I love the humor in this. When the Reb tells him what a great wife he has, his ironic/sarcastic reply is, "Yeah, a ray of sunshine." Obviously, she does nothing but complain. The ambiguity of this scene is perfect and matches the ambiguity of the whole movie. And I'd also like the Coen brothers to make another movie set in this initial time period. This scene reminds me if Isaac Bashevis Singer and his tales of Hasidic Jews in Poland.
What a great opening. It sets the tone perfectly for the movie. I always kind of felt that Velvel and Dora are Larry's ancestors, and this scene is the reason why his family could be cursed. That is, they're cursed because they either invited a dybbuk into their home, or because they stabbed and murdered a poor old man. It's up to the audience to decide which. Personally, I think the old man is a dybbuk. He never flat out denies it does he? He just seems impressed that Dora found him out.
Isn't the rest of the movie loosely based on the book of Job? Like the Coen brothers 'O Brother Where Art Thou' is loosely based on the Odyssey? The opening segment seems like Monty Python's opening to 'The Meaning of Life' in that it very remotely relates to the feature.
This first scene makes the movie seem like a horror movie. It is downright creepy. Then the movie becomes darkly humourous. Didn't understand the ending though. How did the tornado solve everything?
@billthecat666 i think this scene shows how humans are in a nutshell.....when people cannot explain certain things like god, or how this man is dead...they jump to extremes to try and prove their right...like jihad, the crusades, or how this woman stabbed the man to see if hes alive or not.....then you never see him die...so you do not get an answer to her question....because really there are none.....so dont jump to the extreme.
@jokerabhilasha It's intended to be vague. The entire movie is about the frustrating nature of spirituality --that no one (secular or religious) seems to be able to give the main character any real help, but that he still believes for some reason or another. You could say it's about the frustration of not knowing. The movie is basically agnostic.
Absolutely wonderful !!! It's as hilarious as it is insightful!!! A lot of people could learn much from this scene! It ought to be an obligatory part of all ethics & religions classes!!!
I meant reminds me of not if.
Jan96106 3 weeks ago in playlist Liked videos
I love the humor in this. When the Reb tells him what a great wife he has, his ironic/sarcastic reply is, "Yeah, a ray of sunshine." Obviously, she does nothing but complain. The ambiguity of this scene is perfect and matches the ambiguity of the whole movie. And I'd also like the Coen brothers to make another movie set in this initial time period. This scene reminds me if Isaac Bashevis Singer and his tales of Hasidic Jews in Poland.
Jan96106 3 weeks ago
i think this guy was a dybbuk.
ballsthatclank 1 month ago
The Walking dybbuk, Sundays at 9 only on AMC
Malocosa 1 month ago 2
No soup for you!
spock8o 1 month ago
I'm still waiting for the Pesel Bunim spin-off.
lightronv 2 months ago
What a great opening. It sets the tone perfectly for the movie. I always kind of felt that Velvel and Dora are Larry's ancestors, and this scene is the reason why his family could be cursed. That is, they're cursed because they either invited a dybbuk into their home, or because they stabbed and murdered a poor old man. It's up to the audience to decide which. Personally, I think the old man is a dybbuk. He never flat out denies it does he? He just seems impressed that Dora found him out.
danlovley 3 months ago 2
I wish this was the whole film. This should be made into a film of it's own.
taistelutomaatti 3 months ago 8
Yaaaa was haste getiiiiiin
mistatakey 3 months ago
The Coen Bros sure know how to make stabbing funny.
ShowtimePanda 4 months ago 2
Comment removed
mike6502 4 months ago
Isn't the rest of the movie loosely based on the book of Job? Like the Coen brothers 'O Brother Where Art Thou' is loosely based on the Odyssey? The opening segment seems like Monty Python's opening to 'The Meaning of Life' in that it very remotely relates to the feature.
mike6502 4 months ago
This first scene makes the movie seem like a horror movie. It is downright creepy. Then the movie becomes darkly humourous. Didn't understand the ending though. How did the tornado solve everything?
compsciguy 5 months ago
@compsciguy
This movie was a retelling of the Book of Job. In the end, God speaks through a whirlwind.
billthecat666 5 months ago
Excuse my ignorance, but I dont understand what this scene has to do with the rest of the movie, if somebody could explain?
mmscott9 5 months ago
@mmscott9
It explains why the professor has bad luck. His ancestors cursed his family for what they did to that man. The 3rd Rabbi IS that same man. Creepy.
compsciguy 5 months ago
@compsciguy Thanks
mmscott9 5 months ago
@mmscott9
You are correct. It had nothing to do with the rest of the movie. The Coens said it was their way of showing a cartoon before a film.
billthecat666 5 months ago
@billthecat666 i think this scene shows how humans are in a nutshell.....when people cannot explain certain things like god, or how this man is dead...they jump to extremes to try and prove their right...like jihad, the crusades, or how this woman stabbed the man to see if hes alive or not.....then you never see him die...so you do not get an answer to her question....because really there are none.....so dont jump to the extreme.
2upimp 4 months ago
Wow, I understand like 80-85% of this because I speak Danish, German, and Hebrew.
BennyDACHO 9 months ago 6
Fyvush Finkel looks freakin' amazing with that beard.
benjidrake 10 months ago
this was a shit movie, but this opening scene i enjoyed.
mostpowerful 11 months ago
@mostpowerful I didnt get the video.... was it the man or the evil.. who was actually posessed??
jokerabhilasha 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@jokerabhilasha
It's open to interpretation.
Keownolomio 9 months ago
@jokerabhilasha It's intended to be vague. The entire movie is about the frustrating nature of spirituality --that no one (secular or religious) seems to be able to give the main character any real help, but that he still believes for some reason or another. You could say it's about the frustration of not knowing. The movie is basically agnostic.
Bobaklives 8 months ago
!?
90mv 1 year ago
one feels when one is not wanted :-)
tgwnn 1 year ago
Absolutely wonderful !!! It's as hilarious as it is insightful!!! A lot of people could learn much from this scene! It ought to be an obligatory part of all ethics & religions classes!!!
brucxevic 1 year ago 2
@brucxevic I'm watching it in my Bible class in school.
pnells568 5 months ago
I laughed about an hour, after this
rafafafa23 1 year ago 2
@rafafafa23 well... if you could please explain if he really was an evil or a man... i didnt understand it all
jokerabhilasha 10 months ago