Comments on: Coen Brothers Talk ‘Barton Fink’ Sequel ‘Old Fink’ And #OscarsSoWhite Controversy

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

I think I\’m pretty sure the Coens are purely concerned with the realism of the story. Guess what? There probably weren\’t very many black people on the movie studio lot in 1950 where Hail Caeser takes place. So by them putting some there just to be "diverse" it is disingenuous to the story. Same with Fargo. Just a fact that not a lot of blacks in and around Brainard. Now they did have an Asian in a central role, one with the Northern accent to boot, which I thought was terrific. And an African American was the Eagles loving cab driver in The Big Lebowski. A realistic job for that character. I\’m sure if they made a movie set in South Central LA in the 90s they would have black people in it, but they haven\’t made that story yet. So far they have just made stories of white people the same way many directors like Spike Lee have only made stories about black people. What\’s wrong with this???

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

Well put, Todd. As a POC, I was a huge Coen bros fan as a kid, and then I grew up and realized they weren\’t making films for people who looked like me with histories like mine, but rather for the people who hated or otherwise feared me just for confronting them with my existence.

By: Najo

Najo — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

Interesting to note that I can\’t seem to recall any Coen Brothers films with a significant and lead Black or non-White character.
They are two of my favourite director/writer/story tellers, but watching the Hail Ceasar trailer, this fact dawned on me, which I hadn\’t noticed before. The ENTIRE cast is white.

By: skiplittle

skiplittle — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

Todd! Good day — i just want to say, i disagree the coens are elitist, or right wing. I find this opinion baffling. What you call elitist here, i call a measured, well-reasoned and articulate response.

I feel all they are saying is that diversity is important. That oscar awards arent (which is consistent a statement from them as their careers are long.) and that the art of telling a story doesnt jibe with these standards.

How is their response disappointing?

To me, rhe coens are artistic thoughtful independent minds, who are nowhere near being any part of any problem. And their response to that quote of Hail, Caesar being whitewashed — which is what their response is referring too — that this movie is white washed is such a ridiculous claim. Is such a ridiculous use of the diversity argument.

Its simple — applying "whitewashed" to Hail Caesar is a ridiculous application of the subject; calling out independent minds who actually improve the intelligence of film storytelling… its just irrelevant and off mark.

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

Finally some filmmakers with sense comment on this matter. I\’m suprised they didn\’t mention that none of the nominees are Jewish either, but then again you don\’t hear them complaining.

By: Todd

Todd — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

I totally agree with commentator Dave…. And this is coming from a HUGE Coen Brothers fan & white guy.
But there\’s more. The Coen\’s one can tell, with their films, as well as their interviews, have this sort of elitism about them. Remember their displeasured look at the awards show after that Jewish joke. Their somewhat personality wise, "old school." And I believe lean slightly more right wing politically. So I don\’t believe we really will see too much diversity in future Coen\’s films at all actually. What surprises me & I know others, after this interview, is their lack of enthusiasm & compassion for the whole diversity conversation. To put it bluntly, they seem to say "aw um well who gives a f&%#."
But I do agree there is a far bigger problem within the industry & George Clooney (wisely) stated it\’s in all aspects of the industry, from Oscars to casting to producers to studios. It encompasses all of that in totality.
(P.s. I do agree with them about one can\’t necessarily creatively write a script with a premeditated group of people of different races & ethnicity in mind. That can be difficult & restricting).
Nevertheless, as a fan, I am disappointed in their responses.

By: Crickeths

Crickeths — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

They\’re most correct in that Oscars are undeniably the wrong way to measure anything meaningful about the film industry, diversity or otherwise.

The filmmaking landscape cannot be changed unless vastly more young demographically diverse kids and students have the dream, mentorship and access to those early rungs on the ladder. If I recall the bros. hustled together money after college from old relatives(healthy 20th American Jewish cultural practice, essentially) and small casual investors and it took \’em a good while. There\’s no set path, and having the right mixture of grit from within and guidence from people, schools and institutions is vital. We\’re lacking as an in industry in opening up the gates and getting the talent in, at all levels, frankly.

By: tom

tom — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

Really classy way to say that Coen Brother\’s fans are racist, and by association so are the Coens

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:07:44 +0000

It really depends on your audience. Although the Coens have some of the "laugh at the fools who enjoy this film unironically" audience, their core audience are the fools who enjoy their films unironically. Which are mostly flyover States White folk. And when you show people of color to these people in their films, the POC need to be presented as either menaces or jokes to be laughed away, or in some cases as the desexualized "wise old sage" or "magical Negro" type.