David Joel Coen is a talented director with over twenty films to his credit. No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, Intolerable Cruelty, Gentlemen's Games, Burn After Reading, Grit of Iron, Fargo are famous films that he shot with his brother Ethan. What else can you tell about this man, his life and work?
Joel Coen: the beginning of the journey
The iconic tape maker was born in Minneapolis in November 1954. David Joel Coen was born in the family of an economist and historian, has a younger brother, Ethan, who became his friend and colleague. The Coen brothers earned their first money by mowing the lawns of their neighbors, which allowed them to purchase a movie camera and shoot their first short films. Ethan and Joel started with remakes of famous films and then switched to their own stories.
By the time he graduated from high school, Joel Coen had already firmly decided that he would link his fate with cinema. He graduated from the Department of Cinematography at New York University, worked for some time as an assistant director to BarrySonnenfeld, then Associate Editor Edn Paul.
First movies
Joel Coen, in collaboration with his brother Ethan, presented his first film to the audience in 1983. Just Blood tells the story of a bar owner who enlists the help of a private detective to get rid of his wife and her lover. The picture is replete with unexpected plot twists, contains elements of black humor, which has become a kind of hallmark of the brothers. One of the key roles was played by actress Frances McDormand, who later became Joel's wife and took part in many of his films. Critics responded positively to the debut, the tape was well received by the audience.
Four years later, Joel Coen shot his second picture. His filmography has acquired the crime comedy Raising Arizona, which tells about the adventures of childless spouses who kidnap a child. The tape, like the previous work of the brothers, was a success at the box office. Thanks to Raising Arizona, actor Nicolas Cage managed to make himself known in a key role.
Paintings of the 90s
Miller's Crossing is Joel and Eaton's third feature film. The comedy drama, which tells about the intricate conflict that took place between gangsters, also appealed to the audience. The film "Barton Fink", which tells the story of an aspiring playwright who finds himself in the grip of a creative crisis, was also a success. A similar fate awaited the comedy drama Hudsucker's Henchman, the main character of which was a loser, accidentallyholding an influential position.
In 1995, the black comedy Fargo was presented to the audience. Joel Coen made a film about a small town where amazing events take place. The story begins with the fact that one of the inhabitants of this town hires two narrow-minded criminals to kidnap his wife. His goal is to get a ransom from her we althy father. The film "Fargo" is considered one of the most outstanding creations of the brothers-directors.
In 1998, another successful comedy, The Big Lebowski, was released. The focus of the audience is the story of a loser who considers himself the happiest in the world. The Coen brothers do not hide the fact that the prototype of the key character was met by them in real life.
New Age
In the new millennium, Joel Coen, whose photo can be seen in the article, along with his brother Ethan, continued to delight his fans with exciting tapes. "Oh, where are you, brother?" - a funny musical about the misadventures of three fugitives. The events of the picture take place in the first half of the last century, many moments are connected with American history and culture.
"The Man Who Wasn't There" is a touching neo-noir about the fate of a failed hairdresser. The protagonist suffers from chronic lack of money, tired of the betrayals of the second half. Unexpectedly for everyone, and first of all for himself, he becomes a murderer, which is where the fun begins.
"No Country for Old Men", "Burn After Reading","Unbearable Cruelty", "Gentlemen's Games", "Paris, I Love You", "Iron Grip" - the Coen brothers simply do not know how to make bad films. Their latest creation is the detective comedy Hail Caesar!, which tells about the ruthless world of Hollywood.
Private life
For many years, Joel has been married to actress Frances McDormand, who can be seen in many of the brothers' films. They adopted a child, the couple has no children of their own.
