For the past few years, we’ve not only been treated to great Coen Brothers’ movies, but also great Coen Brothers’ trailers. The trailers for their latest project, Hail, Caesar!, have not disappointed. The first has a fast, screwball energy, highlighting the all-star cast. The latest trailer, however, begins with a wonderful scene between Ralph Fiennes and Alden Ehreneich. The Southern actor has trouble delivering a line, and Fiennes’ director character frustration grows and grows.
More trailers should do this: show a clip that gives you a greater sense of the film. These kinds of trailers are rare, and you can say that about a lot of the trailers for the filmmakers’ work. Admittedly, not all of them are gems. Just go watch The Intolerable Cruelty trailer if you don’t believe me.
As for the ones that have left an impression, here are the 10 best trailers for Coen Brothers’ movies:
10. Barton Fink
Here’s proof that not all trailers for Coen Brothers have been worthy of their films, because this one spoils far too much. It literally shows the final minutes of the movie — which, sadly, is not the first time this has happened. We pretty much see the beginning, middle, and end of Barton’s troubles. But it is superior to The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona trailers, since it at least flows well and establishes the hilariously nightmarish atmosphere.
9. Burn After Reading (Red Band)
Spirit’s “I Got A Line On You” is the perfect song choice. Every character in Burn After Reading thinks they are the smartest character in the room, and yet have no idea what’s going on. The confidence and rocking sound of “I Got a Line On You” is spot on for a movie about a gang of morons mucking about. This trailer, unlike Barton Fink, doesn’t show the audience too much, either. For example, this Red Band commercial easily could show the amazing contraption Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney) builds, but it doesn’t, thank God.
8. No Country for Old Men
The Coen Brothers are world builders. The worlds are generally heightened, for a surreal or comedic or dramatic effect. For that reason, some of their trailers struggle to communicate what exactly their movies are. Their pictures are often packed with oddball characters, conflicting tones, and are heavy on themes, which is sometimes difficult to express in two minutes. That’s not the case with this No Country for Old Men trailer, which efficiently sets up the plot, the leads, the landscape, the stakes, and even some of the themes (“you can’t stop what’s coming”). Some people prefer the Red Band trailer, but “Young Men Dead” by The Black Angels feels like a song for a different kind of thriller.
7. Inside Llewyn Davis
Coldness and desperation is on fully display in this trailer. These two-minutes aren’t only full of terrific comedic beats, especially from John Goodman, but it also does a really fine job of setting up what kind of sad, tortured schmuck Llewyn Davis is. The trailer is an assembly of brief character moments, which all tell the audience plenty about the protagonist and his predicament. It’s a very effective trailer, possibly even a great one.
6. Hail, Caesar! (Trailer 2)
As aforementioned, more trailers should lead off with clips. By this point, you generally know what you’re getting with a Coen Brothers’ movie, but it’s nice to be reminded of their tone every once in a while — which, depending on the project, often changes. The trailer is focused more on the quality of the writing than the stars of the film. Then again, you could call the directing duo stars by this point. Their name means something to moviegoers, and whoever cut this trailer is clearly aware of that.
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