Emerging from a cloud of goose feathers, TTWS returns! Filmmaker Devyn Waitt joins the study group today to discuss INSTINCT, moments in the Coens films that defy logic but somehow make sense on an intuitive, almost physical level. We touch on whether they could be a connection between survival skills and artistic expression, and speculate on the Coens’ writing process, which seems to be where their most free-wheeling moves find their form. We also discuss a scene from Devyn’s feature Not Waving But Drowning which involved getting a horse on a subway train.

Coens Covered: A Serious Man, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Miller’s Crossing (the bear version), Barton Fink

Plus: Beethoven’s 2nd (1993) - Beethoven destroys patio scene

Today on the program we start things off with a reality-shattering two pages, then shoot into outer space with our guest, the brilliant production designer Alex DiGerlando. We explore film sets and designed environments that come out of left field and reshape our understanding of what it is we’re watching. We also dive into Alex’s approach to his own work, which he describes as “part muse, part curation.” Rounding things out we also unveil a new prismatic style: the proverbial “lightning” round. Thanks again to Alex for the awesome, mind-blowing conversation!

Coens Covered: Raising Arizona, The Hudsucker Proxy, Inside Llewyn Davis, ⚡️The Ballad of Buster Scruggs ⚡️

Plus: Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Sea of Trees, The OA, Maniac, A Murder at the End of the World

Watch: A Murder at the End of the World on Hulu

We’re back with a delightful conversation about surprisingly chill hangs. Joining us is brilliant writer, director, and dog lover, Robin Comisar. We discuss moments in the Coens’ films where the story sneaks up on you with unexpectedly tender, guileless, and open-hearted scenes. In these moments of connection, characters often go beyond their “type” or “role”. It's weird, it's satisfying, and it's vibey. Thanks again to Robin for joining us!!!

Great Choice

Robin and Loaf Interviewed by The Dogist

Coens Covered: The Man Who Wasn’t There; Hail, Caesar!; Fargo; Barton Fink

Plus: Amsterdam, Zodiac, Dave, Beetlejuice 2, The Dick Cavett Show, Magnolia, Devil’s Advocate, Great Choice

We're back with our first post-hiatus numbered episode and what a show we've got for you. Today we welcome actor, comedian, podcaster and our good friend Griffin Newman to the study group. Griffin walks us through his process as an actor, and what he calls behavioral acting—the use of secondary actions, latent desires, and bottled-up nervous energy to shape a performance and create a character that feels real. It's all about doing two or more things at once, and being as interesting as a cat.

On another important note, last week we told the story of the finding of the lost pages, and this week we actually debut the text of a lost page—PAGE 40—which we hope you enjoy!!

Coens covered: Burn After Reading, The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski

Plus: World War Z, Interview with a Vampire, The Tao of Steve, Jurassic Park 3D

We're back everybody! After our extended hiatus we couldn't be more excited to be back with this emergency episode. We have the lost pages folks, and to tell the story of how this all happened, we bring you an interview with legendary picture editor Kate Sanford! Hope you enjoy, and are as excited as we are for TTWS Season 2! Stick around after the interview for DISCORD MAILBAG where we answer all of your questions from the Discord.

Infinite thanks to Kate Sanford, and thank you also to everyone in the study group for your questions, your patience, and your continued enthusiasm during the break. We are charged up and ready for the next chapter of our journey together.

Hi everyone! Today we welcome professor, writer, and poet Melissa Tuckman to the study group. First we read pages 37-38 which are, as with last week’s excerpt, truly horrifying. Take heed. Then we jump into the prism and explore the idea of an intertext, which is simply a work which relates in some way to another work. We look at scenes in Coens’ movies where a character or the film itself quotes or evokes another text. This could be a classic work of literature, a folk song, or a 50s Hollywood biblical epic. It’s the same old Coens, but with different meanings since these texts came along. Hope you enjoy this episode; it goes places.

Coens Covered: Meal Ticket; Inside Llewyn Davis; Hail, Caesar!

Plus: Slaughterhouse Five, *Cat’s Cradle, Ben Hur, Quo Vadis

ERRATA: *In the first act of the show Jordan refers to Breakfast of Champions but is actually talking about Cat’s Cradle. He misintertextimated and regrets the error.

Hello! We’re back with a deep dive and wild ride through mind-melting, unforgettable images you’ve never seen before, and we’re joined by our friend, the brilliant and infinitely creative production designer Becca Brooks Morrin! We also read pages 35 and 36 and follow Muldrow as his story gets even more intense and horrifically violent—if we haven’t said it yet, we’ll say it here: this screenplay contains shocking and upsetting images and listener discretion is definitely advised. Feel free to skip ahead!

Coens Covered: Blood Simple (Investor Trailer), Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, The Man Who Wasn’t There, True Grit

Plus: Apocalypse Now, Strawberry Mansion, Skyfall, What the Bleep Do We Know!? (that’s a show notes joke, folks, don’t watch that movie)

For more of Becca’s work visit her website.

In today’s episode we’re joined by multi-disciplinary artist and writer Liz Ryerson. Liz brings her background in music and game design to discuss scenes from the Coens’ movies in which characters drift through the wide world of their story, and in their wanderings—be they pastoral, tacky, gnarly, or urbane—make discoveries without and within.

Outro Music: Liz Ryerson - Village Theme

Support Liz on Patreon and Bandcamp!

Coens covered: Inside Llewyn Davis; Barton Fink; O Brother, Where Art Thou?; No Country for Old Men

Plus: Twin Peaks s3e8, No Direction Home, I’m Not There, Mazes and Monsters, Thief, Deus Ex, Zork, Hitman, Prey, Problem Attic, Half-Life

Today we’re joined by our friend, the mega-talented and ever-thoughtful Benh Zeitlin, director of Glory at Sea, Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Wendy. We’re thrilled to welcome Benh to the study group as we cross the threshold on pages 31-32, and see Muldrow’s journey plummet into action. From here, we break down act breaks, specifically the crucial transition from Act 1 to Act 2. We discuss the confluence of plot and emotional undercurrents in a story, and how the Coens use structure to build striking and surprising narratives. Thanks again to Benh for joining us on this rollicking river ride.

Coens covered: Miller’s Crossing, Fargo, Intolerable Cruelty, A Serious Man.

Plus: Commando

This is an emergency podcast. We discuss the deluge of Coen brothers headlines including the premiere of the Drive-Away Dolls trailer, and the Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke feature in Empire Magazine which reveals, amongst many fascinating tidbits, that Ethan and Joel Coen are at work on a new project. We also discuss Ray’s new music video for Bonnie “Prince” Billie and pluck some all important pins out of the pinboard in a follow-up to our interview last week with J. Todd Anderson.

Ending song: "Mouse and Me" by Paul Korzan

Films covered: Drive-Away Dolls, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Chuck Jones: Extremes and InBetweens - A Life in Animation.