The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford Appreciation

I know! The bit where Jesse stands over the tracks listening for the train, the train approaching, then my most favourite part, this one:

jessejames.jpg


Amazing.
 
Casey Affleck had a great performance, but I do believe Javier Bardem deserved his Oscar. Bardem's character was a creature of such darkness, with capacity for almost inhuman acts and yet there was no real clear cut explanation for the way he was.

Robert did have his reason and he took them all for a ride. But Bardem's portrayal was created from this idea of a man like that, of this creature. It's just so phenomenal.

I do believe Deakins has a stronger case for the Oscar. This movie was shot after shot of beautiful cinematography, great framed shots and all around brilliance.
 
Oh no don't worry about it. I merely mentioned her because we were talking about the movie in the Reel Awards feedback thread and I proposed moving it here.

Anyway, I agree! Well a lot of people did but I didn't. It felt OK, actually - not too long and not too short. And yes! He did. Oh well. It's not so bad because Javier Bardem was amazing as Anton Chigurh as well, so it wasn't like Chicago taking Best Picture over Gangs of New York or The Hours, or Shakespeare in Love over Saving Private Ryan or The Thin Red Line.
 
You know, it's funny that it's so underrated it's criminal. Everyone I know who's seen it has loved it, but the problem is that no one did, which is probably why it was only nominated for two Academy Awards. In your opinion, what else (if any) should this movie have been nominated for, and did you think Casey and/or Roger Deakins should have won their Oscars over Javier Bardem/Robert Elswitt?
 
That scene where the train comes, just before their robbery, always makes me gasp. The light through the woods, it's just beautiful :sigh:
 
Yeah I chickened out and turned away when they had the violence in the train robbery bit. But after that - the shootout in the room, Jesse beating up Albert the kid - I watched. It wasn't so bad although the first time around the violence was really shocking.

Ooh that scene. Yes I loved it as well - it's crazy how Jesse seemed to have a sixth sense about things, and Brad Pitt was just amazing. I loved how his Jesse James was slightly unhinged and yet so compelling, so you're drawn to him. His alternate bouts of menace and gaiety - he was just scary as hell. The tension throughout the entire movie was top notch. When Bob Ford says "You want to apologise for beating up our cousin Albert" the second time - I was scared to death by how Jesse to react!

I have so many things to talk about now that I've seen it again but I'll try to pace myself so we have more to talk about :lol: Umm a favourite scene of mine is the end though, Bob Ford's death - the way it was done was really good. The narration: "There would be no eulogies for Bob, no photographs of his body would be sold in sundries stores, no people would crowd the streets in the rain to see his funeral cortege, no biographies would be written about him, no children named after him, no one would ever pay twenty-five cents to stand in the rooms he grew up in. The shotgun would ignite, and Ella Mae would scream, but Robert Ford would only lay on the floor and look at the ceiling, the light going out of his eyes before he could find the right words." We never hear the gun go off, and then the camera closes up on Casey Affleck (if I'm not wrong) - just incredible, a perfect way to end it off. And then of course the title, which you by now know is slightly ironic. Perfect.
 
Hee! Same here. I don't lilke violence, but in this movie it served the story and it was shocking, but not extremely gory. The movie found the right note in this matter as well. :nod:
 
The acting and the music carried the movie's more somber scenes. :nod:

Yeah. The big screen is magical... Especially for a movie with cinematopgraphy so beautiful and layered.
 
I bet it is! When I watched it I basically turned away from the tv when the "violence" appeared to be coming. Nope, I don't have the DVD (yet ;))

I know! Well, I loved that scene when Jesse arrives and they have killed his best friend and everyones downstairs trying to act all cool and you can tell right away, Jesse knows something's wrong. It's SO tense. The acting is hair rising, Casey's quiet then suddenly loud defiance is stunning to watch develop in that scene. :sigh:
 
I did, too. I thought the train robbery sequence was very well done actually. It was filled with tension and it was violent but the violence was at a level I could still tolerate (I'm really bad with violence :lol:). Actually I think the level of violence in the movie was just right - enough to keep you on your toes (eg the beating up of the boy) but not enough that you (I, rather) start cringing/averting my eyes.
 
Hee hee OK. Yeah which is why watching it on DVD and having subtitles is good, too! But there's nothing quite like watching a movie the way it's supposed to be seen - on the big screen. :nod:

Hi Alex! Yeah a big part of the movie's appeal was the strength of the acting. I agree, Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck in possibly (probably - definitely so for Casey anyway) their best performances to date. But I've been thinking and I think Sam Rockwell was really good too. Don't you two agree with me? :)
 
I just loved this movie, it blew me away. The storytelling, the way it was shot. so beautiful :love:

Brad in his best role yet, and Casey Affleck; wow.
 
It is, isn't it? I didn't buy the score - don't have a habit of buying scores - but it really is excellent. Perhaps I should download it *whistles*

What special features are there in the collector's disc, then? And the booklet? Man, that sounds really cool. I NEED to watch this again.

And I'm glad you bought the DVD - seems like hardly anyone watched it at all, it needs all the revenue it can get :( I hate the studios. Sure, maybe here (Singapore) it's kind of alien, but a great film is a great film, whether you've grown up with the subject matter or not. But in the States, especially! Surely the legend of Jesse James is something you know, shouldn't you go watch it? It really sucks, the film should have done a lot better than it did. The studios really sucked, hardly any advertising at all. In fact there were none here at all, only a life-size cutout thing that was at the corner of a counter at this cineplex. Ridiculous.
 
Bumping this thread...

I bought the DVD on sale a while ago - finally got down to watching it again two nights ago. And I was blown away, again, by how amazingly good it was. So damn glad I bought it - it's the kind of movie you'll watch over and over. It's a lot less scary the second time around because you know when the violent bits are or what happens in certain scenes, but because of that I could concentrate on the subtle nuances of each scene, seeing how Bob Ford was turned. With that in mind, and if you can remember (I can't remember if you have the DVD or not?), Nikki, what are some of your favourite scenes in the movie? Don't think we ever had this discussion, surprisingly.
 
Ohhhhh, that was some scene. That whole train sequence was so perfectly done. I think I did gasp. Hehe.

I know! I was so scared for him too! lol Brad does have that ability to portray inner turmoil so well.
 
I see. I loved the movie, but it was right up my alley. I was mad at first for them taking away the "gods" but after rewatching the movie several times, the story is cohesive enough to work without them. It wasn't supposed to be a blow for blow adaptation of the Iliad. But I understand why you wouldn't like it. :nod: It's rather "weak" at some parts. I admit I get easily swept away by big speeches and epic fights. :lol:

Oh, it must've been great! I love watching movies to empty theaters. Like you said, there are no annoying crowds, or too many kids ruining great moments. Subtitles can be golden with movies with lots of dialogue, or when people have strong accents.
 
Just purchased the film on DVD this morning as it was released today in the UK. Got the 2 disc collector's edition with the booklet and 2nd disc.

I cannot wait to watch it again tonight. It's just one of the best films ever made.
 
Hee. You could just put it in the background - that's what I did - it's not very demanding the way the score for TWBB might be.

Perhaps!

I'm running out of things to say, can you tell? :look:
 
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