Joel and Ethan Cohen are shooting a real American epic: whether it’s a movie about the “dude” Big Lebowski or about the loser songwriter Llewyn Davis. Here The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs (The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, 2018) tells the stories of the Wild West, the intensity of passions and suspense are not inferior to the works of Ambrose Bierce. In each of the novels, death is present in one way or another. A wonderful star cast: Tim Blake Nelson, Liam Neeson, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson and others starred in the film. The Cohen brothers wrote the script about 15 years ago.
Buster Scruggs, the hero of the first novel, plays both a musician and a jester and a gunfighter, and don’t be bribed by his smile, light outfit, and the way the hat funny presses his ears, he’s still the son of a gun. Easy come, easy gone. The bounty hunter, dressed in black, is played by Willie Watson, a folk musician and founder of the Old Crow Medicine Show. When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings
Willie Watson & Tim Blake Nelson – When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings
I recommend watching the movie with the original audio track and Russian subtitles, it will be more correct. Somewhere in the middle of the movie there is a story of an All Gold Canyon prospector, played by Tom Waits. And to look at him without hearing his voice is an omission for the viewer. He even sings a song there. About mom Makri (Mother Machree, original from 1910). There are quite a few songs in the first and last novel, you will need their translation. Really, really, the translation will be very useful.
A stagecoach ride and the fort to which the heroes of the latest novel The Mortal Remains are traveling suggest thoughts of the “Disgusting Eight“, but the topics raised here are completely different. And Fort B in reality turns out to be quite a respectable hotel.
Attention to detail, peculiar humor, usually black, understatement, special respect for the viewer in the form of providing an opportunity to think it out for yourself – the corporate identity of the Cohens. The music for the film was written by their regular author Carter Burruel, and the country songs in the film are memorable. I’ve always loved Westerns and I’m in awe of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
And finally, the trailer, which is also a pleasure to watch:
