Blood Simple (Blu-ray) Blu-Ray DVD

Dead in the Heart of Texas

From the celebrated filmmaking team of Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (Fargo, Raising Arizona), comes this visually stunning tale of a double-cross?and murder?in a small town. When the owner of a backwoods bar hires a man to kill his cheating wife and her boyfriend, he opens a door into the criminal world that he'll never be able to shut. Blood Simple hurtles forward with the speed and intensity of a fired bullet...and delivers as devastating an impact as has ever been felt from a noir film!

Editor's Note

When a bar owner discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife, a complex web of deceit and double crosses ensues in a small Texas town. The Coen brothers' first picture is an intricately plotted film noir filled with surprises at each turn. The cast, largely unkown at the time, includes Dan Hedaya as the cuckolded bar owner, Frances McDormand as the cheating wife, John Getz as the adultering bartender, and the fabulously creepy M. Emmett Walsh as the slimy, sweaty private detective who should not be trusted. The film is a marvel to experience; director of photography Barry Sonnenfeld has created stunning compositions filled with open spaces, and the sound--from the slightest footsteps or dripping water to a sudden shotgun blast--reverberates ominously, as if it is a character unto itself. Directed by Joel Coen and cowritten by Joel and his brother Ethan, BLOOD SIMPLE is an eerie testament to the limitless possibilities of low-budget filmmaking.

Features

Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 1.85:1, English, Spanish, Subtitled

Technical Info

Release Information
	Studio: Foxvideo
	Release Date: 8/30/2011
	Running Time: 95 minutes
	Original Release Date: 1984
	UPC: 00883904241430
	Number of Discs: 1
Audio & Video
	Available Audio Tracks:
	Video: Color
Aspect Ratio
	Widescreen 1.85:1

Cast & Crew

	John Getz
	Frances McDormand
	Dan Hedaya
	Samm-Art Williams
	M. Emmet Walsh
	Roderick Jaynes - Editor
	Carter Burwell - Composer
	Ethan Coen - Producer
	Joel Coen - Screenwriter
	Ethan Coen - Screenwriter
	Barry Sonnenfeld - Director of Photography
	Don Wiegmann - Editor
	Joel Coen - Director

Plot Summary

BLOOD SIMPLE is a bizarre crime story about a seedy Texas bar owner who devises a plot to have his own wife and her lover murdered. What results is a chaotic chain of misunderstandings, lies, and mischief. The first feature film from the Coen brothers, who went on to direct the explosive hits RAISING ARIZONA, FARGO, and THE BIG LEBOWSKI, this movie is a must-see for film noir buffs and Coen brothers fans alike.

Professional Reviews

Premiere
"...Unpredictable at every turn..."| 07/01/2000 p.22

New York Times
"Black humor, abundant originality and a brilliant visual style....A directorial debut of extraordinary promise..." 01/18/1985 p.C6

Variety
"...Terrific....[The] performances are top-notch all around....A colorful, moody piece with a texture that's very true-to-life..." 05/23/1984

Los Angeles Times
"...BLOOD SIMPLE becomes a dazzling comedie noire, a dynamic, virtuoso display by a couple of talented fledgling film makers who give the conventions of the genre such a thorough workout that the result is a movie that's fresh and exhilarating..." 02/28/1985 p.C1

Sight and Sound
"...The film itself remains sublime..." 03/01/2001 p.63