Fargo (Special Edition)

MGM (Video & DVD) - MGM (Video & DVD)

Release date: 2003-09-30
DVD
Director:Joel Coen
Actors: William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Kristin Rudrüd

Adult Humor, Affectionate, Americana, Black Comedy, Color, Crime, Crime Comedy, Crime Gone Awry, Deadpan, Documentary, Drama, English, Feature, Feature Film-drama, Goofy, Graphic Violence, High Artistic Quality, Kidnapping, Movie, Mystery / Suspense / Thriller


Fargo (Special Edition)
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Fargo (Special Edition)

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I saw it the first week it was out for rental 11 years ago and have enjoyed it ever since. In fact, I probably enjoy this more each time I view it. It's a sick movie, though, make no mistake about that. However, it holds a strange fascination, probably because of the odd characters.

This is NOT a true story as indicated in the movie. That's a lie. It's a fictional kidnapping-turned into murder story with a few bloody scenes, lots of profanity (most of it by Steve Buscemi) and a pure "black comedy."

Both William H. Macy and Frances McDormand have some wonderful facial expressions along with their accents. Those two and Buscemi are the lead characters and all three "are a trip." Macy is hilarious; the best character in here, in my opinion. It's also the best role, I assume, ever for McDormand who was never a big star before - or since - this movie. Her character in here, "Marge Gunderson," elevates this movie from just another modern-day crime movie, to an original.

Add to the mix of weird characters some equally-bizarre music (slow violins) and solid cinematography, and you have an "original," the best film the Coen Brothers have ever made and maybe the rest roles ever for the three main actors. This DVD gives it justice, too - it looks great! The only thing better would be a Blu-Ray release which, I assume, we'll get some day.

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Fargo (Special Edition)

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I watch Fargo at least 3 times a year and have been doing so since it came out. It is my favorite movie of all time. If you haven't seen it, you must!

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Fargo (Special Edition)

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Fargo is among the better efforts of the Coen Brothers. Frances McDormand won an Oscar for her portrayal of Brainerd Police Chief Marge Gunderson. It was well deserved, as she not only mastered the Midwest accent but created a complex character that was almost naive, always seeing the good in people and situations; but nevertheless, was a clever detective who relentlessly pursued criminals in spite of the fact that she was pregnant. William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi were also great in this movie. They captured the flaws and weakness in their respective characters well. The whole darn cast was excellent, and everything worked. You might be laughing at the quirky Midwest characters and their funny accents, but then you have to admire the son-of-a Gundersons.

Of the Coen Brothers' films I have seen, I felt that 'The Man Who Wasn't There' and 'Barton Fink' simply didn't work (still interesting though more like failed experiments), but 'O, Brother, Where Art Thou?' 'Raising Arizona,' and of course cult classic 'The Big Lebowski' were superb. 'Fargo' might just seem like a lot of quirks and foibles but actually there is a lot of keen observation of human behavior, and after a while all those quirks and foibles add up to very memorable characters whose stories are told in quite compelling narratives.

I also like the visual symbolism, like the statue of Paul Bunyan who not only resembles (William H. Macy) Jerome 'Jerry' Lundegaard's father-in-law, (Harve Presnell) Wade Gustafson, but also hints at the menace and mayhem to come, with his big axe poised. It is a great symbol, like the giant eyeglasses in the optometrist's office sign that looked with harsh judgment upon the characters in 'The Great Gatsby.'

The harsh Midwestern winter is another visual metaphor. At one point, it looks like a black and white map or diagram, but as the camera pulls back you see that it is merely one of the poor characters out in the snow, trying to get their car started. When someone hides the ransom money in the snow, he looks out on miles and miles of fence running along the road. The snow has obliterated any possible landmarks, and you see the futility of his plan as he tries to mark the spot with a snow scraper.

One trademark of Joel Coen is that he often pays homage to the great film director Stanley Kubrick, and 'Fargo' has a couple of examples that I will leave to the viewer to discover on his or her own. Another trademark is that they often use a lot of the same actors, and Frances McDormand and Steve Buscemi are two of their stalwarts. McDormand has been in numerous Coen films, starting with their first feature, 'Blood Simple.' Steve Buscemi has been in even more, and in most every one he dies or is killed. Besides 'Fargo' I liked him best in 'The Big Lebowski,' but it is apples and oranges to compare them, because Lebowski is more of a fantasy/comedy while 'Fargo' is a serious crime drama with quirky characters thrown in for comic relief.

Films of Joel and Ethan Coen:

No Country for Old Men (2007)
The Ladykillers (2004)
Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Fargo (1996)
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
... aka Hudsucker - Der große Sprung (Germany)
Barton Fink (1991)
Miller's Crossing (1990)
Raising Arizona (1987)
Blood Simple. (1984)

William H. Macy ... Jerome 'Jerry' Lundegaard
The Cooler (2003) .... Bernie Lootz
Magnolia (1999) .... Donnie Smith
Boogie Nights (1997) .... Little Bill

Steve Buscemi ... Carl Showalter
Ghost World (2001) .... Seymour
The Big Lebowski - 10th Anniversary Edition (1998) .... Theodore Donald 'Donny' Kerabatsos
Trees Lounge (1996) .... Tommy

Frances McDormand ... Police Chief Marge Gunderson
Laurel Canyon (2002) .... Jane
Almost Famous (2000) .... Elaine Miller
Raising Arizona (1987) .... Dot

Police Chief Marge Gunderson: Say, Lou, didya hear the one about the guy who couldn't afford personalized plates, so he went and changed his name to J3L2404?

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