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The 20 Best Alternative Coen Characters
The best of the Coen Brothers' less-is-more supporting characters.

Odd names, weird behaviour, brilliant actors, totally unforgettable: the pick of the Coen Brothers' supporting characters.

WORDS IAN NATHAN

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The 20 Best Alternative Coen Characters | Loren Visser The 20 Best Alternative Coen Characters
Loren Visser

Film: Blood Simple (1984)

Played by: M. Emmett Walsh

The Rumpus:
Arguably the first of their 'satanic' figures, this slimeball gumshoe (a sublime perversion of the brother's beloved Chandler-antiheroes) is a grotesque figure both in sweaty person and sneaky motive - in typical Coen fashion he tries to play all ends against the middle, to come a cropper.

Coenism:
As narrator, with a sensibility black as the inside of a goat, he is the font of the film's bleak wisdom: "The fact is, nothin' comes with a guarantee. Now I don't care if you're the pope of Rome, President of the United States or Man of the Year; somethin' can all go wrong."

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Have Your Say
Who is your favourite Coen character? Register or login now to have your say.

Your Comments
1 Great, great feature...
Posted on Saturday November 28, 2009, 01:17 by JLG87
It was a good start with Visser. I'd add Eddie Dane, Pappy O'Daniel (although you mentioned him), more Big Lebowski supporting characters and Carson Wells. And I love Nathan Arizona's line, but his "Yodas 'n' shit" line always gets me. Read More

2
Posted on Friday November 27, 2009, 22:44 by sadtwat
Bloody well observed. I'd've never thought of Tic Tac. Sy Ableman definitely. Maybe Chad Feldheimer though? Read More

3
Posted on Friday November 27, 2009, 19:36 by general_potatoface
It's Mike Yamagita, isn't it? Read More

4
Posted on Friday November 27, 2009, 11:33 by AJJCrook
isn't she holly hunter's sister? otherwise the wife swapping suggestion would just be wrong Read More

5 BRUCE!!!
Posted on Friday November 27, 2009, 10:48 by The IPC
You forgot Smitty from Hudsucker! Played by the immortal Bruce Campbell! Any time that man is viable for a list he should damn well be put on it! Read More

6 RE:
Posted on Friday November 27, 2009, 08:37 by paulmcdee
Am I reading the bit about Frances McDormand's character in 'Raising Arizona' right? "#000000].I. (Nicolas Cage)'s appropriately monikered sister]s not his sister is she? Her husband Glen tries to organise a wife swap with H.I. so unless theyre into incest... Read More

7
Posted on Friday November 27, 2009, 07:22 by The900MidNightBee
How about.... Heinz, the Baron Krauss von Espy (From Intolerable Cruelty) George Nelson (O Brother Where Art Thou?) Leonard Smalls (Raising Arizona) ....to name but a few? Read More

8
Posted on Friday November 27, 2009, 00:45 by batmagnet
No Jesus? Read More

9 Irrelevant?
Posted on Thursday November 26, 2009, 20:44 by Tomius
Nice. Though, this claims that the "Mike Yanganita" story is irrelevant to the plot of "Fargo" - couldn't be more wrong! When Marge finds out Mike had been lying about his ex-wife, it probes her into taking a second trip to see Jerry. Her logic? That maybe he was lying too. It's subtle, but it's intentional, and far from irrelevant. Read More

10
Posted on Thursday November 26, 2009, 20:23 by eruptus
Everyone always says that Mike Yanagita is irrelevant, but he's not. Before meeting him, Marge always trusts that people are honest. After she learns that Mike lied, she goes back to interview Jerry Lundegard, realizing that he could've been lying aswell. I'd say that this character is crucial, he's the reason why Marge starts to realize that people might not be as honest as her. Read More


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