Andy Chase

Until earlier this week, I hadn't seen so much as a billboard or even a bus stop poster promoting this movie.Three or four days ago I saw a television spot for The Man Who Wasn't There, the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen, my two favorite filmmakers.

The last time I had heard anything about the movie was when the title was officially announced, which was a while ago. I knew it was the Coen brothers' black and white take on film noir, and I knew that parts of it had been filmed in Old Town Pasadena, but that was about it. I was really, really looking forward to this movie... I love the noir style, I love seeing black and white on the big screen, and I love the Coen brothers; needless to say I was pretty excited when I saw the ad.

Much to my surprise, the ad said "Now Playing", and so earlier this afternoon I decided to see where it was playing here in the valley.

The movie doesn't even show up in the listings for a couple of the big movie showtime/ticket sites, and after some more digging I managed to ascertain that it's only playing in two theaters in all of greater Los Angeles, and one of them is a discount-type place. Neither one is particularly close.

According to IMDB, The Man Who Wasn't There had been out since last November, at least in limited release. Even if I decided to drive to Pasadena or Seal Beach to see the film, the print would probably scratched to hell, and showing on a postage stamp screen.

Until earlier this week, I hadn't seen so much as a billboard or even a bus stop poster promoting this movie. I guess I've been watching the wrong television stations, because that one run of the TV ad was the first I'd seen it.

What the hell? I had TV ads for Kung Pow rammed down my throat every ten minutes for a month before that piece of crap was released, and the Coen brothers' latest has been out since November without my even noticing a review of it somewhere? I'm guessing that even when it was newly released here in Los Angeles, it was only playing at a few theaters... I certainly didn't see it on any marquees here in the Valley.

I guess the only consolation is that now we have a kick-ass sound system at home for when it's released on DVD. Good sound really does make a world of difference even if your TV screen is only 19" across.