Barton Fink 1991

Coen Brothers choose to set this film in Hollywood, self referential to themselves, they are writers working in Hollywood themselves with a Jewish background just as the character Barton Fink. The film follows the writers struggle with writers block, he encounters stereotypical fat loud American businessmen which you find in a lot of Coen Brothers films, The hudsucker proxy for instance uses similar characterisation which gives the films they make a black comedy feeling. The use of John Goodman in their films gives a happier feel but when finding out his true character the audience is left in shock.
The hotel Barton stays in is a reference to the film "the shining" although it isn't parodied, it keeps the audience suspicious of the hotel and of the people who occupy it. When seeing the end of the film it is clear why.
Their is only one main woman in the whole film, and she is placed in the role of love interest. She also ends up dieing, this could show the role of women in the 1945's, or simply that Barton is meant to be alone. Its the representation for the Coen Brothers point of view, their incite into the 1945's. The use of brown and green colours make the film look dull and dreary, pathetic fallacy is used. The most colourful scene is the one on the beach, this is very surreal as we have the same image in our heads from the picture on Barton's wall in his hotel room. This shows his release, he can write again.
The Coen brothers use a lot of the same themes in all their films, Barton Fink and A Serious man have a lot in common, both about a man lost trying to find their way with no help and many awkward situations.