steven@ism70.UUCP (03/07/85)
Mr. Box Office is beaten to the punch in Lotusland: BLOOD SIMPLE Starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, M. Emmet Walsh, Dan Hedaya and Samm-Art Williams. Directed by Joel Coen. Written by Joel and Ethan Coen. Produced by Ethan Coen. Photographed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Production Designed by Jane Musky. Edited by Roderick Jaynes and Don Wiegmann. Music by Carter Burwell. From Circle Films. (1985) Agreement. Don't know that it knocked me out as much as the first time I saw _T_o_u_c_h_ _o_f_ _E_v_i_l (or _T_h_e_ _L_a_d_y_ _F_r_o_m_ _S_h_a_n_g_h_a_i for that matter), but the Coen brothers are very, very talented. Saw it Saturday. Was expecting _B_o_d_y_ _H_e_a_t and I got _P_s_y_c_h_o via _F_r_e_n_z_y instead. Laughed loudly, giggled nervously. Wonderful script. Nobody in the movie is sure what's going on, or they think they know and are totally mistaken. It seems like a comedy to me; maybe I'm just nasty that way myself. Great direction. Hey kids, doesn't Frances McDormand look like Mary Decker so much it's scaaarrry? Some indie pictures give themselves away by grainy prints and blowups or murky sound. Not so here. Pro on all counts. Three and a half stars out of four.