Blood Simple (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Blood Simple was a crime drama and the debut of the Coen Brothers who wrote, produced and directed the film. The movie is about an affair between Abby (Frances McDormand) and Ray (John Getz) and her jealous husband Marty (Dan Hedaya). The movie is about betrayal and mistrust, but not the way you think.The movie has a very deliberate and slow pace. It also doesn’t have the quirky writing that the Coen Brothers were known for.At first it seems like the traditional story of an angry husband seeking revenge upon his cheating wife. Then it takes a twist and a turn and things don’t work out the way the audience expects. There’s a murder and a cover up. The problem is that even then, when things should start moving the pace barely picks up. It’s still so plodding.Overall it seems like the Cohens hadn’t found their voice yet.C

First time I saw this was shortly after it was released on video. I never saw it in the theatre, but wish that I had; even on the crappy 19 inch Sylvania color TV I watched it on my jaw was on the floor. There really wasn't anything else like it, and it established a Coen standard that only rose with successive productions. I still love this movie, and never tire of watching it. I have all the dialogue memorized, including the opening monologue, so I can entertain myself during my daily commute.

I'd never seen this movie - the first by the Coen brothers - and I found it absolutely wonderful. The movie was a great thriller, and the Blu-Ray transfer was wonderful. But perhaps the greatest benefit was the very lengthy discussion between the Coen boys, and their cinematographer, about the making of it. The things that went well, and the things that didn't. To me, this is what the extras should be like - something to add to the viewing experience. Not a trailer, and certainly not what gets trotted out far too often - interviews with eveyone on the film saying how wonderful everyone else is. I can write these in advance - to me they add nothing to the movie watching experience. So, congratulations to Criterion. This is certainly a movie worth including in your library.

A masterpiece. A thriller with twists and turns that just don’t stop and leaves you stunned. Made my wife and I instant Coen Brothers fans. We watched it the first time on a 9” black and white tv. Previous releases weren’t very high quality but this one appears to be properly derived from the master.

REVIEW:Blood Simple (1984) M Emmett Walsh, Dan Hedaya, John Getz, Frances MacDormandRated R.Tagline: Dead in the heart of Texas.A chilling black "comedy" in the who-gets-to be-dead-next tradition.It's been said that when blood is involved, nothing is simple.Dark and oddball is quite a niche to be carved.In a nut shell:When you kill something, you might want to make sure that it stays dead.This is the the first Indie film produced by the Coen brothers. Their movies are somehow always impossibly magical and bizarre, with more twists than a licorice stick.Their trademark curve ball, when you expect a fast ball, is also in evidence in this debut motion picture. They are famous for exploring a dark universe where their characters are plunged into strange intrigue and an even stranger world which is forever revolving outside their grasp, with no way visible for them to cope, yet somehow they do... consequences be damned.Greed and adultery and murder produce an icy concoction but some folks are mighty thirsty for this irredeemable brew and can hardly wait to chug it down. Chilled to the bone, of course.Tense and facinating, gut wrenching and unpredictable.Some hearts are beyond cold. Some are sub zero.Dark as pitch and nastier than sin has a right to be.Definately not a film for granny-O or the Cinderella set.

This is where it all started for the Coen Brothers and for those of us who are fans of their work. In retrospect, it seems as if every other film of theirs has grown, conceptually and thematically, from the kernel that is this terrific "modern" film noir. The writing and directing are fully blown - no learning curve for these guys. If there is a weak spot, at all, it's in the casting of the male lead. But everyone else is terrific and the movie is really, on its own terms, a masterpiece of film making.

I'm a huge Coen Brothers fan, and had to find this DVD on Amazon since it's rare.This was the Coen's first film and although some do not believe it to be their best, I certainly do. The pace is extraordinary, the cinematography vivid enough to make you feel you are along on this gruesome trip.A noir style film with superb imagery, especially knowing it's low budget.This is a clever film you will want to watch at least twice to absorb all the nuances, even though it is a disturbing tale. It has tons of reviews here, but I continue getting emails to review it, so let me just say this...If you are a Coen Brothers fan, please find a DVD of the Directors Cut version, and buy it...You will not be disappointed!!

I saw the movie in the theater when it came out, and several times since then as VHS rentals (yes, I'm extremely old). Thought the movie was fantastic, just loved it. This release, which features different music and an odd intro by this weird guy along with ridiculous commentary. I don't know what they were thinking. I don't think the DVD offers the original soundtrack music. The story's still great, and the acting wonderful. If you're seeing it for the first time this way you'll probably like it. Skip the commentary and enjoy the flick.

If you're a fan of the Coen brothers or just film noir, this should be in your collection. They've done an incredible blu-ray transfer job, apparently digitising the original 35mm film rather than lazily transferring from a lower resolution digital source which sadly a lot of studios do for older movies. The result is quite frankly amazing and looks like it was shot last year, not in 1982 (the obvious giveaway being a very young looking Frances McDormand!). Quite some debut.

This is such an odd different film with an amazing plot I just don't understand how it's not better known. Everyone I've ever shown it too agreed. The Coen Bros don't rate it all that highly - maybe it doesn't have the panache of later films but its been in my top ten now for 30 years. Do yourself a favour watch it on a dark night with a drink - it will be best couple of hours you spent this year!

This is the 2000-released version of the film, which presents the 4:3 ratio version of the film without cropping the edges of the screen. You can therefore see the film in its full size. Unfortunately it is a very worn/grainy film and as bad in quality as a counterfeit DVD. Universal cannot lecture on counterfeit DVDs when they produce DVDs that are just as bad. Although this is a badly worn/grainy film, it has very high light contrast which is good so that in light scenes you can pick out little details on clothes etc a little better. However in dark scenes you can hardly make out anything and it looks bad. The overall presentation looks a little too grainy and worn, which is somewhat surprising given that it is only a 2000 release. There clearly is an issue of poor quality regarding this DVD which should be addressed.You can purchase a "widescreen" digitally remastered version only by purchasing the 2010-released DVD box set called The Coen Brothers Collection. However, although the DVD box set widescreen version of the film is indeed smoother, it is also defective because it has significantly centre-cropped the picture so that you don't see the original image full size and you don't see everything the filmmakers intended. The cropped-edges can only be seen by comparing the full size 4:3 version with the widescreen cropped version side-by-side.Until Universal sort out the issues regarding how the film can be presented on DVD in its original form properly, Blood Simple - a terrific film with an abrupt ending - will remain a film that is of poor physical condition. In an ideal world the DVD would be withdrawn rather than sold for £5.79 as at the time of writing.

A very gripping film but very Macabre and gory, several twists in the film as well, the only thing that lets it down is the voice clarity which is spoken unclearly in an American drawl but there is an option for subtitles to be on

I'v e seen this movie several times, and I must say this is pristine. A tour de force. Criterion gives value for the money. A treat.