Posted by susan C on September 10, 2001, at 10:27:32
In reply to Re: Fargo and door chimes » Wendy B., posted by Mitch on September 10, 2001, at 0:06:37
ya ya sure you bet-ch ya, mmmMMMMmmm-m? Seeing Fargo was like going back in time, to being raised in Minnie-s0-ta. Funny, don't recall the chimes, but I can tell you, like florida, everyone goes everywhere in cars. Particularly in the winter when the windchill in N minnesota is 50 below and so you hop from one car to another. One heated glowing blowing place to another. Wet Wool and cold fingers and toes. White food, literallly all scandinavian food is white..potatoes, fish, cream sauces. When she meets her old boyfriend in Minneapolis at the Rassusun hotel. I use to go there...time to go rent more movies I am going through monty python now... Additionally, poingent, for me, was the Massey character, as I used to sell cars...
Mouse with a cold cold past
Susan C
> > But, as both a former lit AND film student ---
> >
> > - my first thoughts have to do with the William H. Macy character, he's the used car salesman. He's got a scheme to kill his wife, and the car chimes may be a constant reminder to him that his 2-bit plot is going to turn around and bite him in the ass. I think this is a kind of homage the Coen brothers are paying to Hitchcock, perhaps, he always tied a song or a musical 'theme' to characters, especially if they were the bad guys, or if they were about to do something scary. If you want a really good example of this, rent Hitchcock's 'Shadow of a Doubt,' (1943, Joseph Cotten stars), a great film by the way. The theme associated with the murderer (Cotten) is the Merry Widow Waltz...
> >
>
> Hey, I never thought of that. I will make a point to watch 'Shadow of a Doubt'. I may have seen it before, but it isn't ringing any *bells* right now. Maybe I will find some further insight after watching that one, thanks!
>
> > Cars are everywhere in Fargo... the squad car with the pregnant policewoman (Frances McDormand), the cars the hoods drive (Steve Buscemi was one of them), the used car lot, etc. But I don't remember if all the cars chime? or just Macy's character's or Macy & the hoods' cars? Does Frances' car chime? I remember there's a lot of muzak in the background, too.
> >
> > And why do Frances and her hubby eat fast food all the time? How does that tie into the central theme (IF there is one?? like: "murder is bad"? or something...) I hate talk about themes, anyway... but I love talking about films, so keep it up. I haven't seen Fargo in ages, so you'll have to excuse the questions. Why don't you just tell us what your explanation of the chimes is...
> >
> > What fun, Mitch!
> >
> > Wendy
>
> Yes, it is centered around cars, for sure. The fast food-everyone is eating from a car or getting it with one (except the buffet scene-go figure)! All I can do is paint some broad brush stroke impressions and let other people fill in the pieces, maybe. I remember something from my psychology class in high school about cars being an extension of our egos, our personalities. Also, all of the "chimes" that exist in the movie are pleasant sounding in a way. They relate to a *door* being ajar, something to alert you to shut it, or to keep you from locking your keys in the car (because the chimes don't go off unless the keys are left in). I was trying to think of other ways that *chimes* are used and I thought about door chimes for a home-normally they indicate someone *at the door* that is visiting. They are also used to announce *time*. Yes, I think it is a *reminder* device of some kind. Re-*mind*er *brain* *nerd*-Brainerd, SD?? Remember, the *funny* guy tells the highway patrolman why he forgot the tags on the car-"it must have slipped my *mind*"??
> Gee, surely it isn't as simple as cars (aka technology) has cheapened our respect for humanity and made us into caricatures of a market economy-socio-economic fascism?? :) having fun,
>
> Mitch
poster:susan C
thread:11058
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010909/msgs/11091.html