. I don't have the money. What little I had is gone. I've got a pile of bills I haven't paid. I buried my mother today, and can't pay for that." Chigurh says, "I wouldn't worry about it."
Chigurh's contempt for the value systems of those around him is just more reason to think his goal on earth is to chastise everyone for valuing the wrong things. It seems like he's a nihilist (or perhaps just an existentialist), but I think instead he's a devoted realist about value, and simply sees no value in how Americans live ... sacrificing their humanity for money.
Ed Tom had two dreams at the end of the movie. In the first he meets his dad in town where his dad gives him some money. Ed Tom loses it (he doesn't care about money). In the second his dad is on horseback carrying a fire in a horn into the cold night ahead. Ed Tom knows when he catches up with his dad there will be warmth and light waiting.
I do think it odd, however, that the angel of death would say "Got a screwgee?"
I think the scene with the candy bar and "friendo" (4:15) is perhaps the best acting and directing I've ever seen. Perfect in all aspects. Bravo.
Chigur was only lurking behind the door in Sheriff Bell's mind. It was a visual manifest of his inner fear. Great insight and breakdown of some of the film. It's a shame he doesn't examine Barry Corbin's classic speech. It is, perhaps the one element of the film that goes unnoticed.....vanity.
2007 also gave us the brilliant There Will Be Blood, which was shot closeby this
Dirk Diggler it also gave us death proof by Quentin Tarantino
7:54 - Did anyone notice that the channel selector knob on the TV has moved exactly 180 degrees in the scenes where Chigur and Bell are sitting on the sofa with the milk?
that's not a flaw
They are opposite
think it’s in the same setting.
@@irgski Lighting is different but it seems to me it is the same. One is clearly visible and bright while the other is shrouded in a mysterious darkness. Guess which one is assigned to which character.
Nice work but give credit where it’s due. Practically all of that “great Coen Brothers dialogue” is directly from the book!
Side note: the book was originally a screenplay by Cormac McCarthy, later adapted by McCarthy into a novel, which was then adapted by the Coens back into a screenplay. In those hands that’s a process of refinement.
2:40 This is the face i did when fighting kids back in the days struggling them as well lmao xD, you just go like: "Just keep it strong, dont let go, just keep the pressure!" Same when blocking a door from someone. I remember having that face when pushing with all my force against that door to let no other student get past the door. In those moments of pure force, you just be. You only think about the "now" for a small amount of time, it is so intense. Of course, not everyone has those experiences in life but i am sure you can imagine
SO GOOD! In preparing for the role, Bardem asked the Coen Brothers if he should come up with a backstory for his character. They said no. SO GOOD! What is left is a Code Anti-Hero who is pure evil. We only have a vague inkling of his code with little possibility of understanding! A mystery which tugs at our eyes! One of my favorite movies.
I also love the way the film touches on the nature of a free market economy, as the title would infer. Those who hold themselves to higher moral standards are bound to be trampled by those who are help back by no moral code.
but the villain is clearly following some sort of moral code. It's nothing similar to yours or mine, but it's some sort of code.
migkillerphantom he has a code but morals are completely irrelevant to it. A psychopath can live by a code but morality is non-existant. There's a big difference between living by a set of rules based on morality and empathy, and whatever caused the villan to form his code. If he's not a psychopath and simply ignores his conscience same thing applies basically because you can't live by a moral code if you're ignoring your conscience.
Morality is subjective. It does not neccesarily have to do with good and evil, but simply a way of conducting oneself and one's behavior. Now, having empathy as a quality is a complete different concept and even then there are instances of serial killers manifesting empathetic qualities to a neurotic and even evil degree.
Psychopaths do not have a conscience in which to ignore, they simply do not have a conscience.
The lack of a backstory hints that he isn't neccesarily a single man with an arbitrarily constructed code, but the code is a natural phenomenon of life or a consequence of modern life.
Also, the fact that he came closest to dying by a car supposedly hitting him unintentionally while he was looking backward in his rearview mirror is very interesting.
@@migkillerphantomthe word you wanted to use was "held" not "help". An edit will correct that.
Free market economy gets trampled by government. Old men remember a time when government was small.
A lot of the really great lines you attribute to the Coen brothers are taken verbatim from the book.
Yes, I was surprised by how close much of it was.
"It's a mess ain't it sheriff?"
"Well if it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here"
Delivered in such a slow deadpan way.
One of these days I'll get to use that line.
My favorite thing about Chigurh’s character is what he embodies, and Javier Bardem’s acting only further supports it beautifully. He doesn’t just embody death itself, but he is the incarnation of the powers that we cannot and will never understand. Think of someone who died in the prime of their life, for reasons that seem so random and senseless. That’s Chigurh. The randomness of life. The illusion of choice. The bringer of fate in its most unknown form.
that coin toss . . .heavy. thank you for posting this, heavy video and thank you for helping me wrap my mind around this movie.
I always thought Chigurh was hiding behind the motel room door when the sheriff opened it. I just couldn't figure out why he didn't kill the sheriff. Maybe it was too risky for him as some of the sheriff's deputies might be outside, similar to the way he spared the trailer park manager when he heard the toilet flush.
I think it was Bell imagining him behind the door ready to kill him as a way to show what he's thinking because someone said in the book Chigurh was watching from a parked can and i don't think it would make sense for him to go back in there hours after the incident especially after he got the money but i mean it's not impossible cause he's a psychopath, just unlikely in my opinion.
Amazing film I also loved it. I tweeted Tommy Lee Jones personally and he responded. I told him how much I loved the film and that I believed there should be a part 2. He tweeted back "can't be done without the Coen Brothers"
Steve Houghton it’s based on a novel, there can’t be a part two...any attempt at a part two would be ridiculous! If you read the book you get the whole story and all of the things they left out of the movie
I wish you would have shown the scene with the sheriff's cousin. Just as Carla Jean was to Llewelyn Moss and Carson Wells was to Anton Chigurh, Ellis was the only person who really knew Sheriff Ed Tom. Even his wife didn't really understand him. It's why the Sheriff sought out his cousin for advice. As far as the Sheriff was concerned, he was the last vestige of the old world, and his only hope of figuring this out.
This is a must see movie for anyone who enjoys a story
When Anton crashes and breaks his arm it shows a true understanding I feel that he is just a man
But it also shows he’s a nearly unstoppable force. Even random events merely slow him down, and unlike Llewelyn, he knows how to brush them off and, more importantly, disappear.
ElCrab he was unstoppable till the car accident. Then he gets hurt and his power-days are gone. Instead of being the hunter he became the victim. Like he’s getting old, and this ain’t no country for old men.
Excellent movie. Excellent villain. Easily in the Top 5 of the 2000s on both counts.
I highly recommend "Hell or High Water" if you're interested in seeing a similar film to this that isn't a blatant rip-off. It shares many of the same elements as No Country such as crime & justice and of course its West Texan setting. Yet it also focuses much more on the relationships between its characters and its script is so natural and to the point whereas No Country's is considerably more dramatic (not a bad thing, both work great in their respective intentions). I've seen it a few times at this point and it gets better each time I do.
Oh, and good video!
+Sean Barlow excellent thoughts. I'm planning on watching Hell or High Water soon!
Sean Barlow I absolutely loved hell or high water
Sean Barlow Chigur is fantastic villain, maybe the most complex villain on screen ever. I can only think of one other villain in film or literature who out-does him, and that’s The Judge, also a creation of author Cormac McCarthy, if u aren’t familiar
Sean Barlow wow thank you for the suggestion I love this movie so much it’s good to know about another one similar and same west Texas , thank you
Hell or High Water is awesome....but it ain't nearly as good as No Country.
The Coen Brothers grew up 5 miles from where I did. They are the most original writers/producers in Hollywood, love this film.
Kudos from across the pond Tyler. An impressive and very insightful assessment of one of my all time top 10 movies....
This movie was intense. Chigur gave me the creeps even though I loved seeing his BADASS nature!
Good analysis, deserves more views. You have got very good keywords here too, I can see that you have studied 'Film Studies' or at least something to do with movies. Well done :)
thank you!
This is one of my go to films everytime i watch it i notice some subtle nuance that always leaves me feeling enlightened theres just so much i it and the scenes are so spectacular 10 out of 10 on this one. The coen brothers did well on their new one to
Thanks for this post. The analysis gives us things to think about. without drawing any absolute conclusions. Great movie.
Smile doesn't signify enjoyment. Smile doesn't reach eyes. More like a McDonald's cashier who is remembering to smile.
A real smile involves particular muscles near the eyes. No muscle, no real smile.
I smiled at your comment, cliftt, because it became a running joke between me and my wife that 'I' meaning 'me' don't exist in Yates' Wine Lodge... Whenever we were in this pub chain, it would be full of smiling, amenable barstaff, yet for some unknown reason, I could be stood there for 15 minutes, looking at all those smiles, and not be seen! Perhaps I didn't look like 'their target customer', - so, I just 'didn't exist'! 20 something years later, I would like to find out if I now exist in Yates'. - I know the smiles will be the same! Thanks for giving me that slight 'window of opportunity' to attempt to Satirise Yates' Wine Lodge! Regards. E.
It sets the mood.
Very good dissection my friend, you have gained a new subscriber!
+FBragger69 awesome! Thanks so much!
Excellent thumbnail sketch. As you spoke, and we came to the end with the sheriff, I had the impression the movie could be seen as a kind of diagnostic tool about men, about which men can survive and what it does to them to survive, to be safe, to be late, to avoid confronting the strange man and his preposterous way of killing people. What could be more emblematic of the Grim Reaper in peoples' minds, with the sycthe replaced with the odd compressor, which is also grimly comic, almost camp. Yes, death as camp, in the grim pathos that describes plenty of endings for human beings. Thanks again for the commentary. Had me thinking about the film in a way that's satisfying, since I no longer have the classroom to force listeners to listen to me.
top work there Tyler Mowery. Beautiful analysis of this movie. Wish it were longer. so many scenens here, simply masterclass. coen bros is at the top of hollywood. he can be talked with kubrick, coppolla in the same breadth.
The Dialog continually credited to the Cohn brothers is word for word Cormack McCarthy's.
What's great about the theory about Chigurh is also the role of him playing by the rules and that everyone who dies in this film is simply NOT playing by the rules. He is a grim reaper who is trying to organize the world into playing life's game fairly - Even if the game you have to play is being a bounty hunter or a mob boss. The film is a film about mercy and morals and how life shows no mercy whenever one breaks the rules. If Chigurh broke his rule by not tragically killing Carla Jean because she wouldn't play by HIS rules, then he would have died in the car crash I think. The car crash at the end shows him being unstoppable. So maybe it's not that he's the grim reaper, but that the grim reaper is hovering over him and also everybody else. The setting in the film plays a character in itself to where it's just a simple town with simple people - so simple to where they're living forgettable lives in a house they married into or in a trailer park. And with the b-roll footage of the desert, it shows there's no one around to see this happen. It gives juxtaposition that this film is very nihilistic - which comes with a lot of Coen Brothers films (most notably Barton Fink, Fargo, Blood Simple, Big Lebowski, and Inside Llewyn Davis) - even with the use of the comedic nihilists in The Big Lebowski. I have no idea what this comment is mainly about. It's basically just adding on to the dissection of this beautiful film, and it's also just me madman-ing. Thank you for this wonderful video
+Polveria excellent thoughts! Yea I didn't break down the crash scene but you're right. There's some real symbolism there. Chigurh is such an interesting character. Thank you for enjoying the video!
Why he killed the driver in the beginning then, did he not play by the rules?
He killed the driver because the driver could have reported him to the police and could have risked Chigurh getting caught. He had to kill him in order to actually get away clean. That's the same reason why he killed the accountant in the one scene and the guy with the chickens in the other.
The car crash at the end is proof that Chigurh is not in control. Chance happens to him as much as the rest of the film's characters. He may be smarter and more cunning than his rivals, but the crash reveals that even the Great Chigurh is subject to fate.
I believe that a car crash to an antagonist usually symbolizes that character as falling off, he just isnt the same as he was anymore, he isnt as aware of his surroundings as he was subsequently
Casting javier bardem as anton is one of the greatest casting ever done in the cinema history.
10:20
was roger deakins favorite shot he filmed for the movie. glad hes got his oscar now.
I have figured out where “Sugar” was hiding in the room. The one place Bell did not look. The shower. Same place the Mexican was hiding, but “Sugar” to find the Mexican. Bell, not looking behind his back in the bathroom, was allowed to go into retirement.
I'm a movie guy, and I've never seen a movie then that was so gripping.
Chigurh's impassive visage and demeanour creates bewilderment, threat, fear, dread of ones own unknown mortality, in that order. I worked in a prison and had time to see some of that contrived but seemingly casual indifference to other people's humanity and warm interaction. Being calmly told "Dave, I really don't care what you think" was a game-changer for me. It spoke volumes about attitudes - mine and his. Chigurh is real. Chilling as the fear from the gas station guy. A brilliant movie.