The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs reviewed by Mark Kermode
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 พ.ย. 2018
- Mark Kermode reviews The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs. An anthology film telling a number of stories set in the Old West.
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"That is quite a fine Tom Waits impression... but we have heard enough of it now."
Simon is definitely a dad
instablaster
Something tells me he’s quite proud of his Tom Waits impression.
I think his Tom waits impression and very good, and very funny.
@Gilbert Farwynd Yeah especially of when Tom Wait's was younger. That old 70's interview he gave when he was stoned really sounds like Heath Ledger's Joker.
Well, it's not bad, not bad at all.
To be fair though, there's harder people to impersonate than Tom Waits.
@@Alpine_Joe It´s quite easy. A lot of people do it wrong tho. Now Leonard Cohen is a hard one to impersonate
That IS a pretty good Tom Waits impression.
oh my word!
that's one reason why i really respect his opinions
I never even heard of Tom Waits until this film.
@@cattlewranglerwalsh116 You should have and you're lucky to heard of him now. Go check out his music
cattlewrangler walsh Tom Waits is an acquired taste for some, but he is a brilliant songwriter. You’re in for a treat.
I actually thought the Liam Neeson section was deeply moving, and one of the best sections in the film. It's such a beautifully made piece, with many moments in it going on without a single word being said, yet it still says so much and you can just feel the emotion. It was absolutely magnificent.
Solarstar10... same. What I took from the anthology was the wretchedness that life could be in that day and age. Human nature was there to see in all its ugliness and beauty
Solarstar10 Totally agree. The sad realisation on the torso orator’s face when he realised his fate was superb acting. Very apt as a comparison to today’s TV audiences that would rather watch Love Island, X Factor etc etc (a chicken) than something of real substance.
It's definitely the most bare-bones, "minimalist" vignette in the collection, which is probably why some people will have a little trouble with it (not to mention its heavy, bleakly poignant meditation on human nature). I feel like it cared the least, of all the stories, about ingratiating itself with the viewer. I found it extremely moving, and a crucial part of the whole. I honestly loved all of them for different reasons, and I feel like I will be discussing this film for some time to come.
Agreed 👏🏼
it felt like a joke told cinematically
I can't believe how flippantly he just glossed right over the atmospheric, otherworldly final story, The Mortal Remains. That one blew me away. All of the stories are, in one way or another and to varying degrees, death-haunted. But that one really ties that overarching theme together in an unexpectedly profound way. The speech that the English "bounty hunter" gives to the passengers was masterfully written, and masterfully performed. I've gone back multiple times just to watch that brilliant, slow-burning buildup of realization in the passengers. Also great kudos to Brendan Gleeson for that beautifully sad old Irish folk song he sings to the passengers. That guy's a treasure. Hope we see him in more Coen bros stuff.
Should of included Buster Scruggs in that final short. He could of been the guy in the body bag getting out once at the hotel with a few punch lines to wrap things up.
I thought it was easily one of the weakest segments. Everything inside the stagecoach was great, then it ended on such a cliched old ghost-story twist. Very odd conclusion to a mostly unpredictable film.
@@nobodyspecial675 I agree with you. I felt let down. Especially that i was hoping for a final spotlight on Buster Scruggs. They could of included him in the final segment or a least a 30sec wrap up of him saying a few punchlines. Maybe see him in heaven playing that poker game he was so eagerly pursuing. Something to contrast the dreary tone of the last 2 shorts. Anyway, i really felt something was missing.
@@nobodyspecial675
Hmm, I saw it as being way more profound than just a "ghost story twist." I mean yeah, there is what you could call a "twist" to the story, but it's more metaphysical/spiritual/philosophical than hokey and plot-driven. It's actually a pretty deep and (imho) crucial part of the thematic whole.
But of course opinions are bound to vary with artists like the Coens. It's actually been pretty fascinating, hearing the huge variance in viewers' tastes for this particular film. I've been through a lot of comments about it, and it seems pretty much all over the map, in terms of which sections people liked most or least.
@@tuanjim799 The fact that it alluded to an afterlife doesn't make it inherently profound. I appreciate the subtext of our differences and experiences being ultimately trivial in death (which I think is about as thoughtful as most of the other segments), although that twist was like something from a lesser Twilight Zone. It's even the exact ending to an old, English horror anthology, Dr. Terror's House of Horrors. I'm not saying the Coens ripped it off, I'm saying it was obvious and cheesy for 1965.
"PAN SHOT!!!!"
The Harry Potter boy was the stand out for me
Dudley!
wow
Jenny Warm interesting choice of words for a man with no legs 🤔
I loved this movie, or should I say, series of vignettes. I enjoyed it from start-to-finish. Even for the Cohen's it's exceptional. I highly recommend it.
I'm hit and miss on Cohen films, my fav being Oh Brother Where Art Thou, but I loved this film and was glued to the screen from beginning to end.
Love Buster Scruggs! My new hero. Awesome charicter. Please bring more Buster Scruggs.
Easily one of the most enjoyable Coen Brothers movies I've seen in a long time. Highly recommended. The whole Buster Skruggs intro, juxtaposing the comedy singing cowboy from musical westerns into the ultra violent spaghetti western setting is a brilliant start to the movie
It's interesting how 'Meal Ticket' had virtually no dialogue considering it's about making a living by talking.
"Some of the stories at the time seem inconsequential and seem to end on odd notes and afterwards you start to impose order on them."
Coen Bros. filmography in a nutshell...
lol right
I already loved Mark...now knowing hes a big Waits fan just makes me love him more
It’s a masterpiece on mortality. We love stories about other people dying because we never think of ourselves being the person who dies, but as the last story points out, we all end up at the same place.
I interpreted Meal Ticket as a scathing criticism of film\cinema. The chicken being more mainstream blockbuster type movies, us the audience as the audience for the travelling "cinema"\Show, and Directors like the Coen's as the Thespian Orator. A couple interesting things I loved was Dead Man's hand being dealt to Buster and him not wanting to play it....the themes run so deep in Coen's Brothers films that they always impress. You can seriously pick apart some amazing things if you think about it a bit deeper and they are true artist's.
Could go on for days honestly
I saw it more as a scathing criticism of capitalism. That a chicken that does tricks should be more valuable than a human life. The almighty dollar wins in the end.
LJY08 i think the chicken couldn’t do any tricks at all. There was probably some other trick involved that works with any chicken. Neesons character fell for it like the rest of the audience. The previous owner sells the chicken for a high price and gets a cheap new one. Much like false advertisement
@@jl.7739 Yes, I did think that myself.
That's a solid impression. I'd love to hear Mark's top and bottom Tom Waits performances/albums.
I am looking forward to this movie more than any other scheduled for late year release.
There should be an entire film of just Buster Scruggs' adventures and an entire film of just the Old Prospector.
The Buster Scruggs segment was my favorite. Very much in the vein of Burn After Reading. The real star is the locations and the cinematography. My favorite places on earth put to film.
I think the first story keeps you watching all the others, it really draws you in, in my humble opinion.
Can we have a review in just your Tom Waits impression?!
Is Mark going to mention/ review THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND!?!?!
Probably not unless it's released in cinemas.
@@marksieving7925 This one is a netflix exclusive no? So who knows, he does in my experience mostly do cinema reviews but I have seen him dabble in nearly all areas of the medium. Also you must watch this if you get chance, it's great 🙂
@@ShadyKray The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs had a limited release in cinemas. That makes it eligible for review. I know Kermode has talked about reviewing TV only films, but I don't think he's actually decided on that.
@@marksieving7925 Oh was it? Well definitely worth a watch if you haven't already 🙂
I really like Hail, Caesar! Really don't get the hate it gets (and the love and attention that Nic Cage flick and Blood Simple receive). Great set pieces and a fun critique of Hollywood screnwriters (sort of a comedic take on Barton Fink).
You don't love Blood Simple and Raising Arizona???!?!!?
@@lucanreynolds947 I don't. Blood Simple has a few interesting moments (especially the ending) but other than that I found the characters boring and lifeless, and the pacing was too slow for a film with little to offer in the way of drama or visuals. Meanwhile Raising Arizona is too quirky, which gets tiresome after a while. It feels like a Wes Anderson thriller, but without the appealing visuals that elevate his films. Really wanted to love Arizona, as I'm a huge Nicolas Cage fan, but it just didn't do it for me. Love most of their other films though (especially Lebowski, No Country and Fargo).
I don't really think the Coens have ever made a "bad" movie. With artists of their caliber, even their weakest outing would be head-and-shoulders above most other films.
Hail Caesar was wonderful. All their movies are brilliant.
So glad Coen Brothers are back to form after a couple dissapointments. The couple dissapointments being Hail Ceaser and Suburbicon which they wrote. I consider Inside Llewyn Davis to be one of their best and glad they're going back to that style. I can't wait to see this.
*One disappointment. I loved Inside Llewyn Davis
I really don't get the dislike for the past few Coen's films that many seem to have. Inside Llewyn Davis is an absolute masterpiece and arguably the best thing they have ever made, in my opinion. Whilst Hail Caesar! was absolutely delightful and just so much fun to watch. It's probably one of the most underrated films from the past few years.
Come on. Only one
@@Solarstar10 Inside Llewyn Davis was in my top 3 that year. It was a masterpiece. I was mostly referring to Hail Ceaser and Suburbicon which they wrote.
@@charliepanayiotou4305 Inside Llewyn Davis was a masterpiece. I was referring to Hail Ceaser and Suburbicon which they wrote
It's brilliant. Neeson sings without hardly saying a word and Gleeson sings an old Irish death tune. Can't ask for more.
Neeson goes straight from singing Weile Weile Waila to singing The Sash. I'd say that confused many an Irishman watching it. Absolutely brilliant film.
One of the best of 2018. Wish it had a wider (any?) release in UK cinemas
I stoped in the middle of the video to see how many Tom Waitts impression comments there were...was not disappointed
The meal ticket had me thinking of multiple feelings on a facial character with no dialog; I was observing the man with no legs & arms like observing a Picasso painting, discovering different imaginative stories just by the look on his face; the storyteller knew he would eventually die, I felt the pain and tears from his expression of hurt and pain!
Tom Waits should not feel threatened. Mark should do more musical impressions, it as highly entertaining.
This is a really good film. Saw it at Camerimage, and you won't be disappointed. Each story both has their own flavour but there will be something for everyone
Finally saw this film. Loved all of it. The Buster Scruggs section was hilarious. But yeah, the Zoe Kazan piece scarred me a little, so heartbreaking. And the Liam Neeson section was very Residents.
Coen Brothers are in my top 5 favorite filmmakers
What about tarantino?
@@andrewgoncalves4204 He's my #1 favorite filmmaker of all time
@@megamoviez yea me too, 2nd is scorsese 3rd woody allen, 4th nolan 5th alexander payne
Same. May even be no.2 for me (Stanley Kubrick obviously)
1. James Cameron
2. Coen Brothers
3. Marty Scorsese
Tim Blake Nelson, who played Buster Scruggs, has said that the opening story of Buster Scruggs was first written by the Coehns 20-25 years before they shot the film. I know others will disagree, but I thought the movie went down-hill after the first story. Not particularly cohesive. The movie is reportedly about death but that wasn't obvious to me upon viewing and, to this day, I'm not entirely certain what the point or take-away is with regard to life and death. In retrospect, I think the entire film should have been about Buster Scruggs or they should have shelved the project in favor of something else. But, as I said, I know others will disagree.
People that think the movie went “downhill” didn’t understand the movie
Seriously, starts off off keel and straightens out almost immediately and gets better and better, my favorites are the gold panning, the wagon train, the meal ticket and the final segment.
@@grunermrk I may be picking an unpopular one here, but i thought the one with the arm and legless storyteller was amazing. It displayed the cruel intentions of men, not only outlaws and bandits. It showed how driven people can be by power and greed.
Zappas Bappas i think that one is “meal ticket”. it seems to be the favorite aside from the opening ballad of buster scruggs itself
I understood the movie and it went downhill. I mean they should of brought back Buster Sruggs for the final short. He could of been part of the passengers or just be at the hotel waiting or something. Say a few punch lines to wrap it up. After all Buster is the most memorable character and the movie title is about him.
"People who dislike the things I like are idiots" - Trey Gibson, 2018
DAMN Mark does a mean Tom Waits
I loved it, it's one of their best work!
The Neeson segment reminded me a lot of their No Country scene where Chigurh checks his shoe for blood at the end of the film.
when i wrote a little review of this, i said very much the same thing as mr kermode! i agree the waits & kazan stories are the best. i'd even go as far as to call them little masterpieces. the first one is an absolutely blast. the others aren't quite so good, but they are still coen-esque & absolutely worth your time. it's a fun, terrific little oddity.
Meal ticket was great,the Symbiotic relationship,both were the others meal ticket,very moving and dark,the last one in the stagecoach reminded me of (paid homage to?) them old Hammer horror portmanteau films...great stuff.
Just finished watching. I enjoyed the gunfighter and bank robber scenes most. The prospector was very well done. The Frenchman and trapper in the stagecoach had me laughing my ass off. Liam Neeson's short was depressing and the wagon train was ruined by the twist ending.
Twist ending?
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a masterpiece of filmmaking, storytelling, cinematography, and I absolutely loved it.
Why these videos have only 480p resolution?
Can someone explain the last story to me I didn’t understand it and. Wanted to get others understanding of it.
I love that Tom Waits. Spot on.
Does a good Tom Waits, I'll give him that! As enjoyable as this movie was, it also wasn't. The opening bit with Buster is fantastic with it's acting and witty dialogue. But then takes this 180 turn by the end. Passing of the torch, for better or for worse? The following stories, though intriguing and beautifully shot - are really depressing. Albeit The Gold Canyon chapter. Happy for Waits, yes. But more happy humans are out of that area, and nature can resume. So though it's good slices of western stories. It's really unconventional to mainstream telling of them. No heroes, no romantic sunsets, no homages to previous works. Just along for the ride to see how it all plays out. And at the end I just went 'huh'. Not sure if that was what the Coens were after? Maybe more viewings I'd feel different, but there's no incentive to watch it again anytime soon. That's my take on it anyways.
Not overly familiar with Tom Waits but never noticed it was him. Maybe testament to his performance.
Is it just me or does anyone else think that Tom Waits’ character was killed when he was shot? And that everything that happened after that was his own personal heaven. It would only make sense being that all the other stories had something to do with death.
"GOOD NIGHT GOLD"
I can't decide who I like more. Mr Arthur or the old Prospector.
Both!
Another Coen Brothers movie that gets better with each viewing. I loved the "Girl that Got Rattled". Intense and devastating. Each story has a different appeal. The first two I found weakest- but they were also the funniest... and even they get better with each viewing.
I felt, the shorts played out like a movie, where you thought about each story less and less, until the very end where your immediately hit with allegorical thoughts to ponder everything, who is more correct. Who is better, who is worse, all culminating perfectly into it doesnt really matter. Your all dead at the end, and may well go to the same place or you may not. I'd say the stage coach ride is a reference to purgatory or the river styx, where your left to ponder your own mortality, your virtues before you pass on to the other side.
The story about the prospector was probably the best.
Though the whole film was amazing.
Watched today
Dialogue is exquisite
The casting of this movie was spot on.
The Liam Neeson / Harry Melling vignette was the best part of the movie.
who do y'all think are the most consistent filmmakers working today?
Denis Villeneuve, Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright.
I really enjoyed that movie.... very different but interesting and enjoyable. Something different from the same ol same ol.
Mr Kermode what a good Waits impression
"we've heard enough of it now" LMAO!
Why isn't this on DVD?
I'm a combat marine , back when we had no rules , we probably did but they never told us , buster is my kind of people. I practice fast draw but not as good him
Hello from Vegas.
This guy does an amazing Tom Waits LOL
I wanna see this film
Never watched it. But looks excellent.
Masterpiece!!!
Misery's the river of the world...
Everybody row.
Being 2019 and all that, can’t we do better than 480p resolution in your videos?
It's a video of a radio show. Why would you need high resolution?
Love that he goes full Tom Waits fanboy on this review. It’s adorable.
It's Paul Dano
"Let's call the whole thing off"
Thank goodness there's no possible way that Paul Dano will see this.
Dano? Danno? Dunno.
Sonic Goo ba dum tsss
I thought this was excellent from start to finnish. Each story sucks you in and keeps you on your toes.
This is the Western Pulp Fiction Tarantino wishes he could make
What
Ah, remember the days when you could actually watch a recently released film? Just go and buy a DVD, and put it in the player...
Cried like a baby at Tom waits section.
Edit- In the film, not marks impersonation!
I LOVED IT
Scruggs’ horse is named, Dan. Lol
Needs more cowbell
fk man I didn't know that was tom that guy can act .
Watched this last night and loved it. I agree with Mark that Mr Pockets and Oregon Trail were the best ones
Anthology movies present the film reviewer with a problem. Namely, can I get to the end of my critique without referring to any of the stories as 'filler'? Many movies have 20 minutes of bloated blah near the top of the final act. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs has 6 great stories, all of them worthwhile for their own reasons.
Fatnastic film and the Coens are the best
How much does that guy in the clip look like Peter Cushing!??
I enjoyed the video.....but it's too short - where is the rest of it. I thought you were just getting warmed up.
Being 2019 and all that, can’t we do better than 480p resolution in your videos? Maybe the poor picture quality is exacerbated by focusing on the background rather than Kermode
PAN SHOT
I don't understood the last storie
I understand that they're personifications of death, and the stairway in the hotel is the stairway to heaven.
Did he say Buster cruggs?
This is a description of the movie, not a review.
Let's call the whole thing off.
So is it Paul dane-o or Paul dan-o,i need to know dammit!
The show story was sad ;(
it's a great film
Great movie
The guy with the white hat : looks to me, Nutsfluks got the wrong guy, supposed to eat the film when it gout out of the cam.
But ain't eat that film, no, has eaten the filmmaker. So had to find some one else to eat the film... hum... on Nutsfluck, none to say.
It's good to know if Mark fails as a radio broadcaster he can still have a fruitful life as a Tom Waits cover band vocalist.
You do a weirdly good talking Waits.
Its Dano, not Dano :D
The Coens are/ next to lynch/ the best living filmmakers