That Spielberg comparison is hilarious now that The Fabelmans is basically 2 and a half hours of Spielberg self reflecting on his own complicated drive for filmmaking lmao
Great list! Seven is a perfect addition. The city that the movie takes place in feels like a bad dream for sure. Every building is dilapidated, every room is badly lit, and it won't stop raining until the villain appears...
Great deep dive into the movie. I am glad someone also got a hold of this whole second world war theme that's going on underneath. My theory was that associating Mundt with Nazis was even maybe a way of showing what common man is capable of doing to Barton considering all the horrible events took place in WW2 but again that may just be Coens fucking with us right lol
Great analysis of this movie. I agree with your comment about cynicism in this movie. The part where John Goodman is yelling, "I'll show you the life of the mind!, gets to this point. The movie is somewhat of a dark comedy. Not to be a spoiler - the point to me of the movie is that Barton Fink never "gets it," even to the very end. What.... "it".... is, I think, is what the Coen Brothers want you to consider.
@@DeepDiveFilmSchool I'm just busting chops! I love this movie as a series of great scenes with great actors, but I've never really understood it. Were we supposed to take the last act literally, or was it some kind of allegory? I never really got the John Goodman character and if he was real or was it all in Barton's mind?
It is for sure one of the more allegorical and symbolic of the Coen's films. The wallpaper, the painting on the wall, the box, and Goodman's character are all very symbolic, I think. The surreal moment that the whole hallway bursts into flames around Goodman can't be taken literally, I guess. Also, it is one of the only moments of the movie that Barton isn't present in. He is in his room, but he doesn't see any of what happens in the hallway. I guess Madman Mundt goes to show that Fink has no idea what the common man is actually like, or that he is so self absorbed that he doesn't even recognize a deadly killer right under his nose... Of course, then there is the whole Nazi Germany subtext theory, which, who knows if that is on purpose or not...
@@DeepDiveFilmSchool I always liked the movie, and loved the individual scenes. But I never got it. But about 10 years later, after seeing Adaptation, it makes sense in my head if that's what happened. He had writer's block for the first 2/3rds of the movie, and then the 3rd act was all in his head.
![How the Coen Brothers Direct Comedy & Violence [Directing Styles Explained]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YGCnCYUghMo/mqdefault.jpg)
Is this one of the Coen Brothers most "heady" films?
What happened to Angel Heart?
Stupid RUclips restricted that episode unfortunately.
My twin brother thinks it's slow. I loved the pace. Tension, paranoia, desperation... well crafted.
Just cause it’s slow doesn’t mean it’s bad.
That Spielberg comparison is hilarious now that The Fabelmans is basically 2 and a half hours of Spielberg self reflecting on his own complicated drive for filmmaking lmao
This is perhaps the best movie I have ever watched. Seriously.
Let's see. I count Jacob's Ladder, Angelheart, Seven, Mouth of Madness, and all of Lynch as cerebral nighmares. Barton Fink is an excellent addition.
Great list! Seven is a perfect addition. The city that the movie takes place in feels like a bad dream for sure. Every building is dilapidated, every room is badly lit, and it won't stop raining until the villain appears...
Great deep dive into the movie. I am glad someone also got a hold of this whole second world war theme that's going on underneath. My theory was that associating Mundt with Nazis was even maybe a way of showing what common man is capable of doing to Barton considering all the horrible events took place in WW2 but again that may just be Coens fucking with us right lol
They love to do it. That’s part of the reason why I love them. Thanks for listening!
Great analysis of this movie. I agree with your comment about cynicism in this movie. The part where John Goodman is yelling, "I'll show you the life of the mind!, gets to this point. The movie is somewhat of a dark comedy. Not to be a spoiler - the point to me of the movie is that Barton Fink never "gets it," even to the very end. What.... "it".... is, I think, is what the Coen Brothers want you to consider.
Easily in my Top 5 Coen bros films.Also, 1991 is my favorite year of film.
No doubt in my top 5 as well. My favorite year in film was 1994.
@@DeepDiveFilmSchool 1994 was epic.
You kept getting the final line, wrong.
"We'll be hearing from that kid and I DON'T mean a postcard!"
Hah! Thanks!
@@DeepDiveFilmSchool I'm just busting chops! I love this movie as a series of great scenes with great actors, but I've never really understood it. Were we supposed to take the last act literally, or was it some kind of allegory? I never really got the John Goodman character and if he was real or was it all in Barton's mind?
It is for sure one of the more allegorical and symbolic of the Coen's films. The wallpaper, the painting on the wall, the box, and Goodman's character are all very symbolic, I think. The surreal moment that the whole hallway bursts into flames around Goodman can't be taken literally, I guess. Also, it is one of the only moments of the movie that Barton isn't present in. He is in his room, but he doesn't see any of what happens in the hallway. I guess Madman Mundt goes to show that Fink has no idea what the common man is actually like, or that he is so self absorbed that he doesn't even recognize a deadly killer right under his nose... Of course, then there is the whole Nazi Germany subtext theory, which, who knows if that is on purpose or not...
@@DeepDiveFilmSchool I always liked the movie, and loved the individual scenes. But I never got it. But about 10 years later, after seeing Adaptation, it makes sense in my head if that's what happened. He had writer's block for the first 2/3rds of the movie, and then the 3rd act was all in his head.
Either of you guys on letterboxd?
Nope, I feel like we should be as your not the first to ask this.
@@DeepDiveFilmSchool you def should!