Blood Simple 02/13/24

The Criterion Collection
Blu-ray

Neo-noir really hit big in the Coen Bros’ breakthrough thriller, with a new kind of hardboiled rural naturalism. A lonely dive bar, a rotten marriage and a three-way murder & blackmail scheme criss-crosses a fistful of fresh characterizations. The festival independent launched the star career of Frances McDormand, but also did great things for Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh and the clever cameraman Barry Sonnenfeld. It’s quite an experience — it’s as if the Coens could rent a camera lens customized to give their film a ‘visual drawl.’ On Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection.
02/13/24