O Brother, Where Art Thou?
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- Record Label: Universal
- Catalog#: 00088 1700692
- Country Of Release: NLD
- Year Of Release: 2000
- Notes: W/James Carter & Prisoners/Harry Mcclintock/Alison Krau
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Bluegrass became pop music for a while when the soundtrack to this 2000 Coen Brothers film became one of the 10 top-selling soundtracks ever. Here’s the complete T-Bone Burnett-produced soundtrack plus a CD with 14 more tracks, 12 of which are unissued reThe best soundtracks are like movies for the ears, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? joins the likes of Saturday Night Fever and The Harder They Come as cinematic pinnacles of song. The music from the Coen brothers’ Depression-era film taps into th
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
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O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Where To Buy Art – click on the image below for more information.
Where To Buy Art
Disenchanted with the daily drudge of crushing rocks on a prison farm in Mississippi, the dapper, silver-tongued Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney, THE PERFECT STORM) busts loose. Except he’s still shackled to his own chain-mates from the chain gang — bad-tempered Pete (John Turturro, SUMMER OF SAM), and sweet, dimwitted Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson, HAMLET). With nothing to lose and buried loot to regain — before it’s lost forever in a flood — the three embark on the adventure of a lifetime
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
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A fantastic soundtrack from a fantastic movie,
The Coen brothers have worked their magic again with their excellent film “O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?” The unique vision and perspective of the film is rivaled only by the excellence of its soundtrack, which might just be the best movie soundtrack I’ve heard.
Quite simply, there is not one weak track on this CD, period. Not one. There are highlights, to be sure, but the greatest aspect of this soundtrack might be that the diverse array of recordings and styles presents the listener with something new to appreciate every time they play the CD.
Some tracks deserve special mention, however. Ralph Stanley’s “O Death” is a haunting, passionate song , especially if one recalls the scene in which it appears during the movie. “Down In The River To Pray” by Alison Krauss is another excellent track; when my friend heard the the harmonies of this song, so wonderfully ethereal and poignant, she simply said: “that’s beautiful.” And the Peasall Sisters are outstanding on “In The Highways,” singing with the innocence of children but harmonizing like adults as well.
In my opinion, however, the true gems of this soundtrack are the recordings by the Soggy Bottom Boys, featuring Tim Blake Nelson and Dan Tyminski. “In The Jailhouse Now” is just fun to listen to, and knowing that Tim Blake Nelson and John Tuturro actually sang their parts for the movie rather than lip-synching adds an authenticity that is hard to get from Hollywood these days.
“I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow” is, however, the spiritual center of the movie and the most outstanding part of the soundtrack. In the movie, George Clooney did such an excellent job lip-synching that moviegoers swore he was really singing the tune. It was actually the work of Dan Tyminski, though Tim Blake Nelson and John Tuturro again sang their own parts. This song simply sticks in your head and stays there, and for once that’s a good thing. Tyminski’s vocals are outstanding, and the two recordings are distinctive enough that one appreciates both versions being included on the soundtrack.
Another noteworthy aspect of this CD is the liner notes by the Coen brothers, who unabashedly lament the disappearance of this style of music from Nashville in favor of ‘modern country music.’ It is an interesting perspective from two filmmakers who always seem to have something important to say through their art.
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|Who needs a review?,
At first I was thinking: why even review this? I suspected that most people wouldn’t need the help of a review when deciding whether to buy this particular CD–they probably saw the movie and realized at about thirty seconds in to “Man of Constant Sorrow” that they had to have the soundtrack. But then I thought, people might be taking a look over the track list because of one or two favorite artists, trying to decide if they really want to take the plunge. If that description fits you: don’t hesitate. Buy it. This is perhaps the most sublime compilation ever arranged of Americana: a mix of folk, blues, bluegrass, and gospel music, the full effect of which transcends period or genres. After getting this, I have about three or four new artists on my wish list for buying new CDs.
Outstanding tracks are both vocal versions of “Man of Constant Sorrow,” “Down In The River To Pray,” “O Death,” “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues,” and “I’ll Fly Away,” but you can listen to this from beginning to end, over and over, and not easily tire. As someone else pointed out, this is not like other soundtrack CDs–there are no weak links or unevenness here, no filler. Every cut is grade-A choice. Some, in fact, are dangerously addictive. I’ve owned the CD less than a day and played “Man of Constant Sorrow” about twenty times now. I feel like a rat pushing its lever again and again to get a buzz of sheer bliss.
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|Stark, Ancestral, Remarkable,
When an album of old-time music goes platinum and hits #1 on the country chart with no significant radio airplay, one may rightly wonder what the hell is going on. The star power of George Clooney in this depression-era Coen Brothers film may have drawn attention, but the soundtrack stands on its own as a remarkable achievement. The 19 rustic tracks here are mountain music, primitive gospel, and the hobo vein of folk, the ancestors of bluegrass and country. You can feel the desperation, simplicity, and reverence of another era through performances by Ralph Stanley, Gillian Welch, Norman Blake, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, John Hartford, Chris Thomas King, the Fairfield Four, the Whites, the Cox Family, and others, along with a field recording of a chain gang (“Po Lazarus” by James Carter & the Prisoners), Harry McClintock`s 1928 hobo fantasy “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” and the Stanley Brothers classic “Angel Band.” Union Station takes on the musical identity of the three star characters onscreen, known as the Soggy Bottom Boys, and their stark, unvarnished renditions of “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” and “In the Jailhouse Now” are arresting. Ditto for Ralph Stanley, who raises the hairs on the back of the neck with his acapella mountain singing on “O Death,” and the Fairfield Four on “Lonesome Valley.” The emotional purity and grit of this soundtrack will take the buildup of the plaque of modern living and peel it right off.
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|Don’t Disregard this Film!,
I watch a lot of movies and have seen all of the “classics” and O’ Brother Where Art Thou rates among the best of them – no kidding! Twenty years from now, they’ll be airing this film on AMC and TCM alongside the likes of North by Northwest, The Wild Bunch and How Green Was My Valley.
The story is completely engrossing and the cinematography is stunning. Realize that filming took place in June/July when the Southern countryside was a lush, verdant green. That bone dry, depression-era dust bowl aesthetic is a wonder of digital editing.
The Coen brothers have done two things that are all too rare in Hollywood these days. First, their screenplay is original (yes, it’s loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey but to evaluate the film solely on this narrative framework is to overlook the other aspects of the film). Second, they’ve produced a film that captivates not with multi-million dollar action sequences and the latest Moby track but with great dialogue and an authentic blues/bluegrass soundtrack (well worth buying) that is as much a character in the movie as the three principals – Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney), Delmar O’Donnell (Tim Blake Nelson) and Pete Hogwallop (John Turturro). The eclectic cast (that also includes Charles Durning, Holly Hunter, Stephen Root and John Goodman) turns in superbly acted performances across the board. Clooney, who all too often plays 2 dimensional characters, gives an award-worthy performance in what is unquestionably his best role to date. Those not familiar with Nelson or Turturro will be impressed by these wonderfully skilled actors.
I will say that a lot of people have told me that they didn’t care for this film, which I find incomprehensible. I’m not sure what more you could ask for in a movie.
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|Come on in, Boys, the Water is Fine…,
I’m a big fan of the Coen Bros., including Raising Arizona, and esp. Fargo, so I was expecting to enjoy this.
What I was not expecting was that I would be absolutely enraptured by it. I was so enveloped by the sense of place, the razor sharp acting, the constant self-inflicted misfortune, and especially the music. The music! What a stunning, skillfully rendered and executed soundtrack. I didn’t realize what I was missing all these years, ignoring bluegrass the way I did.
Well, back to the movie.
I don’t have to repeat all about the movie being based on Homer’s Odyssey… oops, just did. Well, that aside, I spent some time thinking about what touched me and made this so enjoyable, more than nearly every other movie I’ve ever seen. I found many things.
Of course, the casting is delightful. Where do you find people who can pull off Clooney’s sidekicks the way they did. If I met John Turturro or Tim Blake Nelson on the street, I would probably be just shocked to find they aren’t doltish hillbillies! John Goodman is a perfect cyclops, in a goofy, ominous, hulkish way, and Christ Thomas King, who I believe is really known for his guitar playing, still plays the understated Tommy Johnson beautifully, as if it makes perfect sense to meet the devil at a crossroads in the middle of nowhere and sell your soul to him for a good dose of guitar skill. I could go on and on about the cast, but you won’t find a sour note in there. You’ll be convinced that none of these people could live anywhere but the Depression ear South. Before I move on from the cast, something that goes unmentioned a lot, is the brilliant performances by some of the bit players, such as Frank Collison as Wash Hogwallop, Stephen Root as the Radio Station guy, and Millford Fortenberry as the Geographical Oddity storekeeper. It may seem easy to do a small part for a little time, but this really underscores the Coen Bros. talent for getting a pitch perfect performance from every actor, no matter how small the part.
Much has been made of the music… and rightly so! I suppose it was less than surprising to learn that the music was actually a large part of the genesis of this movie. You could almost say that this is a musical of sorts, not of the broadway style, but some sort of hybrid, as only the Coen Bros. can do. My favorite musical moments are probably nearly the same as everyone else’s, such as Man of Constant Sorrow. How can you not just love that song? The Sirens singing Didnt’ Leave Nobody But the Baby with the way they used those rags for their loose-boned and sultry rhythm would certainly be tough to resist
O Death at a KKK rally, what a sendup that was! The horrifying ridiculousness of that strangely choreographed scene was reminiscent of everything from the Nazi’s Nuremberg rally to the Wicked Witch’s guards from the Wizard of Oz (tell me you don’t hear an echo of their “Oh we love–Noooo one” at the beginning of that scene.) But I have to admit I was strangely moved and affected by my favorite scene, Down in the River to Pray, the baptism scene. There was something beautiful, serene, and noble about those people in white, moving toward a turning point of purity and devotion down to be immersed in their new life. I loved it, utterly.
You may have noticed by this time that I haven’t really mentioned Clooney but in passing. There’s a reason for that. Probably the one thing that most deeply moved me was the character of Ulysses Everett McGill. Though it’s not obvious at first, I think Everett is a beautifully developed, complex character. As the movie went on, I began to see him as insecure, loaded with good intentions, but without the inner strength to carry them out, full of regrets, yet a slave to his own passions and his desire to be admired. When we begin to realize that what Everett’s looking for is to get his wife back, the whole situation seems just delightfully silly at first. But underneath, Clooney manages to display McGill’s sensitive and wounded heart. He’s terribly insecure and masks his insecurity with too much talk and a know-it-all attitude, as well as his addiction to Dapper Dan and his own appearance. A very telling scene is in the Geographical Oddity shop, when he obviously wants to tell off the shopkeeper who can’t get his car part or his Dapper Dan for two weeks. He’s mad and looks to storm out, but instead he crumbles and buys the pomade and hair nets. I think a lot of people miss that one. Everett is lost in a mess of his own making and is desperate to find that one rope strong enough to pull him out of the hole he’s in. I think we all know people, or have one time *been* people who have become mired in their poor decisions and are further derailed by their attempts to circumvent the consequences. When people like this get that one opportunity to escape their pattern of failure they often miss it, but once in a while…
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|A triumph of a movie, thoroughly enjoyable,
The Coen brothers have a cult following, but until I saw this movie, I didn’t count myself among the masses that love the Coens. However, with this movie, this brother team has cemented their reputation as serious and skilled filmmakers with a lot to say and a stylish way of saying it.
This movie is a loose retelling of “The Odyssey” by Homer, set in the Depression-era Deep South. George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson make an unlikely team of escaped convicts who embark on a journey of the weird and wonderful. Watch for the appearance of many famous Odyssey allusions, such as the Sirens and the Cyclops (among others). The Coens’ quirky take on this classic tale is delightful and perfectly executed, and the script is beautifully and humorously written. The sets and filming are artistic and a bit mythical, and the casting choices are just great. The film is peopled with interesting characters, in classic Coen brothers fashion. Look for great supporting characters played by John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Charles Durning, and others.
And that’s not all! Interwoven in this film are great depression-era songs and some original songs, with excellent music direction by T-bone Burnett. Who says Moulin Rouge is the first movie in a long while to take the musical format? This movie is just as much a musical as Baz Luhrmann’s much-hyped movie.
I really believe that this movie reaches heights that previous Coen brothers movies (even Fargo) haven’t reached. In addition, I believe this movie was slighted by the Academy during Oscar time. This movie was one of the best films of the year, and excelled in every aspect a film can be awarded for.
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