No Country for Old Men Blu-ray delivers truly amazing video and audio in this absolutely must-own Blu-ray release
Llewelyn Moss finds a pickup truck surrounded by a sentry of dead men. A load of heroin and two million dollars in cash
are still in the back trunk. When Moss takes the money, he sets off a chain reaction of catastrophic violence that not even
the law—namely aging, disillusioned Sheriff Bell—can contain. Moss tries to evade his pursuers, in particular a mysterious
mastermind who flips coins for human lives. Based on the acclaimed novel by Pulitzer Prize winner Cormac McCarthy.
This country's hard on people. You can't stop what's comin.' It ain't all waitin' on you...that's
vanity.
While they may not break the bank with their new releases, the Writer/Director tandem of Joel
and
Ethan Coen may very well be the best working in the business today. Their films reflect cinema
at
its most basic yet, in a deeper sense, at its most involved. Many of their films tell simple stories
that
revolve around complex characters, be they Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo, Barton Fink
in
the film of the same name, or Sheriff Ed Tom Bell in No Country For Old Men. The latter
film may represent their best work yet, earning that distinction across a broad spectrum of
cinematic bullet
points. Winner of the 2008 Academy Award for Best Picture and also taking home trophies for
Best Director, Joel and Ethan Coen; Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, Javier
Bardem; and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published, also to
Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country For Old Men tells a riveting tale of three men in their
pursuit of a singular material object but also, and less immediately obvious, engaged in deep
character reflection, each emitting
vastly different methodologies in how they conduct their business and personal lives, the result a
showcase of humanity at both its best and worst. No
Country For Old Men crams enough material, particularly with regards to its character
studies, to fill an entire graduate-level film critique or Sociology syllabi, the film providing a
continuous
revelation of new plot points, character personalities and motivations, and deeply-rooted
psychological undertones with every viewing.
Cinema's most frightening and captivating killer, Anton Chigurh.
A lone hunter named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin, Planet Terror)
discovers the scene of a deadly drug deal gone terribly wrong. Five bullet-riddled trucks, several
bloody corpses, plenty of small arms, and hundreds of shell casings underfoot paint the picture of
the scene. Leaving a stash of drugs and a badly-wounded survivor behind but taking with him a
Heckler & Koch submachine gun, Moss goes in search of
"el último hombre," "the last man standing," and finds him dead against a tree some distance
away, guarding with his now-dead body a black satchel full of cash. Taking the cash and a Colt
1911 handgun from the corpse, Moss returns home to his wife, Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald, In the Electric Mist),
but later that night returns to the scene of the crime. This time, he is met by several men come
to collect the money and drugs, and finds himself on the run when his truck is disabled.
Escaping,
Moss sends his wife to stay with her mother and goes on the run from a crazed man named
Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem, Vicky Christina
Barcelona) who, without remorse, murders in cold blood most anyone who interferes
with his business, in this case the collection of the satchel full of cash -- no matter the time or
effort
involved. As the two men become engaged in a bloody and bullet-ridden chase across south
Texas,
they are both pursued by a small-town lawman named Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugitive), a man
in search of reason behind the madness that plagues his profession, his life, and his world.
From a purely technical perspective, No Country For Old Men represents classic
filmmaking through its "less is more" approach. Each shot represents not a frame but rather a
work of art; each one appears composed with attention to period, artistic, and cinematic detail
rarely found in cinema, either that of today or of yore. The film recreates 1980 Texas with
startling
clarity, from the barren, dust- and weed-filled plains to the small-town charm where the local
Western wear shop, pharmacy, and motel recall a place and time that is, much like the plot of the
film, simple in its appearance but, due to the actions of the characters, rattled to the core.
No Country For Old Men takes on a feel that exudes realism, so much so that it often
seems to play out as a Documentary. Rarely does the film enjoy the presence of music, and
sometimes even extends for long periods of time without dialogue. Instead, the story is told with
a glance, a gaze, or a prolonged mental evaluation of person, place, or thing. No Country For
Old Men is a visual film for sure, and it's methodical approach -- an approach that defies the
very essence of modern cinema -- sets it apart from its peers. As such, the movie effortlessly
transports
audiences to the scene of a violent drug deal gone bad; to the edge of a bed in a hotel room
where a character, shotgun at the ready,
awaits the arrival of a stoic, single-minded killer; or to the self-tending of a gunshot wound in a
motel room tub. In this way, No Country For Old Men represents one of the most
horrific films in memory, for its depiction of a man on the run, a singleminded and remorseless
killer, and a small-town sheriff on the case and in search of answers both privately and
professionally, capture the violence, the terror, and the primal instincts of mankind across three
varied professions and personalities like no other film before it.
No Country For Old Men features a trio of characters that prove to be among the most
complex, interesting, and memorable in all of cinema. Josh Brolin's Llewelyn Moss represents a
man far wiser and capable than his humble means might immediately suggest. A veteran of two
tours in Vietnam, Moss instantly transforms from a simple husband, welder, and trailer-dweller on
a solo hunting trip to a man with a keen sense of direction, an instinctual ability to handle a
broad array of firearms, a rudimentary but effective technological know-how, a sixth sense of
pending danger, a well-above-average understanding of his surroundings and fine details, and
formidable survival
skills when a single satchel changes his life forever. Of the three personalities in the film, Moss'
reflects that of a survivor, a man with the ability to keep his basic human nature in check but
sometimes allowing it to get the best of him, occasionally against his better judgment and
sometimes to his benefit. He reacts to his environment to suit his needs, be it his
inquisitiveness, greed, sense of humanity, or very survival. Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh,
clearly,
represents the emotionless, stoic hunter, killing out of some sort of deep-rooted psychological
necessity that seems both as natural and essential to his life as oxygen or water. He hunts and
kills not only those who interfere with his business but those who question his peculiar ways or
hinder the facilitation of his current objective. Finally, there is the reflective Sheriff Ed Tom Bell,
portrayed by
Tommy Lee Jones. In pursuit of both the hunter and the hunted, Bell throughout the film recalls
his family's involvement in law enforcement while lamenting his perception of the increase in
hostilities, despite a
family history of injury and death in the line of duty.
These great characters are vividly depicted by a trio of actors not only at the top of their
respective games -- but delivering performances that rival the very best cinema has ever seen.
Arguably no other film in cinema history has enjoyed three performances of such high caliber as
to each be deserving of Best Actor Oscars. Though Bardem earned the sole nomination (and
win),
both Jones and Brolin deliver performances that exude not only professionalism but, more
importantly, realism.
Tommy Lee Jones is the best of the bunch, if one were forced to choose among the three. His
narration at the beginning of the film -- reflecting a drawn-out, laid-back, Texas-style soliloquy,
but delivered with a hint of deep remorse -- positively mesmerizes in its tone and serves as a
wonderful introduction to the film. He plays his character without even a trace of "acting,"
becoming a longtime Texas lawman with a keen eye and an uncanny ability to piece together a
complex puzzle by examining the subtlest of clues. His character, though generally not directly
involved in the
primary action of the film, serves as its heart and soul, an outsider of sorts, much like the
audience, analyzing the film's pair of central characters that battle one another for possession of
the world's oldest object of strife -- money. As the hunter and the hunted, Bardem and Brolin
deliver fascinating performances that show each man to be opposing one another -- but driven by
the same basic human instincts that, at times, showcase man at his best but, generally, at his
worst.
No Country For Old Men comes to Blu-ray with a remarkable 1080p, 2.35:1-framed
transfer. Achieving the same level of excellence as the transfer seen on the previous release, the transfer
remains one of, if not the, finest visual experiences yet on Blu-ray. The sprawling Texas vistas
sparkle in high definition. The dust, gravel, and weeds all come out both in the foreground and in
the background with an incredible level of clarity and detail. Every speck of dust, pebble, and leaf
appears with the utmost in visible detail and texture, creating an almost tactile experience where
viewers almost feel that they are in the midst of the dusty, barren locales seen at the beginning
of the film. Other objects that more often appear closer to the screen -- faces and clothing, for
instance -- also manage to reveal every nuance that one might expect to be visible to the naked
eye if the audience were viewing the action not on the screen but rather in person. Darkened
interior and nighttime scenes, too, dazzle, offering perfectly inky and deep blacks with no visible
loss of detail in objects. Whether lit by the moon or by dim streetlights, few, if any, discs boast
such remarkably true-to-life dark sequences. Colors and flesh tones seem just a bit warm, but
appear to be in-line with the intended look of the film. A layer of film grain covers the image,
lending to it a wonderful theatrical appearance, the transfer the very definition of "home
theater." No Country For Old Men remains atop the pile of quality Blu-ray transfers.
This Blu-ray release of No Country For Old Men features a DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless
soundtrack, unlike its predecessor which offered a PCM 5.1 uncompressed mix. Both mixes are
equally superb. The soundtrack creates a seamless, lifelike environment, the film's many quiet
sequences punctuated by a subtle environmental atmosphere that brings every scene to vivid sonic
life. Wind blows subtly but noticeably around the soundstage; thunder rolls across the Texas plains
with a noticeable heft and presence; cars maneuver to and fro, some quickly, some at a slower
pace. The track also intensifies when need be. An airplane flies overhead to wonderfully loud and
realistic effect. Gunshots feature precision bangs as the firing pin strikes the primer, and the bullets
zip around the listening area and impact dirt, metal, or flesh with pinpoint accuracy. The entire
audible spectrum is delivered crisply, and the track makes fine use of every speaker in the 5.1
setup, including the subwoofer, which stretches its legs on several occasions. Dialogue reproduction
plays strongly throughout, with the each character's distinct vocal traits playing wonderfully
through the center channel. Though featuring but a few moments of aggressive action, this
soundtrack recreates the film's quiet, contemplative, and dialogue- and atmosphere-heavy sound
design wonderfully, recreating each and every nuance with startling accuracy.
No Country For Old Men makes for a stellar Blu-ray presentation, but the package falls
just a bit
short when it comes to the spectrum of bonus materials included with this two-disc re-release. It
features the same supplements as found on
the original release, adding
only
two additional features and a digital copy on a second disc. As to the recycled features, the first is
The Making of 'No Country For Old Men' (480p, 24:29). Cast and crew discuss
the film, including its themes, its origins from the Cormac McCarthy novel, Texas, the character
motivations, the weapons as seen in the film, and more. Working With the Coens
(480p, 8:07) features cast and crew discussing the experience of working with the famed
tandem. Diary of a Country Sheriff (480p, 6:44) examines the intricacies of the
characters and the environment in which they interact.
New features on this release include Josh Brolin's Unauthorized Behind-the-Scenes
(480p, 9:19), a piece featuring additional cast and crew interview snippets and behind-the-scenes
footage. Rounding out disc one is Press Timeline, the meat-and-potatoes of the
supplemental package. Included are a series of 16 publicity-related materials presented in 480p
standard definition, including Lunch With David Poland (26:30), L.A. WGAW Q&A
Panel (24:13), Variety Q&A (3:08), EW.com Just a Minute (12:55),
Creative Screenwriting Magazine (21:25, audio only), NPR's All Things
Considered (4:44, audio only), ABC Popcorn With Peter Travers (14:51),
In-Store Appearance (40:31), Charlie Rose (22:33), WNBC Reel Talk With
Lyons & Bailes (10:02), Channel 4 News (3:45), KCRW The Treatment
(28:30, audio only), NPR's Day to Day (6:37, audio only), Spike Jonez Q&A
(1:00:47), NPR's All Things Considered (7:49, audio only), and NPR's Weekend
Edition (5:32, audio only).
Disc two of this set contains a digital copy of No Country For Old Men. Replayed on a
second generation iPod Touch, the video presents the usual problems of banding and blocking,
particularly in the blacks, but color reproduction and detail appear as good as any digital copy yet
reviewed. The audio presentation is fairly robust considering the small two-channel source;
sound flows between the two
channels, offers a fair amount of clarity, decent definition, and clear dialogue reproduction.
No Country For Old Men might just be the best movie of the decade. No single aspect of
the film is less than extraordinary, each encompassing what top-notch filmmaking is all about.
Whether the Oscar-caliber acting from the three primaries, the mesmerizing direction of Joel and
Ethan Coen, the Texas locations, the period setting and Texas-themed costumes, the fantastic
dialogue,
the reserved use of music, or the well-staged action, the film comes together like few before it to
create a singular achievement in moviemaking that ascends to a level of excellence rarely seen
before in cinema. Deserving of far more than the four Oscar wins awarded to it, No Country For
Old Men represents the pinnacle of cinema. Disney's second Blu-ray release of this incredible
film doesn't disappoint. While the disc could enjoy more in the way of extras, this release offers a
few new supplements over the original disc. Of course, the package is highlighted by a 1080p video
transfer that is second-to-none and a lossless soundtrack that recreates the film's subtly effective
sound design wonderfully. Either Blu-ray
release of No Country For Old Men earns my highest recommendation.
When making a film about a controversial subject, it is often difficult to represent the subject matter in a way that will appeal to general audiences. Tread too lightly on the subject, and the message can be lost or misunderstood; tread too heavy, and the message ...
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has announced that they will re-release the Oscar-award winning film 'No Country for Old Men' for Blu-ray on April 7th as a two-disc collector's edition, day-and-date with the DVD re-release. This release will presumably feature ...
