Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

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hey guys who have read blood meridian.

i just read the first chapter or so, and at the risk of sounding like a simpleton its sort of a tough read. does the reader grow accustomed to the writing style or does it get easier as the book goes on.

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you will get more used to it, but it's not going to change much. It's a little like getting used to shakespeare; when you start out it takes the first act for your ears to adjust to the language and the shape of the sentences. No shame in thinking it's tough...it's absolutely tough imo.

But at least even when the actual meaning seems super slippery, you can always sink into the prose and the dialogue just because it's so expert and beautiful. And if you're not enjoying anything about it right now, I wouldn't force it, ok to try it again another day. Dude, even Harold Bloom said it took him three tries to get through his first reading of Blood Meridian (and he thinks it's like one of the best handful of books in the last century).

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

I just got back from watching this movie and I really have no idea what to think about it. I probably did not "get" the movie but I really enjoyed it.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

I was very upset at the ending after just seeing it, but talking about the movie on the way home, I was over it and appreciating how good the movie was before the ride was over.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

Just saw this last night cause it finally opened in the crummy little city where I go to school, it was amazing, one of the best first viewing experiences I've ever had, so much of the movie is just perfect, and the parts that aren't are still amazing.

The *SPOILERS* New Yorker has a funny piece about people dealing with the questions that arise, the avg viewer's stupid need to analyze a movie before the credits even finish rolling to look smart for their friends and their inability to enjoy the experience.

My opinion for the record: *Spoilers*: <font color="white"> is that Shigaur (?sp) ends up with the money, as evidenced by his giving $100 to the kid at the end, he got it from inside the vent in Lewelyn's room. I think he was in the room when the Sheriff was outside, I think the window being closed was evidence that he couldn't have escaped; I think the Sheriff could have found him if he searched hard enough but didn't(was too scared?) and that's what leads him to realize there's nothing he can do when faced with the insurmountable evil in the world and finally retire. I think the coin that Shigaur used to open the grate being heads side up (the side that the gas station guy called and lived) was an indicator that he could have killed the Sheriff at the hotel but he didn't (though not the reason he didn't). I think it was very clear that the wife was killed and refused to call the coinflip. I think not showing the murder of Lewelyn worked very well, as it kind of fit into the theme of the absurdity of violence falling upon the characters in the movie (which comes to a head with the car crash).</font>

Of course those are just some impressions I got, I don't really care if they are right or wrong, I just loved the flick, and hope award screeners are leaked soon so I can watch it again.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

[ QUOTE ]
hey guys who have read blooed meridian.

i just read the first chapter or so, and at the risk of sounding like a simpleton its sort of a tough read. does the reader grow accustomed to the writing style or does it get easier as the book goes on.

[/ QUOTE ]

It will be the same pretty much all the way through. You'll get used to it, somewhat, but you'll still feel like you're forcing your way through the text, however, this is a book you can read once a year for the rest of your life, and still get something from it.

The second read-through well be loads easier, almost natural, and then you'll be able to enjoy the prose for it's structure as well as it's content.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

Just saw this on Friday. Outstanding movie. I was surprised and disappointed when it ended, but only because I wanted it to go on forever.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
hey guys who have read blooed meridian.

i just read the first chapter or so, and at the risk of sounding like a simpleton its sort of a tough read. does the reader grow accustomed to the writing style or does it get easier as the book goes on.

[/ QUOTE ]

It will be the same pretty much all the way through. You'll get used to it, somewhat, but you'll still feel like you're forcing your way through the text, however, this is a book you can read once a year for the rest of your life, and still get something from it.

The second read-through well be loads easier, almost natural, and then you'll be able to enjoy the prose for it's structure as well as it's content.

[/ QUOTE ]

The prose won't be getting any less dense. Also, there is a bunch of dialogue in spanish which isn't translated, and he uses a bunch of english words that I have to look up in the dictionary every time I read the book. You won't get a lot of it the first time through. I sure didn't.

My advice is to just keep banging away and try to get the simple character based stuff. Once you get into a few of the characters you will be sucked in. And then it will be easier to go back and read again.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

kneeco,

possible spoilers

i thought all of those things were obvious, based on the cues in the movie. i haven't read the book... is there ambiguity about some of those things or something?

re: folks asking about the closing monologue. i thought it was great, but mostly due to TLJ's delivery, it's not terribly complicated, is it? i mean it's a life/death kinda allegory, muddling through the dark, the father goes ahead to 'get the fire ready,' etc. i don't think we need a literal translation or anything, the symbolism is pretty obvious.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

[ QUOTE ]
kneeco,

possible spoilers

i thought all of those things were obvious, based on the cues in the movie. i haven't read the book... is there ambiguity about some of those things or something?

re: folks asking about the closing monologue. i thought it was great, but mostly due to TLJ's delivery, it's not terribly complicated, is it? i mean it's a life/death kinda allegory, muddling through the dark, the father goes ahead to 'get the fire ready,' etc. i don't think we need a literal translation or anything, the symbolism is pretty obvious.

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the book is actually much less ambiguous than the movie. in the book, there are pretty concrete answers to a few of the things that people were confused about in the movie. (i tend to agree with you that the movie wasn't that ambiguous either)

The last little story is a metaphor for "life" but some people think it is hopeful and others think it's depressing. Different interpretations can change the meaning for different people.

Re: WOW WOW OMG WTF BBQ new Coen brothers movie trailer
 

[ QUOTE ]
kneeco,

possible spoilers

i thought all of those things were obvious, based on the cues in the movie. i haven't read the book... is there ambiguity about some of those things or something?

re: folks asking about the closing monologue. i thought it was great, but mostly due to TLJ's delivery, it's not terribly complicated, is it? i mean it's a life/death kinda allegory, muddling through the dark, the father goes ahead to 'get the fire ready,' etc. i don't think we need a literal translation or anything, the symbolism is pretty obvious.

[/ QUOTE ]


spoilers

Well there were just some of the issues that I heard mentioned in the theater and by friends and such, I do think there's some ambiguity to a couple of issues:
<font color="white">Some people seem to believe Shiguar couldn't have been in the room. I was talking to a friend today who said Lewalyn wasn't killed in his own room, he was in the girls room when he was killed, where Shiguar would have checked first, then moved on to the room next door, which is where we see him when the Sheriff is outside. I don't know if that's the case, but we both recalled the girl in the pool mentioning his room number during their convo, so i'll have to check next viewing.

Also a lot of other people seem to think the window was unlocked, but I don't think it was.

Finally, with regards to who ends up with the money, yea I wouldn't say its at all ambiguous, I was just posting it as a follow up to the New Yorker humor piece. </font>