Cult Classic Quarterly: No Country For Old Men

A coin flip in a secluded Texas petrol station quickly escalates into a life or death situation; sociopathic hitman Anton Chigurh smirks eagerly as he implores the elderly gas station attendant to call the coin’s face. This is the defining moment of the Oscar-winning effort from the Coen Brothers, No Country For Old Men, the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 best-selling novel of the same name. It was nominated in eight categories at the 80th Academy Awards (matching There Will Be Blood and recently, Moonlight) and won four, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem’s portrayal of the imposing and maniacal Chigurh.

The film’s critical acclaim and many accolades disqualifies No Country For Old Men disqualifies from the category of ‘cult classic’. However what is interesting to note is its moderately-sized budget ($25 million) and its humble box office taking ($171.6 million). To compare this with the haul of the winner of Best Picture at the 2011 Oscars, The King’s Speech, which took in a staggering $414.2 million, it paints a picture of how this career-defining work from the Coen Brothers is destined for cult status.

While it might be important to acknowledge that many Oscar-winning films of the past decade rarely haul in sky-high box office takings, it should also be pointed out that financial success is only one of many dimensions in measuring a film that becomes a cult classic. An example of this would be the Star Wars franchise.The success of the first film has led to the unprecedented rise in expanded universe media and a new franchise of films released nearly four decades after the release of the inaugural  A New Hope.

Moreover cult status can be achieved through a film’s lasting impact on popular culture. Despite being an overwhelming financial success The King’s Speech is, more often than not, ranked amongst the least deserving winners of the Academy Award for Best Picture. No Country for Old Men, however, is consistently ranked amongst the best pictures of this century. The standard of direction and camera work utilised in this film should ensure that No Country for Old Men remains relevant for film students, aspiring filmmakers, and self-described movie-buffs for years to come.

Previous Coen Brothers’ films such as Fargo, The Man Who Wasn’t There,  and The Big Lebowski have become cult classics in their own right. What they all share with No Country for Old Men is the nuance and storytelling ability that the Coen Brothers bring to the table. Whether it be multidimensional characters, experimental camera angles, unconventional plots or in No Country for Old Men’s case, an almost complete absence of music or even a soundtrack, the Coen Brothers undoubtedly create a high calibre of uniquely stylised films.

Nearly ten years on from the release of No Country for Old Men, the landscape of the film industry has changed. Previously blockbuster films were traditionally reserved for summertime releases. Now it seems as if there’s one released in every quarter of the year. Consequently many Oscar-worthy efforts become drowned out in a myriad of superhero films such as Marvel’s The Avengers and young-adult fiction adaptations such The Hunger Games. If anything, this film stands as a testament to moviemaking purists. Instead of splashing the cash on a composer or orchestra to aid in storytelling or visual effects to help stimulate audiences, it focuses on the tried and true formula of exceptional camera work, sound editing and cinematography. For the average moviegoer this can make it seem dry or hollow, despite its suspenseful nature, and make them question why they bothered spending over two hours watching it. But it’s clear that this is the effect the Coens were hoping to achieve with No Country for Old Men. It has a sobering quality, eschewing the attack on the senses that blockbusters generally utilise in their ‘bigger is better’ approach.

The film that finally earned the Coens their long-awaited and much-deserved Oscar is arguably not only one of the best films of its time, but one of the best films ever made. The masterpiece and its effect on viewers can be aptly described by its own tagline: “There are no clean getaways.”

Javier Bardem with his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem with his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor

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