criterionforum.org

Only Joel... weird!

Wonder what the setting will be. Obviously Joel Coen has done period before but 11th century Scotland is pretty outside the Coen wheelhouse. And between Welles, Polanski, Tarr, and the most recent adaptation, there isn't exactly a shortage of adaptations that are reasonably faithful to the setting (unlike some of Shakespeare's plays).

mfunk9786 wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 6:33 pm Only Joel... weird!

Doesn't he often take sole directing credit though it's understood that they're both behind the wheel?

They stopped doing it a while ago, but that used to be the case

For guild reasons only though (Ethan as a result was often the only one listed as producer).

swo17 wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:13 pm

mfunk9786 wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 6:33 pm Only Joel... weird!

Doesn't he often take sole directing credit though it's understood that they're both behind the wheel?

From everything I can find on this, Joel will be the sole writer and director. That hasn't happened at all, if my memory serves, going all the way back through Blood Simple

Hell, even the Evil Dead movies had them working together.

Cue a lot of bad "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" jokes

This is just speculation on my part, but given the casting, I don't expect this to be a faithful adaptation. In fact, I'd welcome a new spin, for the reason solaris72 mentioned above.

They're both a little too old for the parts, but beyond that, I can see those two leads mostly fitting the requirements, especially if it's going to be adapted into a present day vernacular - Washington and McDormand speechify better than most

Even after reading all the comments and articles, my reaction is, Really? Yet another adaptation of this particular play, especially when we already have the Kurosawa, the Welles and to a slightly lesser extent, the Polanski? I guess, it could be something like the McKellen film of Richard III, but still, on paper, even with the talent behind and in front of the camera involved, this doesn't excite me at all. Of course, it could turn out to be utterly sensational and if anyone can make it happen, it's Joel Coen, but it's still going to be an uphill task. Deadline makes it sound like Ethan wasn't involved even with the writing.

I feel the same way. The world was not hurting for another take on Macbeth, of which there are still more than even those Auteur-driven examples

Is there really any need for more of the famous Shakespearian Tragedies, not just Macbeth?

Shakespeare is cancelled

I cannot imagine that this will be anything close to a straight adaptation of the play, but even if it was I'd be interested to see Washington work with a/the Coen(s).

I'm gonna say the Coens don't exactly have a great track record when it comes to previously filmed adaptations

Hot Take of the Day: Their version of The Ladykillers is underrated.

Is that a problem?

This could be really delicious. None of the previous versions have the narrative drive or full range on great screen characters that Coens can give this story.

DarkImbecile wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 11:06 pm Hot Take of the Day: Their version of The Ladykillers is underrated.

Is that a problem?

Any reason you didn't use a gif of the scene where J.K. Simmons gets diarrhea?

Isn't that the only bad example though? One rotten egg out of six isn't so bad.

dda1996a wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 10:06 pm Is there really any need for more of the famous Shakespearian Tragedies, not just Macbeth?

If Coen announced something like Taming of the Shrew or Two Gentlemen of Verona, I could see the appeal as those would play to his strengths and also they aren’t so well-trodden cinematically. But Macbeth is done to death, and I’d say the same if this was a director I loved

How do we know that this an adaptation at all and isn't just using the title for thematic signaling? Especially with Shakespeare that's not unusual.

There are already enough films that do that too, though!

Well, it certainly seems to be a specific take on the roles. Denzel Washington, at age 64, and Frances McDormand at 61.