Blood Simple [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Joel Coen

Overview

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. Blood Simple was re-released in the summer of 2000 with a digitally-remastered soundtrack and -- at the Coens' behest -- a few minutes of dialogue trimmed.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/20/2016
UPC:	0715515186216
Original Release:	1984
Rating:	R
Source:	THE CRITERION COLLECTION, INC
Region Code:	A
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:35:00
Sales rank:	8,290

Special Features

New, restored 4k digital transfer, approved by Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfield and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, with 5.1 Surround DTS-HD Master Audio Soundtrack; New conversation between Sonnenfeld and the Coens about the film's look, featuring Telestrator video illustrations; New conversation between author Dave Eggers and the Coens about the film's production, from inception to release; New Interviews with Composer Carter Burwell, Sound Mixer Skip Lievsay, and actors Frances McDormand and M. Emmet Walsh ; Trailers; Plus: An essay by novelist and critic Nathaniel Rich

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

John Getz	Ray
M. Emmet Walsh	Visser
Frances McDormand	Abby
Dan Hedaya	Marty
Samm-Art Williams	Maurice
Deborah Neumann	Debra
Raquel Gavia	Landlady
Van Brooks	Man from Lubbock
Senor Marco	Mr. Garcia
William Creamer	Old Cracker
Loren Bivens	Strip-Bar Exhorter
Bob McAdams	Strip-Bar Senator
Shannon Sedwick	Stripper
Nancy Ginger	Girl on Overlook
William Preston Robertson	Radio Evangelist
Preston Robertson	Radio Evangelist
Rev. William	Actor
Holly Hunter	Answering machine
Carter Burwell	Composer

Technical Credits

Joel Coen

Joel Coen	Screenwriter,Screenwriter,Producer
Daniel F. Bacaner	Executive Producer,Producer
Loren Bivens	Special Effects
Lewis Goldstein	Sound Effects
Peter F. Kurland	Sound Effects
Blake Leyh	Sound Effects
Skip Lievsay	Sound Effects
Barry Moss	Casting
Julie Hughes	Casting
Mike Bacarella	Producer

Editorial Reviews

A tribute to American film noir, Blood Simple was the Coen Brothers' remarkably confident film debut. It introduced the world to the brothers' dark and enjoyably warped vision, setting the tone for their later and increasingly famous works. Blood Simple also established the Coens as some of the most innovative filmmakers of their generation, featuring acrobatic camera manipulation and stunningly effective point-of-view shots, the most memorable of which is M. Emmet Walsh's view of a dripping sink. For his part, Walsh gave one of the best performances of his career, a savory blend of amoral sleaze and mean-eyed greed. His performance is the black heart and soul of Blood Simple, a film that churns with sadistic good humor as it delivers a brutal yet beautifully executed shot to the head.