2009 - September 26th: the Hudsucker Proxy

Ok, not sure how to do this but here goes (give me pointers if i am out of line hehe).
Im guessing the first one that sees it tomorrow just start writing and people will
follow as they finish, and will be able to join inn on the conversation. So some will
begin right after the movie tomorrow and others will follow on Sunday and so forth.

Movie: the Hudsucker Proxy
Year: 1994
Directed by: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Writing credits: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Sam Raimi
Cast: Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Charles Durning, Bill Cobbs

Gonna say abit why i picked the movie, other than that the Coen brothers made it
and Raimi has written on it, Bruce Campbell is in it ^^ Simple, yet understandable i hope

I think you got it spot on.

Okay somethings to get the party started

What films have the Coen brothers paid homage to in The Hudsucker Proxy?

What exactly are the clock keeper and cleaner?

Does anything link The Hudsucker Proxy to any of the other Coen films?

This was a weird movie hehe, i can't really tell if i liked it or not, but it was interesting non the less.

I think they had gotten the whole era, or atleast the atmosphere of the era of the films made in that
era down. Fast talking people, the allmost slaptick humor, the over acting/facial expressions, the tragic fall,
a happy ending. When i think back on it, i can allmost see it in B&W. 30s-50s era filmmaking gone modern.

How to interpret the clock keeper and cleaner, prolly endless of posibilities, but for me, i think it would be
sanity. One is greed, ready to make people snap and pushing them towards the edge and selfishness. The other is
the voice of reason and love, making them remember the past and the truth.
As for the clock keeper to have the narrative, he talks about Norville who jumped from the 44th floor and
fell all the way down but didn't squish himself, and that they say that there where a man who jumped from
45th floor, if you are counting the mezzanine that could have been about Waring Hudsucker, who jumped
at the begining of the movie, and by that as the clock keeper dosn't seem to be able to se the future, and as the
cleaner seem to be a legitimate threat to him, im not writing him of as a god character, but more of a morale, sanity,
good and bad conflicts within ones self (also within Amy Archer, as she confront the clock keeper aswell) aso.
In other words i believe Norville was mentally on the edge, he did jump, but just before he hit rock botton and accutally
commited suicide, he found the letter. And the sound of reason usually makes for a better narrative ^^
Tho it would be fun to see a movie about Waring Hudsucker, and the movie being narrated by the Cleaner

ps. tried to find the name reasoning behind the two, a few different ones but these popped up the most.
the cleaner's name is Aloysius, it means Fame, War, Warrior.
the clock keeper's name is Moses, it means Saviour, drawn out of water, born of a god.

Great characters, great dialogue and great cast.
But still, i cant put my finger on it, dont really know if i liked it hehe. weird movie.

I read that the Man Who Wasn't There, is set in the same universe as the Hudsucker Proxy.

Hi, gang. Sorry I'm late...been a heck of a week.

Watched HUDSUCKER PROXY today. First time I'd seen it and I'd agree with anotherzen: definitely a weird little film.

To me, it looked like an homage to Frank Capra films, with a little of MEET JOHN DOE, MISTER DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, and a whole lot of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, especially in terms of God (the clock cleaner), and the Guardian Angel (Waring Hudsucker). Visually and stylistically, it worked pretty well.

But whereas the Capra films relied on the personalities of the main characters to provide their final redemptions, this one relied on a macguffin...the mysterious "blue letter". And so, idea-wise, it missed the mark. And that may be where the film fell short, for me anyway. The character of Norville just wasn't strong enough to leave me thinking there'd been any change in him. Dramatically, a charcter must go through some sort of change. Not necessarily a catharsis, but there was nothing to show that Norville had grown from his experience.

I haven't seen enough other Coen brothers films to compare with, except for the BIG LEBOWSKI, which also contained a musical fantasy number whenever The Dude was unconcious. That seems to be a staple of Coen films that I like.

I'm not sure about the cleaner...he didn't seem to have shadings one way or another. He seemed just to do what needed to be done...changing names on the doors, making sure Norville fell (he didn't push, just made sure it happened). Perhaps he could be Fate since he seemed to be more of a tool than a full-fledged character with his own motivations.

I think what really ruined it for me, though, was the accent of Jennifer Jason Leigh. Yes, it was meant to be over-the-top by all the actors, and Robbins, Newman, Mahoney, Durning, and even my man Bruce Campbell, all did quite well. But her accent was just way too much for me, and destroyed any belief I had in her character (and, if I didn't know better, her acting abilities). Even if she had toned it down by half it would have worked better. But everytime she opened her mouth, she pulled all focus from anything else straight to her lousy, overblown accent. And that ruined what otherwise could have been an enjoyable little film for me.

yeah definitely something too eager about her accent hehe, tho i wonder if it was on purpose.

Watched it last night, and i'm not really sure what to think of it.
I like it, but then again i don't, of all the coen brothers movies i watched, i think this is my least favorite.
I also disliked the accent Jennifer Jason Leigh, i know what they were going for, but it just annoyed me.
It did had me laughing a couple of times. (those jokes made by Buzz)
A nice movie overall. you know, for kids.