Blank Check with Griffin & David Miller's Crossing with Ari Aster
14 snips
Jul 27, 2025 
Filmmaker Ari Aster, known for his chilling works like Hereditary and Midsommar, dives into the Coen Brothers' masterwork, Miller's Crossing. He passionately explores themes of ethics and character complexities within the film. Listeners will love his insights on Gabriel Byrne's performances and the surprising Oscar win for Marcia Gay Harden. A discussion on the influence of Jewish identity in cinema adds depth, while humorous anecdotes about Cinema's quirks make it an engaging listen!
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Friendship and Morality Theme
- Miller's Crossing is fundamentally about friendship and moral decision-making.
- The film slowly reveals emotional depth beneath complex, visually overwhelming gangster plot.
Symbolism vs. Surface Imagery
- Coens downplay symbolism, focusing instead on evocative imagery like hats without meaning.
- They sometimes build intrigue only to subvert it by revealing the simplest explanations.
Hats as Social Code
- The hat in Miller's Crossing symbolizes manners, ethics, and social status among gangsters.
- Losing a hat or improper hat behavior signals vulnerability or loss of respect in their social code.
