It's definitely what Hollywood would call a high concept
story, complete with a Macguffin. I was very skeptical about
the book and didn't read it when it came out, despite being a
big fan of McCarthy. When I did read it, in part because of
Rara Avis, I enjoyed it... and if it had used the Hollywood
ending (the old time Sheriff is the only one who is really a
match for Chigurh) I would have thrown it against the
wall.
That being said, the other people I saw the movie with had
all expected to see the final showdown and were surprised
when it ended with Tommy Lee talking about his father going
ahead of him toward death.
Lawrence
www.lawrencecoates.com
---------Included Message----------
>Date: 1-Dec-2007 21:32:31 -0500
>From: "cptpipes2000" <
cptpipes@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: <
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com>
>To: <
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: RARA-AVIS: Re: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, the
movie
>
>
>> Today, I saw NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. It was
pretty faithful
>> to the book, up to and including the denouement,
which
>> wraps up nothing.
>
>Thanks for posting this, Jack. I saw the movie last
weekend and with each passing day, I
>have appreciated it more. I enjoyed it just as much
as i did the book back when.
>
>That said, I would love to hear what you folks think
about this: the basic plot point is not
>dissimilar to A Simple Plan or The Sweet Hereafter.
I'm sure with another 15 mins of
>thought we could come up with another 15 books that
fit such description.
>
>I mention this because...
>
>If I were standing in a bookstore and saw a first
novel the hinged on such a plot point, I
>would put it back with a bit of disgust.
Nevertheless, I gobbled up the book when it cam
>from a trusted author like McCarthy and a movie from
the Coens. I admit that I would
>have missed out had I not done so, but had the same
book been written by Dick Schmick, I
>would have ignored it purely because it imitates a
plot I have read before.
>
>Did anyone else feel the same way about
this?
>
>
>
---------End of Included Message----------
Lawrence Coates Associate Professor of Creative Writing
Bowling Green State University
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 02 Dec 2007 EST