Blood Simple

Before there was Fargo, there was Blood Simple. This 1984 noir-ish concoction first put Joel and Ethan Coen on the map. The quirky film stars M. Emmet Walsh, the invaluable Dan Hedaya, and Frances McDormand in a plot that is undeniably Coen-esque: an affair, a botched kidnapping, a murder-for-hire. “The characteristic Coen awareness, a sly recognition of letting the audience share their power over our access to the story world, is everywhere in evidence,” wrote the late UW film historian David Bordwell. The screening features a 35mm print from the Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research, and will be shown with Bordwell’s video essay discussing point-of-view in the film.

Admission free for all screenings, seating limited. No admission 15 minutes after scheduled start times. Please visit our website for a complete listing of programs and descriptions.