Event
Film 101: Blood Simple (1984)
Film 101: Shadows & Gunpowder, a study of Film Noir
In the first film of brothers Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, M. Emmett Walsh plays Visser, an unscrupulous private eye hired by Texas bar owner Marty (Dan Hedaya) to murder Marty’s faithless wife Abby (Frances McDormand) and her paramour, Ray (John Getz), one of Marty’s employees.
But Visser is no more up-front with Marty than with anyone else; he makes some slight modifications of the original plan so that it better serves his own best interests. After a surprise double-cross and the murder of one of the important players, matters spiral out of control, and the plot gyrates through a complicated string of darkly humorous events.
False assumptions, guilt, and fear all lead to a frantic attempt to conceal evidence and the heart-pounding, irony-filled denouement.
About Film 101
Modeled after an Introduction to Film Studies course, the series features lively and engaging post-film discussions with fellow film buffs. Participants learn how to view classic and/or contemporary films with a critical eye and engage with the screen on a deeper level.
The films are shown in our cinema and the post-film discussions take place in our galleries.
In this Film 101 series Ian Ally-Seals will give viewers a tour through the dark and desperate world of Film Noir. The series will focus on four key films: Murder, My Sweet; The Killing; Bob le Flambeur; and Blood Simple. Through viewing these films and post-screening talks, viewers will gain insight into this versatile genre.
