Inside Llewyn Davis

The Showtime concert is great. Wonder if it will get a DVD release?

 

I laughed loudly at a few moments in the film.

Spots where no one else in the theater laughed. Not stuff that was comically funny - but just
made me laugh. Like when Llewyn said "Who wrote this thing?" as they were rehearsing
the song in the Columbia recording studio.

I also laughed when he couldn't fit his box of records under the furniture. I guessed what
he was going to find when he investigated "why?"

I was kind of surprised that a lot of people stayed until the end of the credits.


I swear there's a Motown song that's not too far from the "Please Mr. Kennedy" song.
The credits at the end of the film list a lot of names for the songwriters.

Who ran the Gaslight in real life ? Wasn't it someone related to David Lee Roth?

I have this memory of Dylan talking about it in an interview - but not sure how David Lee
Roth got into the conversation.

The club manager in the film seemed like he was supposed to be Mafia.

 

The manager of the gas light in the film was Doogie Hausers " friend". He's been it slit if films playing similar karts lately thugs too and he has a bit in the latest Woody Allen film

I found myself laughing at parts too. In a dark way.

 

It's pretty funny when I can see that collection of words and invert what was probably auto-spell on a smart phone.

I'm guessing you intended to say "He's been in a lot of films playing similar parts lately"

 

Played hooky today and took in the matinee this afternoon.
I liked it a lot.

 

yeah iPhone types. I just had a martini and now I have no ice what i was attempting to write

 

Looks like this movie doesn't open wide until January 10. Too bad, because there's not much out right now I really want to see.

 

Not real, looks like it was shot on a closed set at the unused platform at Hoyt st. Not a full 8 or 10 car train but a 2 car. It's also a R-32 which didn't exist in 1961 and is currently the oldest rolling stock in the NYC transit system, first rolled out in 1964 and is slowly being phased out from mostly the C train.

 

I'm a big Coen Brothers fan, and though I liked it, it's not among my very favorites of theirs. It hit me more like A Serious Man, just a solid, enjoyable film. Though it's got a downbeat feel throughout, the Coen Bros subtle humor and quirky characters are present, including the always-welcome John Goodman.

 

A serous man is one of my all time faves of theirs. Maybe you have to be Jewish an bar mitzvahed in 1967. It was So cool. The Jefferson Airplane. I've wanted it about ten times so far.

 

A cat perspective on the movie:

http://www.outfunny.com/news/jonathan-the-cat-reviews-inside-llewyn-davis.aspx

 

I have a teenager who yells at me every time our Internet feed runs slow or is acting flakey.

Every time it happens, his younger brother looks at me, smiles, and says "Dad, you need to go up on the roof and
adjust the antenna so my brother can watch 'F Troop' "

I always appreciate the little in-joke (that the chronic complaining son of mine doesn't understand).

Sometimes, I find myself talking to the one who understands the joke and one of us will find ourselves saying
"sneaky sneaky hush hush"

The funny thing is we didn't watch "A Serious Man" together - but we both still refer to it - LOL

 

So many missed it. Seems like a private joke sometimes

 

I didn't expect this till January 10, but I just found out the movie opened here yesterday. I'll be going tomorrow.

 

And Doogy's friend is also in the latest woody allen film

 

It's very hard to get period stuff right in films like this. I'm impressed that at least they got the microphones and automobiles right (from what I've seen).

It's a shame somebody doesn't do an in-depth documentary on American folk music in the late 1950s/early 1960s, particularly about the Kingston Trio, Peter Paul & Mary, the Brothers Four, Dylan, and so on. This was a fascinating period, particularly at how folk was forced to adapt to rock in 1965 in order to survive.

 

A dreary and dismal film with just enough "Cohen-isms" for critics to wet over themselves that gets it a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Don't fall for it. It's just not a good movie. It's not. It leaves you with that feeling, as many Cohen films do, that decent people are to be ridiculed and dirt-baggery is to be aspired to. Having said that, the music written for the film was decent and fairly to the period and the performances and look of the film was good.

It's more of a "inspired by" than a period piece film. As authorities and witnesses with more credibility have stated, its no bio-pic. The only thing the character has in common with Dave Van Ronk is a font on a mocked-up album cover and its sad and an affront to his memory that they should even casually reference him in the PR push as the "Llewyn Davis". The film depicts a character that is pretty much a half-interesting, half-talented,half-smart, half-scumbag. From no accounts that I can find, historic or otherwise was that who Dave Van Ronk was.


Note: spoilers are contained in the below link

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2013/12/inside_llewyn_davis_terri_thal_dave_van_ronk.php

 

I have read so many comments like yours about this film. I get that a number of people don't like it but it is not a bad film. Most people I know who don't like it keep writing that it is not accuracy. Well of course not, its a fantasy period piece based on one folk singing loser who is caught up in the scene but can't quite let it work for him. He has talent and is an ass. It is not based on any real person but yes, they took parts and pieces of folkies like Ronk, Tom Paxton, Peter Paul and Mary and made up their own characters. David seems to mock everyone but I love how this idea all started about 6 years ago. The Coens though…" We wondered what it would be like, if a film singer in the early 1960s pre Dylan, got beat up in an alley behind a Folk Club. They didn't know where this would lead them but in Coen style, came up with something that worked for their vision. Of course its nothing like a bio pic but to me, its a really good film. and like many of their movies gets better with repeated viewings. Lewellyn Davis is NOT Dave Van Ronk. Just like the black guitar playing kid in Oh Brother was NOT Robert Johnson. Both films actually tell more of the Odyssey than they do of folk or dustbowl music.

 

I did some research and I figured out that it was Manny Roth who ran "Cafe Wha?"

"Cafe Wha?" was a few doors down from The Gaslight (and is apparently still there - but Roth
isn't involved anymore - assuming he's still alive)

One funny thing I read about The Gaslight is that clapping was a problem - because it would
create noise that would rise to higher floors in the building (and apparently generate complaints).
So the crowds were encouraged to snap fingers as a more quiet form of applause. Not sure if that's
true or even unique to The Gaslight - but its kind of hard to imagine from someone who has been in
many clubs and never thought of clapping as a problem.

I was surprised to learn that both Cafe Wha? and The Gaslight were about a half a block from an Italian
restaurant I used to love. The restaurant is now gone (the chef died) but I ate there many times when I
lived in NJ and visited NYC frequently. It's now apparently a mexican restaurant and was below what
was called The Mondo Cane Blues bar (which may or may not still be there).

 

And finger snapping became a cliche I movies that portrayed the beat and the folk scenes

 

Wet yourself over this:
1. It's a good film.
2. It's Coen.
How did you like Walk Hard? Just curious.

 

Thanks for the link.

 

This film is worth seeing if for no other reason than the secretary for Llewyn Davis' agent, played by Sylvia Kauders.

 

I enjoyed the music.


I found the movie lacking.



The Coen’s are obviously technically skilled but oh so consciously dark, off-beat and edgy. They have such contempt for their characters, I walk away thinking what was the point.


Spoiler



The portrayal of the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem (referred to as “four micks” by the main character) at the end was way off the mark----but very telling to me. They never sang clinical, staid barbershop harmonies. It was as if they are held up as an example of how Llewyn would have to sanitize himself to make it. Hardly surprising that these filmmakers would have such a warped view of them!

Clearly anyone displaying the slightest hint of heart or sentiment is incapable of depth and should be mocked. Shame on you too, T Bone……. (just re-watched Black and White Night----I forgive you).