1984 • dir Joel and Ethan Coen w/Frances McDormand, John Getz, M. Emmet Walsh, Dan Hedaya • 95 min • DCP
One of the most auspicious cinematic debuts of the 1980s, Joel and Ethan Coens’ BLOOD SIMPLE is a fantastic neo-noir take on the femme fatale trope. Frances McDormand plays a woman who leaves her abusive husband but soon finds herself wrapped up in murder, blackmail, and a fight for her life.
Staff Pick! Rachel, Billy, Joey, Dave
Billy: “Still holds up.”
Joey: “An insanely confident debut feature from the Coen Brothers. Mixes crime, neo-noir, thriller and horror genres to perfection! Frances McDormand kills it and M. Emmet Walsh has never been better.”
Dave: “Blood Simple is superb and if a film noir fan, not to be missed.”
“From first shot to last, the Coens seldom miss an opportunity to suggest that theirs is a movie made by evolutionarily advanced life-forms touring a primitive planet.”
– J. Hoberman, Village Voice
“It tells a story in which every individual detail seems to make sense, and every individual choice seems logical, but the choices and details form a bewildering labyrinth in which there are times when even the murderers themselves don’t know who they are.”
– Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
“‘Blood Simple’ becomes a dazzling comedie noire, a dynamic, virtuoso display by a couple of talented fledgling filmmakers who give the conventions of the genre such a thorough workout that the result is a movie that’s fresh and exhilarating.”
– Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Brattle passes accepted. Special, Usher, and Producer members may reserve seats in advance [instructions]. Regular & Dual Members may redeem passes at the box office pending availability.
Eight Perfect (Films About) Murders • Staff Picks (past events) • Repertory Series Archive
Blood Simple
Double Feature with BODY HEAT (4:30, 9:00)
1984 • dir Joel and Ethan Coen w/Frances McDormand, John Getz, M. Emmet Walsh, Dan Hedaya • 95 min • DCP
One of the most auspicious cinematic debuts of the 1980s, Joel and Ethan Coens’ BLOOD SIMPLE is a fantastic neo-noir take on the femme fatale trope. Frances McDormand plays a woman who leaves her abusive husband but soon finds herself wrapped up in murder, blackmail, and a fight for her life.
Staff Pick! Rachel, Billy, Joey, Dave
Billy: “Still holds up.”
Joey: “An insanely confident debut feature from the Coen Brothers. Mixes crime, neo-noir, thriller and horror genres to perfection! Frances McDormand kills it and M. Emmet Walsh has never been better.”
Dave: “Blood Simple is superb and if a film noir fan, not to be missed.”