The Impact of "No Country for Old Men" on Filmmaking

The Coen Brothers crafted a haunting masterpiece in No Country for Old Men, showcasing Javier Bardem's chilling portrayal of a complex psychopath.

### The Impact of "No Country for Old Men" and Cormac McCarthy's Legacy
* 🎬 **"No Country for Old Men"** is a favorite film due to its **unusual intensity** and the **ambiguous ending** that leaves viewers **questioning what just happened**.
* 😱 Javier Bardem's portrayal of a **psychopathic killer** is highlighted as a standout performance, showcasing the **duality of his character's nature**.
* 🏦 A personal anecdote reveals a reunion with Chip, the actor who played the **bank manager killed by Javier's character**, emphasizing the film's **real-life connections**.
* 😔 Bardem's struggles during filming, including feelings of **depression about his appearance**, illustrate the **emotional toll** of portraying such a **dark character**.
* 🪙 The film's iconic **coin toss scene** is discussed, emphasizing its **simplicity** and the **moral implications** it carries, showcasing the **tension and stakes involved**.
* 🎥 The Coen Brothers' return to a **simpler storytelling style** after previous films is acknowledged, demonstrating their ability to **craft a compelling narrative**.
* 📝 The conversation shifts to Cormac McCarthy, whose profound writing left a lasting impression, particularly his ability to **produce great works seemingly effortlessly**.
* 💔 A poignant moment is shared about being with McCarthy on the night before his death, highlighting the **connection between the writer and his craft**, as well as the **legacy he left behind**.

the Coen experience you know my favorite movie of yours is what No Country for Old Men why cuz it's so [ __ ] up because it's so [ __ ] up it's such a [ __ ] up movie it's so and even

the end the end when it ends you're like what happened what that's the end yeah it's like that guy what's his name Javier what's his name godamn that guy was a good psycho he was so good godamn that movie was so it was just so unusual

and intense and there was no feeling and people ask this all the time there was no feeling that it was a special movie really yeah I told you I went back to Marfa Texas for the first time in 18 years with Stapleton and the guy running

the bank is the first guy that Javier kills in the movie This Is the guy running the bank right now Chip wow right and I talked to Chip I have a picture of me and Chip and I talked to Chip and I said I said [ __ ] you're were

the first guy you know did you think that and he said no that was a friend of a friend who said that they were auditioning people and the reason I did it is because I figured nobody would ever see it it seemed like a small no that's the proprietor it's the

first guy that Javier killed outside um that was a good scene though the is that dude likeing person Javier the best the sweetest human being one of my best friends crazy yeah that that's inside of him that he can well that's the thing that's what makes him an

artist yes yes because he's one of these guys that I literally he was so depressed during that thing really oh my god dude cuz he didn't like doing it no he was like look at my hair what the heck you know what I mean that's

depressed him his look at look at him oh my God he played I mean genius a good psychopath he wore SPF 100 he had an umbrella all the time to keep the sun off him you see how pale he looks yeah but yeah that's the guy the guy to the

left that's Chip can you stand there for a second please so he was really depressed because of his hair yeah and me and Woody would take him out we would take him out to the cowgirl what was it called a cowgirl Cafe and and we would have drinks with

him we would make him because he would stay in his apartment with the like the drapes drawn and all this kind of stuff he just didn't want to go out he said I don't like I don't like violence I don't

drive I don't know why they hired me why the heck did they hire me like why am I here how did he pull that out then and I'm from Spain like this guy's not from Spain I remember when we worked we sat in a

trailer and he said in that that proprietor scene he's has this great line he goes call it takes the coin and goes like that and he says call it and the guy says I don't want to call it and he says you have to call it it's Destiny

calling for you and and we were in his trailer and Jair says how do you say it and I said call it and Jair kept saying call it and I said no dude call can you hear it for put the head on what the most you ever lost on

TOs sir the most you ever lost when a calling to us I don't know I couldn't say call it call it yes for whole lot just call it well we need to know what we're calling it for here you need to call it

I can't call it for you it wouldn't be fair I didn't put nothing up yes you're dead you've been putting it up your whole life you just didn't know it you know what date is on this coin no 1958 It's been traveling 22 years to get

here and now it's here and it's either heads or tails and you have to say call it well look I need to know what I stand to win everything how's that just tend to win everything call it all right heads then well done don't put it in your pocket sir

don't put it in your pocket it's your like water where you want me to put it anywhere not in your pocket what good mix thing with the others and becoming just kind which it is I mean if you look at that from a different perspective you say that scene

could have been the worst scene ever it's because of the simplicity of the scene it just the consequences it's theom in the air it just hang and you know that this guy has some sort of weird morals it's so good man yeah he's

got some code that he lives by and he's about to impose this code on this guy and has no problem putting that bolt through his brain, no problem. And the guy knows it and he doesn't even know what he knows it, it's just he just knows it.

Yeah, and you sit there and you just kind of scene it. It's a great scene, man. Yeah. How did you not know that movie was great while you were doing it? Cuz it was so... we were just... The Coen Brothers are [ __ ] amazing, they're amazing, but you

were just having... they had done two movies that were sort of bigger than what they normally do. One was with Clooney and one was with Tom Hanks and it didn't work. Old Brother Harat, no, the [ __ ] Old Brother was amazing, was

amazing, was Lady Killers and what was the one with... Well, there you go. Yeah, um, but they, yeah, so I think they just went back to this simple, like, Burn... No, Burn After Reading was after No Country, which was also really good, super good. But yeah,

they just kind of went back to this very kind of feral, you know, base place and just said, let's just tell this simple story and let's let it happen. Let's... maybe I don't know, I don't think they're like this, know why you were doing it

though, like this didn't... scenes, it didn't have that vibe. It was so simple, wild. It was so simple and and wild. Saw it though. Into the W, dude. When I saw, I saw it with my kid, which was probably super irresponsible. How old was your kid? He

was 16 he was like that's on the that's on the you know the cost but I saw it with him in an editing room on a big screen and we left and we got in the car and we didn't talk for 15 minutes and

that's never happened wow like literally not one word wow and then I said what do you think and he goes [ __ ] which is a great response movie that's that mov that that is that movie that movie is you know you want to tie

it together too in the end like a typical Hollywood ending and Javier and my character go head-to-head at the end and and that doesn't happen so you do so which is How It Was Written In the book Cormac and I got to know Cormac really

well you know I was with Cormac the night before he died and oh no kidding wow yeah so and I asked that guy could [ __ ] write [ __ ] dude some of the greatest writing American writing ever yeah in the history of this country there

was something about his writing it's like Jesus Christ that's another one of those guys artist where you go I would I would ask him about his writing didn't want to talk about it ever and then finally got mad at me one day and he was

like I I don't [ __ ] know man I just sit down at the typewriter and it comes like what do you want me to tell you wow I was like all right man [ __ ] 87 years old relax but he could write I mean he had

some he was tapped into and talk about a guy who just like you were like the Muse and do you have a special place and do you have this thing that no one sits down and writes the bed that he was on it was me his ex-wife his son and Cormac that

last night wow always at the edge of his bed was that typewriter that he used for 25 30 years to write all those novels and then he had one before that that was exactly the same but that typewriter was on a old piece of wood at the foot of

his bed wow and even at the end he would just grab that thing and wow get it out it's cool yeah there's rare humans like that that have that thing yeah yeah they just tap into tap into it and they just keep going they get on that path and they just keep

going it just keeps getting better they just get better at it

Josh Brolin Didn't Think No Country for Old Men Would be Special

JRE Clips

Initial thoughts on No Country for Old Men

The speaker considers No Country for Old Men their favorite Coen brothers film due to its unsettling and unpredictable nature.

The speaker highlights the film's ambiguous ending, leaving the audience questioning the events.

The speaker mentions a personal anecdote about revisiting a location featured in the film.

The speaker recounts a conversation with the actor who played the first victim in the film.

Javier Bardem's performance and experience filming

The speaker describes Javier Bardem as a sweet person, contrasting with his on-screen psychopathic character.

Bardem's depression during filming due to his character's look is mentioned.

Details about Bardem's meticulous approach to his character's appearance are shared.

The speaker describes how they and Woody Harrelson would take Bardem out to socialize.

Bardem's reluctance to participate in the film and his self-doubt are highlighted.

Analysis of a specific scene and its impact

The speaker discusses a scene where the characters engage in a coin toss with significant consequences.

The speaker recounts the rehearsal and filming of this scene, highlighting the actors' interactions.

The dialogue from the scene is recalled, focusing on the tension and the characters' decisions.

The simplicity and effectiveness of the scene are discussed.

The speaker analyzes the moral implications and consequences within the scene.

The Coen Brothers' approach to filmmaking and the film's unexpected success

The speaker questions why they didn't recognize the film's greatness during production.

The Coen brothers' previous films and their return to a simpler style are discussed.

The filmmakers' decision to focus on a simple story and let it unfold naturally is mentioned.

The unique and impactful nature of the film's scenes is highlighted.

Audience reaction and personal experience

The speaker shares their experience of watching the film with their child.

The powerful impact of the film on the speaker and their child is described.

The speaker comments on the unconventional ending of the film.

The speaker discusses their relationship with Cormac McCarthy.

McCarthy's exceptional writing skills are praised.

The speaker recounts a conversation with McCarthy about his writing process.

The speaker describes McCarthy's writing setup and habits.

The speaker reflects on McCarthy's dedication to his craft and his continuous improvement.