comment #1

le corbeau says ...

Without some more context, it looks like it's from Grindhouse. Maybe a still from Machete-- "They picked the wrong Mexican to mess with!"

comment #2

erniesouchak says ...

Juicy pix like this don't circulate because many publicists & studio marketing execs are idiots.

comment #3

p.Vice says ...

Maybe because it's obvious through the cracked door that nobody's actually standing on the other side.

comment #4

FunkDaddy J says ...

...or because it looks more like the practical effect that it is--or even like some kind of sparkler firework--than a real shotgun blast?

comment #5

christian says ...

I actually thought this moment in the film made little sense. If I thought somebody was BEHIND a door with a weapon, I would be to the SIDE. Then Chigurh woulda been ghost toast...

comment #6

BNick says ...

Well, wasn't Chigurh going to be toast if the lock hadn't blown directly into Moss' stomach?

comment #7

PerfectTommy says ...

We're already at "the end of the campaign"? I would think there are still some box office dollars to rake in, and no one's voted for the Oscars yet.

comment #8

AJW says ...

Christian, in the book Chigurgh sustains his injury in that part of the scene, not outside by the cars, because Moss doesn't just sit on his bed like a dumbass. Instead, in my recollection, Moss hides either under the bed or on the floor next to the bed when he realizes something in the hallway is coming for him and shoots Chigurgh's leg when he enters the room. Not sure why the Coens opted to change it. I agree with you.

comment #9

p.Vice says ...

Also note that there is clearly light in the hallway, and prior to this shot Chigurgh had unscrewed all the lightbulbs.

Best picture of the year, my ass!!

comment #10

actionman says ...

LOVE this picture, thanks Wells!

comment #11

BurmaShave says ...

Has Llewellyn just been on the phone with Lara Flynn Boyle's character from HAPPINESS?

comment #12

MickTravis says ...

Christian, in the book Chigurgh sustains his injury in that part of the scene, not outside by the cars, because Moss doesn't just sit on his bed like a dumbass. Instead, in my recollection, Moss hides either under the bed or on the floor next to the bed when he realizes something in the hallway is coming for him and shoots Chigurgh's leg when he enters the room. Not sure why the Coens opted to change it. I agree with you.

Actually, in the book Moss does hide, and he gets the drop on Chigurh, but he doesn't shoot. Once he has Chigurh at gunpoint, he just runs away. Chigurh shoots Moss from a window, but then has to fight the Mexicans who show up, also looking for the transponder.

I think the Coens probably altered it because it's kind of confusing and overcomplicated, it's not as much "fun" as the pick-up truck wreck, Moss doesn't get to do too much in the book-scene and having the Mexicans show up twice would water down the power of them catching up to him later.

comment #13

BurmaShave says ...

Anyone notice that the truck driver who was killed was TC Boyle? Or am I crazy?

comment #14

TKC says ...

Well, there's certainly nothing Freudian going on in that photo. Nope. Nothing at all.

comment #15

christian says ...

You mean his boom stick?

comment #16

Sean says ...

"Also note that there is clearly light in the hallway, and prior to this shot Chigurgh had unscrewed all the lightbulbs."

Yeah, it's a production still, not a frame from the movie.

comment #17

Sean says ...

"Also note that there is clearly light in the hallway, and prior to this shot Chigurgh had unscrewed all the lightbulbs."

Yeah, it's a production still, not a frame from the movie.

And he did not unscrew all of the lightbulbs, he unscrewed the one directly outside the door; the ones on either side of it would still be on (and, as I recall, there is still a bit of light from them).

comment #18

Sean says ...

"Instead, in my recollection, Moss hides either under the bed or on the floor next to the bed"

Putting aside Mick's perfectly valid points, an experienced gunman like Moss would be unlikely to attempt to fire a gun while hiding under a bed.

Think about the angle he would have to aim at to be lying on the floor and hit Chigurh (even in the leg, which wouldn't be what an experienced gunman would aim for when somebody was coming to kill him). Then remember that, with a gun like that, there is a lot of kickback, so he would have to brace it hard against his shoulder [he's lying down, so that's the only option].

Stop and think about the triangle that creates. The gun would have to be sticking out from under the bed, meaning he would be exposed and obvious, and have no way to run if he (inevitably) missed.

And if he had moved around inside the room, Chigurh would've heard him.

comment #19

Silverscreenvideos says ...

Not sure why the Coens opted to change it. I agree with you.

This scene was the only mano-a-mano encounter between Moss and Chigurh in the entire film and really set the audience's expectation level for the film's end.

Other than this scene, Moss is portrayed as a street smart but opportunistic good old boy who runs away from trouble. You could easily picture Jason Lee's Earl in the role. Based on this scene, the audience believes that Moss actually has a chance against Chigurh in a rematch, which makes the frustrating way the film actually plays out so much more effective.

comment #20

Silverscreenvideos says ...

One of the problems I have had with the movie has been with the tracker. When Chigurh uses it orignally, it is shown to have a very limited range. It doesn't start beeping until he gets close to the Del Rio motel where Moss is staying(and he figures out Moss is in Del Rio from the phone bill). That makes sense.

But how did the Mexicans know that Moss would be going to Del Rio? They didn't have the phone bill. They didn't know who he was. It would be an incredible stroke of luck for them to drive all around Texas and somehow find Moss before Chigurh did. The Stephen Root character wouldn't have given the Mexicans a more powerful receiver than he gave his own people (which Chigurh steals when he kills them) if such a thing even existed.

Second, how does Chigurh get to Eagle Pass right after Moss? The only thing that makes sense is that Moss is able to hitch a ride within a minute or so of being out on the highway (while Chigurh is looking for the money)and that one ride takes him all the way to downtown Eagle Pass and that Chigurh figures out what's happened and somehow gets close enough to tail the car all the way to Eagle Pass. Possible but a good bit of a stretch.