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Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957) ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957). ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies. Ethan & Joel Coen. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies. Joel & Ethan Coen. ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies. Ethan & Joel Coen (and George Clooney). ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies. Ethan & Joel Coen (with Martin Scorsese). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 2: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Ethan & Joel Coen

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 3: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Joel & Ethan Coen

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 4: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Ethan & Joel Coen (and George Clooney)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 5: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Ethan & Joel Coen (with Martin Scorsese)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 6: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Ethan & Joel Coen (with an employee of the Hotel Earle)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 7: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers (with Roger Deakins)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 8: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Ethan & Joel Coen

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 9: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Joel & Ethan Coen

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 10: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Ethan & Joel Coen

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 11: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Joel & Ethan Coen

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 12: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Movies ofThe Coen Brothers

Page 13: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 14: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Ethan Coen’s Books

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 15: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company: John

Turturro

Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, Fargo, Big Lebowski, O Brother

Where Art Thou

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 16: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company: Jeff

Bridges

Big Lebowski, True Grit

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 17: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company: George Clooney

O Brother Where Art Thou, Intolerable Cruelty, Burn After

Reading

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 18: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company:

JonPolito

Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, Big

Lebowski, The Man Who Wasn’t There

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 19: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company: Steve

Buscemi

Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, Fargo, Big Lebowski

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 20: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company:

M. Emmett Walsh

Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, Hudsucker Proxy

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 21: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen BrothersRepertoire Company:

Frances McDormand

Blood Simple, Fargo, Big Lebowski, The Man Who Wasn’t

There, Burn After Reading

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 22: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen BrothersRepertoire Company:

Holly Hunter

Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Art Thou

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 23: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company: Peter

Stormare

Fargo, Big Lebowski

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 24: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company:

Richard Jenkins

The Man Who Wasn’t There, Intolerable Cruelty, Burn After

Reading

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 25: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company: Billy Bob Thornton

The Man Who Wasn’t There, Intolerable Cruelty

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 26: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company:

J. K. Simmons

Intolerable Cruelty, The Ladykillers, Burn After Reading

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 27: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company:Michael

Badalucco

O Brother Where Art Thou, The Man Who Wasn’t There

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 28: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Coen Brothers

Repertoire Company:

John Goodman

Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, Big Lebowski

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 29: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Indebted to Liz Cooke and William Preston Robertson. The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film. New York: W. W. Norton, 1998: 16-23.

Coen Motifs & Signatures

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 30: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat Men

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desks)Vomiting

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)Dreams

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe Incongruous

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 37: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe IncongruousOdd Names

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe IncongruousOdd NamesStrong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe IncongruousOdd NamesStrong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs“Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 40: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe IncongruousOdd NamesStrong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs“Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”Odd Angles/Shots

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 41: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe IncongruousOdd NamesStrong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs“Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”Odd Angles/ShotsExtraordinary Tracking Shots

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe IncongruousOdd NamesStrong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs“Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”Odd Angles/ShotsExtraordinary Tracking ShotsLong, Wordless Sequences

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 43: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:Howling Fat MenBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk)VomitingViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody)DreamsPeculiar HaircutsEccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top CharactersThe IncongruousOdd NamesStrong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs“Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”Odd Angles/ShotsExtraordinary Tracking ShotsLong, Wordless SequencesStrange Dialogue

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Howling Fat Men: Loren Visser in Blood Simple.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Vomiting: Tom Regan in Miller’s Crossing.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 47: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): The Thompson Jitterbug in Miller’s Crossing; the body in the Wood Chipper in Fargo or the killing of Eddie Dane in Miller’s Crossing.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Dreams: the Hat in Miller’s Crossing.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Peculiar Haircuts: George Clooney in O Brother (right); Brad Pitt in Burn After (left).

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Eccentric/Extremely Repugnant/Over-the-Top Characters: Marge Gunderson in Fargo.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

The Incongruous: Visser at the end of Blood Simple.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Odd Names: H. I. and Nathan Arizona (in Raising Arizona); "Rug" Daniels and "Drop" Johnson in Miller’s Crossing; Jack Lipnick, Barton Fink, Lou Breeze in Barton Fink; Hudsucker Industries (in The Hudsucker Proxy); Gaear Grimsrud in Fargo . . .

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 53: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Strong Narrative Voices/Voice-Overs: The Stranger in The Big Lebowski: Moses in The Hudsucker Proxy.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 54: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:

“Hellzapopin’ Camera Work”: The burning hallway in Barton Fink.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 55: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Odd Angles/Shots: The opening title sequence of Fargo.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 56: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Extraordinary Tracking Shots: The tumbleweed in Big Lebowski; the Hula Hoop in Hudsucker.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures:

Long, Wordless Sequences: Jerry Lundegaard scrapes his car window in Fargo.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures

Strange Dialogue: From Raising Arizona.

Parole Board chairman: They've got a name for people like you H.I. That name is called "recidivism."Parole Board member: Repeat offender!Parole Board chairman: Not a pretty name, is it H.I.?H.I.: No, sir. That's one bonehead name, but that ain't me any more.Parole Board chairman: You're not just telling us what we want to hear?H.I.: No, sir, no way.Parole Board member: 'Cause we just want to hear the truth.H.I.: Well, then I guess I am telling you what you want to hear.Parole Board chairman: Boy, didn't we just tell you not to do that?H.I.: Yes, sir.Parole Board chairman: Okay, then.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 59: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 60: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Blood Simple (1984)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Blood Simple (1984)

Cast

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: Loren Visser, knifed to the windowsill in Abby’s

apartment Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Marty bossing people around

(though not quite a titan)Vomiting: Marty (kicked in groin) and in a dream sequenceViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Visser kills Marty; Ray shovels

Marty; Visser shoots Ray; Abby puts a knife in Visser’s hand, shoots himDreams: Ray’s dream of MartyPeculiar Haircuts: noneLost Hats: Visser loses his hat in Abby’s apartment

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Raising Arizona (1987)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Raising Arizona (1987)

Cast

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 66: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 67: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Raising Arizona (1987)

Joel: For a movie like Raising Arizona, I guess you can detect our admiration for Southern writers like William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor

Ethan: Even if we don’t share her interest in Catholicism! But she has a true knowledge of Southern psychology that you don’t find with many other writers She also has a great sense of eccentric character. (The Coen Brothers Interviews 26)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 69: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

William Faulkner (1897-1962)

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The book struck her directly over her left eye. It struck almost at the same instant that she realized the girl was about to hurl it. . . .

Mrs. Turpin’s head cleared and her power of motion returned. She leaned forward until she was looking directly into the fierce brilliant eyes. There was no doubt in her mind that the girl did know her, knew her in some intense and personal way, beyond time and place and condition, “What you got to say to me?” she asked hoarsely and held her breath, waiting, as for a revelation.

The girl raised her head. Her gaze locked with Mrs. Turpin’s. “Go back to hell where you came from, you old warthog,” she whispered.--Flannery O’Connor, “Revelation”

Chapter 18 of Raising Arizona: “Warthog from Hell”

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Chuck Jones

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 72: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: The Snoates/Snopes brothers when they discover they

have left the baby behindBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Nathan ArizonaVomiting: None, though a lot of droolViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Armed robbery, grenades,

obliterated bunniesDreams: H.I. has several, and the whole film may be a dreamPeculiar Haircuts: H.I.’s Woody Woodpecker do, the Snoates/Snopes’

greased-back hairLost Hats: None

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 73: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Miller’s Crossing (1990)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 74: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Miller’s Crossing (1990)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 76: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: Drop Johnson at Johnny Caspar’s Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Johnny CasparVomiting: Tom, twice, when hungover and at Miller’s

Crossing when he’s about to be killedViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): tons: the

Dane’s slaughter of Leo’s guys at Verna’s; Caspar’s shovel to the face and bullet to the brain of the Dane; Bernie’s murder of Caspar; Tom’s murder of Bernie

Dreams: Tom’s dream of losing his hatPeculiar Haircuts: All the gangsters (but Tom)Lost Hats: The opening credits, and Tom loses has his hat constantly.

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 77: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Barton Fink (1991)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 78: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Barton Fink (1991)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: Charlie Meadows in the flaming Earle hallwayBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Jack LipnikVomiting: Mayhew vomits, as does Charlie Meadows upon seeing AudreyViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Audrey decapitated; Charlie

Meadows with his shotgun; serial killingDreams: The whole film is dreamlikePeculiar Haircuts: Barton’s absurd haircutLost Hats: None, but heads are lost (including Pete’s in a filmed but not

included scene)

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“Fink, played with a likable, dim earnestness by John Turturro, checks into an eerie hotel that looks designed by Edward Hopper.”—Roger Ebert

Edward Hopper, Office at Night (1940)

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Page 82: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

“Fink, played with a likable, dim earnestness by John Turturro, checks into an eerie hotel that looks designed by Edward Hopper.”—Roger Ebert

Edward Hopper, Hotel Lobby (1943)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 83: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

“Fink, played with a likable, dim earnestness by John Turturro, checks into an eerie hotel that looks designed by Edward Hopper.”—Roger Ebert

Edward Hopper, New York Movie(1939)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 84: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 85: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

The Hudsucker

Proxy (1994)

Cast

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 86: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 87: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

Page 88: Joel Coen (1954) and Ethan Coen (1957)

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (Frank Capra, 1936 [Cooper, Jean Arthur, Capra])

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Preston Sturges (1898-1959)

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: Waring HudsuckerBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Sydney MussburgerVomiting: NoneViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): A suicide.Dreams: Norville has several Peculiar Haircuts: Everywhere

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Fargo (1996)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Fargo (1996)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Fargo (1996)

Cast

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: NoneBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Family patriarch Wade Gustafson

(Harve Presnell)Vomiting: Marge thinks she going to barfViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Triple murder (cop, bystanders),

murder of Jerry’s wife, Carl Showalter has part of his face shot off, murder of Wade Gustafson, Carl in the wood-chipper

Dreams: Original screenplay had a Marge dream sequence with Native American imagery and a fetus

Peculiar Haircuts: None, though lots of weird hatsLost Hats: None

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Coen Interviews

“What a couple of assholes.”—Frances McDormand on watching an interview with Joel (her husband) and brother-in-law Ethan Early Blood Simple Interview (on blog—3 minutes)Barry Sonnenfeld interview (on Miller’s DVD—16 minutes)Charlie Rose Show Interview: Joel, Ethan, Frances McDormand (on

Fargo DVD—20 minutes)

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The Big Lebowski (1998)

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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The Big Lebowski

(1998)Cast

ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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ENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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Cult MediaENGL 6750/7750 Film Studies

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The Cult FilmThe Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975)

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The Cult FilmEraserhead (David Lynch, 1977)

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The Cult FilmLiquid Sky (Slava Tsukerman, 1982)

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The Cult FilmDonnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2001)

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The Cult FilmLIVING TEXTUALITY. The authentic cult work, Eco observes, must seem like "living textuality," as if it had no authors, as postmodernist proof that "as literature comes from literature, cinema comes from cinema" (199).

Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage."

Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York:

Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211.

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The Cult FilmA COMPLETELY FURNISHED WORLD. Another closely related prerequisite of The Cult, Eco observes, is its capacity to "provide a completely furnished world so that its fans can quote characters and episodes as if they were aspects of the fan's private sectarian world, a world about which one can make up quizzes and play trivia games so that the adepts of the secret recognize through each other a shared experience" (198).

Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage."

Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York:

Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211.

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The Cult FilmA COMPLETELY FURNISHED WORLD.

Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage."

Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York:

Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211.

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The Cult FilmA COMPLETELY FURNISHED WORLD.

The Coen Brothers

Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage."

Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York:

Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211.

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The Cult FilmDETACHABILITY. The cult work, according to Eco, must also be susceptible to breaking, dislocation, unhinging, "so that one can remember only parts of it, irrespective of their original relationship with the whole." The cult viewer watching these moments--indeed watching for such moments—may let out an audible "I love this."

Eco, Umberto. "Casablanca: Cult Movies and Intertextual Collage."

Travels in Hyper Reality. Trans. William Weaver. New York:

Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1986: 197-211.

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Table of ContentsIntroduction / Edward P. Comentale and

Aaron JaffePart 1. Ins (Intrinsic Models and Influences)1. The Really Big Sleep: Jeffrey Lebowski as

the Second Coming of Rip Van Winkle / Fred Ashe

2. A Once and Future Dude: The Big Lebowski as Medieval Grail-Quest / Andrew Rabin

3. Dudespeak: Or, How to Bowl like a Pornstar / Justus Nieland

4. Metonymic Hats and Metaphoric Tumbleweeds: Noir Literary Aesthetics in Miller’s Crossing and The Big Lebowski / Christopher Raczkowski

5. The Dude and the New Left / Stacy Thompson

6. The Big Lebowski and Paul de Man: Historicizing Irony and Ironizing Historicism / Joshua Kates

Edited by Edward P. Comentale and Aaron Jaffe

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7. Lebowski and the Ends of Postmodern American Comedy / Matthew Biberman8. Found Document: The Stranger’s Commentary and a Note on His Method / Thomas

B. Byers9. No Literal Connection: Mass Commodification, U.S. Militarism, and the Oil Industry

in The Big Lebowski / David Martin-Jones10. "I’ll Keep Rolling Along": Some Notes on Singing Cowboys and Bowling Alleys in The

Big Lebowski / Edward P. ComentalePart 2. Outs (Eccentric Activities and Behaviors)11. What Condition the Postmodern Condition Is In: Collecting Culture in The Big

Lebowski / Allan Smithee12. Holding Out Hope for the Creedence: Music and the Search for the Real Thing in

The Big Lebowski / Diane Pecknold13. "Fuck It, Let's Go Bowling": The Cultural Connotations of Bowling in The Big

Lebowski / Bradley D. Clissold14. LebowskIcons: The Rug, The Irong Lung, The Tiki Bar, and Busby Berkeley / Dennis

Hall and Susan Grove Hall15. On the White Russian / Craig N. Owens

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16. Professor Dude: An Inquiry into the Appeal of His Dudeness for Contemporary College Students / Richard Gaughran

17. Abiding (as) Animal: Marmot, Pomeranian, Whale, Dude / David Pagano18. Logjammin’ and Gutterballs: Masculinities in The Big Lebowski / Dennis Allen19. Size Matters / Judith Roof20. Brunswick = Fluxus / Aaron Jaffe21. Enduring and Abiding / Jonathan ElmerEndnote: The Goofy and the Profound: A Non-Academic's Perspective on the Lebowski

Achievement / William Preston RobertsonWorks CitedIndexList of Contributors

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Ethan: I don’t remember how the idea [for The Stranger in Big Lebowski ] came to us. But we’ve always liked to create a certain distance that takes us away from reality by enclosing the story in a frame. Joel: The Stranger (Sam Elliott) is a little bit of an audience substitute. In the movies adaptations of Chandler it’s the main character that speaks offscreen, but we didn’t want to reproduce that though it obviously has echoes. It’s as if someone was commenting on the plot from an all-seeing point of view. And at the same time rediscovering the old earthiness of a Mark Twain.--The Coen Brothers Interviews (102-103)

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: Walter Sobchak, of course.Blustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): The other Jeff LebowskiVomiting: None, “though John Goodman does spit out part of a nihilist’s

ear.”Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Severed toe, a car smashing, a

near drowning in a toilet, a marmet in a bathtubDreams: Two major dreams, one very Busby BerkeleyishPeculiar Haircuts: The Dude’s, Walter’s flat-top, Jesus’ hairnet

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O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000)

There is a Bible in every wanderer's bedroom, where there might better be the Odyssey.

James Hillman, Re-Visioning Psychology

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Brother Where Art Thou?

(2000)

Cast

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Homer’s The Odyssey

Odysseus—the King of Ithaca

Penelope—Odysseus’ wife (a “spinster”)

The Trojan War: The Trojan Horse

The Journey Home:

Scylla and Charybdis

The Sirens

The Cyclops

Circe/Calypso

Defeating the Suiters

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: Pappy O’Daniel, Baby Face NelsonBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Big Dan TeagueVomiting: NoneViolence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Cartoony variety—Big Dan’s

whopping of Everett and Delmar Dreams: The Siren encounter seems dreamlikePeculiar Haircuts: Everett’s (aided by his pomeade), Delmar’s, Pete’s--Lost Hats: Several hats are worn.

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The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

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The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

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The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

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The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

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The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

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The Man Who Wasn’t There

(2001)

Cast

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Other Titles Considered for The Man Who Was Not \There(according to Roderick Jaynes in his “Introduction” to the screenplay)

I, The BarberThe Man Who Smoked Too MuchThe Nirdlinger DoingsMissing, Presumed EdMr. MumI Love You, Birdie AbundasThe Barber, CraneEdward CraneThe Other Side of FateNone Know My NameI Will Cut Hair No More ForeverThe Man Who Wasn’t All ThereThe Man with the Gas Hearth or My Hearth is Gas

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The Man Who Wasn’t There

They got this guy, in Germany. Fritz something-or-other. Or is it? Maybe it's Werner. Anyway, he's got this theory, you wanna test something, you know, scientifically—how the planets go round the sun, what sunspots are made of, why the water comes out of the tap—well, you gotta look at it. But sometimes, you look at it, your looking “changes” it. Ya can't know the reality of what happened, or what “would've” happened if you hadden a stuck in your goddamn schnozz. So there “is” no “what happened.” Not in any sense that we can grasp with our puny minds. Because our minds . . . our minds get in the way. Looking at something changes it. They call it the “Uncertainty Principle.” Sure, it sounds screwy, but even Einstein says the guy's on to something.

Werner Heisenberg

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Coen Motifs & Signatures: Howling Fat Men: Frank Raffo, Creighton TolliverBlustery Titans (Men Behind Big Desk): Big Dave BrewsterVomiting: ?Violence (Often Extreme & Very Bloody): Big Dave’s throat slit with a

cigar cutterDreams: ?Peculiar Haircuts: Ed Crane’s—and the film is about a barberLost Hats: Lots of hats worn

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No Country for Old Men (2007)

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No Country for Old Men

(2007)

Cast

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Burn After Reading (2008)

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Burn After Reading (2008)Cast

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Burn After Reading (2008)Cast

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A Serious Man(2009)

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A Serious Man(2009)

Cast

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A Serious Man (2009)

Ethan and Joel at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival screening of A Serious Man.

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A Serious Man(2009)

“and that means . . . so that ... from which we derive . . . and also . . . which lets us . . . and . . . Okay? The Uncertainty Principle. It proves we can't ever really know . . . what's going on. . . . But even if you can't figure anything out, you'll still be responsible for it on the mid-term.”

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Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man)From Wikipedia:

* bagel: a ring-shaped bread roll made by boiling then baking the dough (from בײגל beygl) (OED, MW)* blintz: a sweet cheese-filled crepe (Yiddish בלינצע blintse from russian "блины" bliny) (AHD)* bris: the circumcision of a male child. (from Hebrew brith 'covenant') (OED, MW)* boychick: boy, young man. (English boy + Eastern Yiddish -chik, diminutive suffix (from Slavic)) (AHD)* bubkes (also spelled "bupkis"): emphatically nothing, as in He isn't worth bubkes (literally 'goat droppings', possibly of Slavic origin; cf. Polish bobki 'animal droppings') (MW)* chutzpah: nerve, guts, daring, audacity, effrontery (Yiddish חוצּפה khutspe, from Hebrew) (AHD)* dreck: (vulgar) worthless material, especially merchandise; literally: "crap" or "shit" (Yiddish דרעק drek cf. German Dreck) (OED, MW)* dybbuk: the malevolent spirit of a dead person which enters and controls a living body until exorcised (from Hebrew דיבוק dibbuk, 'a latching-onto') (AHD)

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* fleishig: made with meat (Yiddish פֿליישיק fleyshik 'meaty', from fleysh 'meat', cf. German fleischig 'meaty') (MW)* ganef or gonif: thief, scoundrel, rascal (Yiddish ֿגנב ganev or ganef 'thief', from Hebrew gannav). (AHD)* gelt: money; chocolate coins eaten on Hanukkah (געלט gelt 'money', cf. German Geld) (AHD)* glitch: a minor malfunction (possibly from Yiddish glitsh, from glitshn 'slide', cf. German glitschen 'slither') (AHD)* golem: a man-made humanoid; an android, Frankenstein monster (from Hebrew gōlem, but influenced in pronunciation by Yiddish goylem) (OED, MW) גולם* goy: a Gentile, someone not of the Jewish faith or people (Yiddish גוי, plural גויים or גוים goyim; from Hebrew גויים or גוים goyim meaning 'nations [usually other than Israel]', plural of גוי goy 'nation') (AHD)* haimish (also heimish): home-like, friendly, folksy (Yiddish היימיש heymish, cf. German heimisch) (AHD)* huck; sometimes "hock", "huk", "hak". etc.: to bother incessantly, to break, or nag; from hakn a tshaynik (break a china teapot). Frequently used by characters intended to represent residents of New York City, even if not Jewish, in movies and television shows such as Law & Order.[2]

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* kibitz: to offer unwanted advice, e.g. to someone playing cards; to converse idly, hence a kibbitzer, gossip (Yiddish קיבעצן kibetsn; cf. German kiebitzen, related to Kiebitz 'lapwing') (OED, MW)* klutz: clumsy person (from Yiddish קלָאץ klots 'wooden beam', cf. German Klotz) (OED, MW)* kosher: conforming to Jewish dietary laws; (slang) appropriate, legitimate (originally from Hebrew כּשר kašer) (AHD)* kvell: to feel delighted and proud to the point of tears (Yiddish קװעלן kveln, from an old Germanic word akin to German quellen 'well up') (OED, MW)* kvetch: to complain habitually, gripe; as a noun, a person who always complains (from Yiddish קװעטשן kvetshn 'press, squeeze', cf. German quetschen 'squeeze') (OED, MW)* latke: potato pancake, especially during Hanukkah (from Yiddish לַאטקע, from either Ukrainian or Russian) (AHD)* Litvak: a Lithuanian Jew (OED)* lox: smoked salmon (from Yiddish לַאקס laks 'salmon'; cf. German Lachs) (OED, MW)

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Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man)

* macher: big shot, important person (Yiddish מַאכער makher, literally 'maker' from makhn 'make', cf. German Macher) (OED) מַאכן* mamzer: bastard (from Yiddish or Hebrew ממזר) (OED)* maven: expert; when used in a negative sense: a know-it-all (from Yiddish מבֿין meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands') (OED, MW)* mazel: luck (Yiddish מזל mazl, from Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck, planet') (OED)* Mazal Tov: congratulations! (Yiddish ֿמזל־טוב mazl-tov, from Hebrew mazzāl ṭōv: mazzāl 'fortune' or 'sign of the Zodiac (constellation)' + ṭōv 'good') (OED, MW:Hebrew)* megillah: a tediously detailed discourse (from Yiddish מגילה megile 'lengthy document, scroll [esp. the Book of Esther]', from Hebrew מגילה məgillā 'scroll') (OED, MW)* mensch: an upright man; a decent human being (from Yiddish מענטש mentsh 'person', cf. German Mensch) (OED, MW)* meshuga, also meshugge, meshugah, meshuggah: crazy (Yiddish משוגע meshuge, from Hebrew məšugga‘) (OED, MW)

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* meshugas: madness, nonsense, irrational idiosyncrasy (Yiddish משוגעת meshugas, from Hebrew məšugga‘ath, a form of the above) (OED)* meshuggener: a crazy person (Yiddish משוגענער meshugener, a derivative of the above משוגע meshuge) (OED)* milchig: made with milk (Yiddish milkhik milky, from milkh milk, cf. German milchig) (MW)* minyan: the quorum of ten male adult (i.e., 13 or older) Jews that is necessary for the holding of a public worship service (Yiddish מנין minyen, from Hebrew מנין minyān) (OED, MW:Hebrew)* mishpocha: extended family (Yiddish משּפחה mishpokhe, from Hebrew משּפחה mišpāḥā) (OED)* naches: feeling of pride in 1: the achievements of one's children; 2. one's own doing good by helping someone or some organization (Yiddish נחת nakhes, from Hebrew נחת naḥath 'contentment') (OED)* narrischkeit: foolishness, nonsense (Yiddish נַארישקייט, from nar 'fool', cf. German närrisch 'foolish') (OED)* nebbish: an insignificant, pitiful person; a nonentity (from Yiddish interjection nebekh 'poor thing!', from Czech nebohý) (OED, MW)

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Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man)

* noodge, also nudzh: to pester, nag, whine; as a noun, a pest or whiner (from Yiddish נודיען nudyen, from Polish or Russian) (OED)* nosh: snack (noun or verb) (Yiddish נַאשן nashn, cf. German naschen) (OED, MW)* nu: multipurpose interjection often analogous to "well?" or "so?" (Yiddish נו nu, perhaps akin to Russian "ну" (nu) or German na='well'; probably not related to German dialect expression nu [short for nun=now], which might be used in the same way) (OED)* nudnik: a pest, "pain in the neck"; a bore (Yiddish נודניק nudnik, from the above nudyen; cf. Polish nudne, 'boring') (OED, MW) נודיען* oy or oy vey: interjection of grief, pain, or horror (Yiddish וויי '!oy vey 'oh, pain אויor "oh, woe"; cf. German oh weh) (OED)* pareve: containing neither meat nor dairy products (from Yiddish (ע)ּפַארעוו parev(e)) (OED, MW)* pisher: a nobody, an inexperienced person (Yiddish ּפישער pisher, from ּפישן pishn 'piss', cf. German pissen or dialectal German pischen) (OED)* potch: spank, slap, smack (Yiddish ּפאטשן patshn; cf. German patschen 'slap') (OED)

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Some Basic Hebrew and Yiddish (in Preparation for A Serious Man)

* plotz: to burst, as from strong emotion (from Yiddish ּפלַאצן platsn 'crack', cf. German platzen) (OED)* putz: an idiot, a jerk; a penis (from Yiddish ּפָאץ pots) (AHD)* schav: A chilled soup. (AHD)* schlemiel: an inept clumsy person; a bungler; a dolt (Yiddish shlemil from Hebrew

מועיל ineffective") (OED, MW)" שלא* schlep: to drag or haul (an object); to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish shlepn; cf. German schleppen) (OED, MW) שלעּפן* schlimazel: a chronically unlucky person (שלימזל shlimazl, from Middle High German slim 'crooked' and Hebrew מזל mazzāl 'luck') (OED).[3] In June 2004, Yiddish shlimazl was one of the ten non-English words that were voted hardest to translate by a British translation company.[4]* schlock: something cheap, shoddy, or inferior (perhaps from Yiddish shlak 'a stroke', cf. German Schlag) (OED, MW)* schlong: (vulgar) penis (from Yiddish שלַאנג shlang 'snake'; cf. German Schlange) (OED)• schlub: a clumsy, stupid, or unattractive person (Yiddish זשלָאב zhlob 'hick',

perhaps from Polish żłób) (OED, MW)

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* schmaltz: melted chicken fat; excessive sentimentality (from Yiddish שמַאלץ shmalts or German Schmalz) (OED, MW)* schmatta: a rag (from Yiddish שמַאטע shmate, from Polish szmata) (OED); also means junk or low-quality merchandise: "Don't buy from Silverman; all he sells is schmatta."* schmeer also schmear: noun or verb: spread (e.g., cream cheese on a bagel); bribe (from Yiddish שמיר shmir 'smear'; cf. German schmieren) (OED, MW)* schmo: a stupid person. (an alteration of schmuck; see below) (OED)* schmooze: to converse informally, make small talk or chat (from Yiddish שמועסן shmuesn 'converse', from Hebrew shəmūʿōth 'reports, gossip') (OED, MW)* schmuck: a contemptible or foolish person; a jerk; literally means 'penis' (from Yiddish שמָאק shmok 'penis', maybe from Polish smok 'dragon') (AHD)* schmutter: clothing; rubbish (from Yiddish שמַאטע shmate 'rag', as above) (OED)* schmutz - dirt (from Yiddish שמוץ shmuts or German Schmutz 'dirt') (OED)

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* schnook: an easily imposed-upon or cheated person, a pitifully meek person, a particularly gullible person, a cute or mischievous person or child (perhaps from Yiddish שנוק shnuk 'snout'; cf. Northern German Schnucke 'sheep') (OED)* schnorrer: beggar (Yiddish שנָארער shnorer, cf. German schnorren 'to beg or steal (usu. a small item of a consumable good) of a friend'[5]) (OED, MW)* schnoz or schnozz also schnozzle: a nose, especially a large nose (perhaps from Yiddish שנויץ shnoyts 'snout', cf. German Schnauze) (OED, MW)* schvartze: term used to denote black people; can be used derogatorily. (from Yiddish שווַארץ shvarts 'black'; cf. German schwarz). (OED)* schvitz: schvitz or schviting: To sweat, perspire, exude moisture as a cooling mechanism (From Yiddish). . (OED)* Shabbos or Shabbes: Shabbat (Yiddish Shabes, from Hebrew Šabbāth) (AHD)* shammes or shamash: the caretaker of a synagogue; also, the 9th candle of the Hanukkah menorah, used to light the others (Yiddish shames, from Hebrew שמש šammāš 'attendant') (OED, MW)

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* shamus: a detective (possibly from shammes, or possibly from the Irish name Seamus) (OED, Macquarie)* shegetz: (derogatory) a young non-Jewish male (Yiddish שגץ or שײגעץ sheygets, from Hebrew šeqeṣ 'blemish') (AHD)* shemozzle (slang) quarrel, brawl (perhaps related to schlimazel, q.v.) (OED). This word is commonly used in Ireland to describe confused situations during the Irish sport of hurling, e.g. 'There was a shemozzle near the goalmouth'. In particular, it was a favourite phrase of t.v. commentator Miceal O'Hehir who commentated on hurling from the 1940s to the 1980s.* shicker or shickered: drunk (adjective or noun) (Yiddish shiker 'drunk', from Hebrew šikkōr) (OED)* shiksa or shikse: (often derogatory) a young non-Jewish woman (Yiddish שיקסע shikse, a derivative of the above שײגעץ sheygets) (AHD)* shmendrik: a foolish or contemptible person (from a character in an operetta by Abraham Goldfaden) (OED)* shtetl: a small town with a large Jewish population in pre-Holocaust Eastern Europe (Yiddish שטעטל shtetl 'town', diminutive of שטָאט shtot 'city'; cf. German Städtl, South German / Austrian colloquial diminutive of Stadt, city) (AHD)

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* shtick: comic theme; a defining habit or distinguishing feature (from Yiddish שטיק shtik 'piece'; cf. German Stück 'piece') (AHD)* shtup: vulgar slang, to have intercourse (from Yiddish שטוּפ "shtoop" 'push,' 'poke,' or 'intercourse') (OED)* spiel or shpiel: a sales pitch or speech intended to persuade (from Yiddish שּפיל shpil 'play' or German Spiel 'play') (AHD)* tchotchke: knickknack, trinket, curio (from Yiddish צַאצקע tsatske, טשַאטשקע tshatshke, from obsolete Polish czaczko) (OED, MW)* tref or trayf or traif: not kosher (Yiddish treyf, from Hebrew ṭərēfā 'carrion') (AHD)* tzimmes: a sweet stew of vegetables and fruit; a fuss, a confused affair, a to-do (Yiddish צימעס tsimes) (OED, MW)* tsuris: troubles (from Yiddish צרות tsores, from Hebrew צרות tsarot 'troubles') (AHD)* tukhus: buttocks, bottom, rear end (from Yiddish ּתחת tokhes, from Hebrew תחת taḥath 'underneath') (OED)* tummler: an entertainer or master of ceremonies, especially one who encourages audience interaction (from Yiddish tumler, from tumlen 'make a racket'; cf. German (sich) tummeln 'go among people, cavort') (OED, MW)

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* tush (also tushy): buttocks, bottom, rear end (from tukhus) (OED, MW)* vigorish (also contraction vig): that portion of the gambling winnings held by the bookmaker as payment for services (probably from Yiddish, from Russian vyigrysh, winnings) (OED)* verklempt: choked with emotion (German verklemmt = emotionally inhibited in a convulsive way; stuck)* yarmulke: round cloth skullcap worn by observant Jews (from Yiddish יַארמלקע yarmlke, from Polish jarmułka, ultimate etymology unclear, possibly Turkish) (OED, MW, AHD)* Yekke: (mildly derogatory) a German Jew (Yiddish יעקע Yeke) (OED)* yenta: a talkative woman; a gossip; a scold (from Yiddish יענטע yente, from a given name) (OED, MW)* Yiddish: the Yiddish language (from Yiddish יִידיש yidish 'Jewish', cf. German jüdisch) (AHD)* yontef also yom tov: a Jewish holiday on which work is forbidden, eg. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach (from Yiddish -ֿטוב yontef 'holiday', from Hebrew יום

טוב yōm ṭōv 'good day') (OED) יום* yutz: a stupid, clueless person ([1] [2])* zaftig: plump, chubby, full-figured, as a woman (from Yiddish זַאפֿטיק zaftik 'juicy'; cf. German saftig 'juicy') (OED, MW)

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True Grit (2010)

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Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

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