Blood Simple (1985 Sundance Film Festival Award Winner)

Blood Simple (1985 Sundance Film Festival Award Winner)

Author: Awesome Movie Year April 22, 2026 Duration: 1:05:56

The tenth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1985 features the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner, Joel and Ethan Coen’s Blood Simple. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya and M. Emmet Walsh, Blood Simple was the Coen brothers’ debut feature.

The contemporary reviews quoted in this episode come from Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/blood-simple-1984), Janet Maslin in The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/12/movies/blood-simple-a-black-comic-romp.html) and Pauline Kael in The New Yorker.

Check out more info and the entire archive of past episodes at https://www.awesomemovieyear.com and visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/awesomemovieyear

You can find Jason on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisComedy/, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jasonharriscomedy/ and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/goforjason/

You can find Josh online at http://joshbellhateseverything.com/, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joshbellhateseverything/, on Bluesky at signalbleed.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/signalbleed/

If you’re a Letterboxd user and you watch any of the movies we talk about on the show, tag your review “Awesome Movie Year” to share your thoughts.

You can find our producer David Rosen and his Piecing It Together Podcast at https://www.piecingpod.com, on Twitter at @piecingpod, on Bluesky at piecingpod.bsky.social and on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/bydavidrosen/

Join the Popcorn & Puzzle Pieces Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/piecingpod for more movie discussion and our Awesome Movie Year audience choice polls.

All of the music in the episode is by David Rosen. Find more of his music at https://www.bydavidrosen.com

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Please like, share, rate and comment on the show and this episode, and tune in for the next 1985 episode, with the Academy Awards Best Picture winner, Sydney Pollack’s Out of Africa.


Ever wonder what makes a particular year in cinema truly stand out? Awesome Movie Year digs into that very question, one remarkable film at a time. Co-hosted by film critic Josh Bell alongside filmmaker and comedian Jason Harris, this podcast picks a single, noteworthy year each season and meticulously explores what made it so special. Rather than broad overviews, every episode zooms in on a different movie from that chosen year, offering a deep dive into its impact, its cultural moment, and its lasting legacy. The conversations blend critical analysis with a genuine love for the medium, thanks to the hosts' complementary backgrounds. Produced by David Rosen of Piecing It Together for the All Points West Podcast Network, the show has a polished yet conversational feel. You’ll hear about blockbusters and hidden gems alike, all through the lens of why they mattered then and why they still resonate. It’s for anyone who loves to look beyond the screen and understand the context that creates a classic. Tune in to Awesome Movie Year for a thoughtful and engaging tour through some of cinema’s most fascinating periods.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Awesome Movie Year
Podcast Episodes
Weekend (1967 Foreign Film) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The fifth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features our documentary pick, D.A. Pennebaker’s Don’t Look Back. Directed by D.A. Pennebaker and featuring Bob Dylan on his 1965 U.K. tour, Don’t Look Ba…
Blow-Up (1967 Cannes Palme d’Or Winner) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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The fourth episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner, Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up. Directed and co-written by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Dav…
A Countess From Hong Kong (1967 Box Office Flop) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:02
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Who’s That Knocking At My Door (1967 First Feature) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:55
The second episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features our pick for a notable filmmaking debut, Martin Scorsese’s Who’s That Knocking at My Door. Written and directed by Martin Scorsese and starring…
The Graduate (1967 Box Office Champ) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:20
The first episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1967 features the highest-grossing film at the box office, Mike Nichols’ The Graduate. Directed by Nichols from a screenplay by Buck Henry and Calder Willingha…
Purple Rain (1984 Bonus Episode) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:53
In this special bonus episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1984, we’re talking about one final music-focused film, the Prince showcase Purple Rain. Directed and co-written by Albert Magnoli and starring Pri…
2003 Epilogue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:58
In this epilogue to our season on the awesome movie year of 2003, we talk about alternate movies we considered including in all of our different categories this season, and read suggestions from some listeners about whic…
Bad Santa (2003 Audience Choice) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:29
In the finale of our season on the awesome movie year of 2003, we’re talking about this season’s audience choice pick, Terry Zwigoff’s Bad Santa. Directed by Terry Zwigoff from a screenplay by John Requa and Glenn Ficarr…