39,327
edits
O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Difference between revisions
m
Mass update links
m (remove unneccessary quote box template) |
m (Mass update links) |
||
Line 6:
Written and directed by [[The Coen Brothers]], three [[The Great Depression|Depression-era]] [[Deep South|Mississippi]] prison fugitives go on a rollicking adventure in an attempt to reach the money buried by one of them in his back yard. They have only a short time to do this, though, as the backyard in question is in an area slated to be flooded by the damming activities of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
The story is (very) loosely [[Twice
Bonus points if you recognize the title from the 1941 [[Preston Sturges]]' film ''[[Sullivans Travels (Film)|Sullivans Travels]]''.
{{tropelist}}
* [[Agent Scully]]: Despite being pursued by Satan, meeting a prophet, being seduced by sirens, and {{spoiler|being apparently saved from execution by divine intervention}}, Everett still insists that there is a reasonable explanation for everything. At least it's [[Lampshaded]].
** And by the end, he doesn't really seem sure of himself any more.
* [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking]]: "These boys is ''not'' white! Hell, they ain't even old-timey."
* [[At the Crossroads]]: The three meet Tommy here after he [[Deal With the Devil|sold his soul to the devil]] to become a famous musician, in reference to the Robert Johnson [[Urban Legend]]. At this point, they also meet Big Dan Teague. Think about it.
** It's actually based on Tommy Johnson, who originated the story. Robert Johnson stole this story (and is more famous), but thats not a bad thing to say about bluesmen at all.
Line 29 ⟶ 28:
* [[Brick Joke]]: The blind prophet at the beginning of the film mentions the trio will see a cow on the roof of a cotton house. Guess what they see after {{spoiler|the land is flooded near the end of the film}}.
** There's also a very subtle example that probably went over the head of most viewers. John Goodman's character is clearly modeled on the cyclops of Homer's ''The Odyssey'', with his eye patch and his violent confrontation with the heroes. Goodman's character is later revealed to be a member of the Klan. Though unmentioned in the film, one of the Klan's rankings is "Grand Cyclops."
* [[Burn, Baby, Burn]]
* [[The Cast Showoff]]: Real-life blues singer Chris Thomas King plays Tommy, and at one point gets to sing (in his own voice) a rendition of Skip James' "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues."
* [[Censorship By Spelling]]: "Mrs. Hogwallop up and R-U-N-N-O-F-T." Becomes somewhat of a [[Running Gag]].
Line 47 ⟶ 46:
* [[Empty Piles of Clothing]]: This (and a toad) cause the other two to assume Pete's been turned into a toad.
* [[Enthralling Siren]]: The three washerwomen are the siren stand-ins.
* [[
* [[Eyepatch of Power]]: Big Dan Teague.
* [[Fairy Tale Motifs]]: Well, more like Mythology Motifs, but whatever.
Line 59 ⟶ 58:
* [[Genre Busting]]: It's a musical/comedy/social commentary/retelling of ''[[The Odyssey (Literature)|The Odyssey]]''... that's set in [[The Great Depression]].
* [[Go Out With a Smile]]: George Nelson. We don't see him killed but his last scene is him having been caught by a mob and being lead to his execution. He's more then happy with it however, the mob was even nice enough to give him some violinists as a funeral march.
* [[Historical
* [[Hey
** [[Malcolm in The Middle|Commadant Spangler]] (or [[Seinfeld|Mr. Kruger]]) plays Sheriff Cooley.
* [[Hobos]]
Line 66 ⟶ 65:
* [[Implacable Man]]: the Sheriff.
* [[Insufferable Genius]]: Everett.
** Well, [[Know
* [[Inspector Javert]]: The Sheriff tries to characterize himself this way at the very end, claiming that the boys have only been pardoned by the law of man.
** Not exactly tries, considering he's... [[Louis Cypher|well]]...
Line 81 ⟶ 80:
* [[Oh Crap]]: [[John Goodman]]'s reaction when he realizes that the fiery cross was coming down directly ''at'' him.
** Also, Homer Stokes' reaction when he realizes that the town, after his attempt at getting the Soggy Bottom Boys arrested failed, is now going to run him out of town on a rail as revenge for interrupting the performance.
* [[Paper
* [[Politically Correct History]]: Zig-zagged. The white heroes refer to Tommy as a "boy," but otherwise treat him as an equal. The radio station manager insists that he won't play "colored songs," but once the "Soggy Bottom Boys" become popular, Pappy O'Daniel doesn't seem to care that "they's integrated." The KKK is shown in all its silly racist glory, but also portrayed as a fringe organization that is not looked upon favorably by the common townsfolk.
** Perhaps it was thanks to the [[Power of Rock|Power of Bluegrass]] that was able to sway their minds?
*** More likely that the townsfolk were more upset by Stokes interrupting the Soggy Bottom Boys' performance by trying to have them arrested and didn't care what else he said.
* [[Politically
** Note that in 1932 Mississippi, {{spoiler|being a Klansman}} would have been politically ''correct''. It would have been almost impossible for {{spoiler|Stokes}} to {{spoiler|be a serious candidate for governor}} ''without'' being one.
* [[Pop Culture Osmosis]]: The Coens have claimed that they've never actually read ''[[The Odyssey (Literature)|The Odyssey]]'', but know the story through its various adaptations.
* [[Produce Pelting]]: What the audience does when Homer Stokes ends up interrupting the Soggy Bottom Boys performance to get them arrested, that as well as ride him out of town on a rail.
* [[Real Is Brown]]: Pursued with a vengeance, given that a substantial portion of the film's post-production budget went into extensive color-correction. The Coens wanted every frame of the film to reflect the dingy, withered dustbowl look, and in some cases took entire fields of green flora and turned them yellow.
* [[Rock Me, Asmodeus]]: "And I have it from the highest 'thority, that that negra...''sold his soul to the'' '''Devil!!!'''" (the townsfolk don't buy into it, though)
* [[Running Gag]]: Briefly.
{{quote| "Damn, we're in a tight spot!" }}
Line 121 ⟶ 120:
* [[Those Two Guys]]: Pappy's two advisors, see the [[Seinfeldian Conversation]] above.
* [[Villainous Glutton]]: Big Dan Teague, as befits his correspondence with the cyclops Polyphemus.
* [[T
** Subverted later on, in that the kid knew ''exactly'' what he was talking about, anyway.
* [[Villainous Breakdown]]: "Babyface" Nelson and Homer Stokes.
| |||