The beauty, stillness and danger of West Texas in two classic films new to 4K

From Texas Public Radio:

Both “Paris, Texas” and “No Country for Old Men” open with scenes of solitary men wandering through the desert before stumbling upon something unexpected. And while the storyline and mood couldn’t be more different in each film, they both share a love of the desolate landscapes of West Texas, and were filmed largely on location.

Each film has been newly restored in 4K resolution and is now available on disc from the Criterion Collection.

In the 1984 film “Paris, Texas,” Harry Dean Stanton is Travis, who’s been lost and away from his wife and son for years. Found and taken in by his brother, he begins to form a tentative relationship with his son again, and goes looking in Houston for his wife.

We slowly learn pieces of Travis’ backstory, but as the credits fade, it’s clear that even Travis has a few things to figure out about himself before he can truly be a father and husband again. A highlight of “Paris Texas” is the film’s beautiful photography of West Texas and roadside America, set to a haunting slide guitar score by Ry Cooder.

In the Coen Brothers 2007 movie “No Country For Old Men,” it’s Josh Brolin who makes a discovery in the desert—of a sack full of money. The year is 1980 and hard drugs are flowing across the border. With them comes the mindless, indiscriminate violence that scares off all but the most hardened criminals – or sheriffs.

Tommy Lee Jones plays a lawman on the trail of both Brolin and a cold-blooded bounty hunter with his own peculiar moral code, played in an Oscar-winning performance by Javier Bardem:

In “Paris, Texas,” it was Harry Dean Stanton who was finding his way; in “No Country For Old Men,” Jones, as Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, realizes his days as a lawman are numbered. In his own words, he’s overmatched.

It’s not just the firepower of the drug-runners, but the ruthlessness of the criminal syndicates… and maybe the way Bardem’s character, emblematic of the cartels themselves, can seemingly never be killed, not by bullet, broken bones, or even a sudden T-bone car crash. They’ll keep—coming—back.

The Coens have a great eye for West Texas in “No Country for Old Men,” and populate it with local actors whose faces echo the weathered landscape, which can be a harsh and unforgiving place. But on the other hand, I admire the beauty and stillness of West Texas. In that way, I empathize with German director Wim Wenders, who in “Paris, Texas” clearly has a lot of love for Travis and his family.

Both of the films are newly available in a gorgeous 4K restoration from the Criterion Collection. The deep blue and orange twilight scenes in “No Country for Old Men” are especially beautiful, as are the sun-baked outdoor scenes of “Paris, Texas.” Each disc offers numerous special features and interviews that dive into the making of these two Texas classics. Highly recommended from this native Texan!