American Perfekt - same film as No Country for Old Men? MILD SPOILERS!

yeah, No Country reminded me of American Perfekt instantly. really really mad that coin tossing stuff. - the idea that the killers in these films actually base their actions on the outcome of a coin toss somehow makes them even more menacing. To have your 'rules and principles' based on heads or tails is pretty far gone. And it appears so normal and natural to them making both these characters come across as totally nuts (which of course they are). New Country also reminded me of Bergman's 'The Seventh Seal' as Javier Bardem is Death Himself. Although The Seventh Seal's imagery of death is untoppable and a total masterpiece the Coens were extremely successful with their Death charachter who uses the coin tossing technique at times as well. Death in reality is a bit mad and follows 'rules and principles' that are alien to us and without prejudice and unfeeling - not that i've been there yet. The whole of No Country For Old Men is awash with death imagery. Appreciating this aspect of the film (NCFOM) took it from the good and into the great category for me. From memory Amerikan Perfekt was a portrayal of a mad charachter and was v successful no question and Forster was a loon without doubt. i think these films are quite uncomfortable and polarise audiences because the madness is there and totally in your face. And quite heavy really. A lot of folk hated the ending to NCFOM but to me the outcome was the same as the soldier dying (off camera) in the seventh seal. Mad mad mad but INEVITABLE. Life isn't a neat bundle and death certainly isn't. v late and trambling...........

Cormac McCarthy's book (on which the film of NCFOM was based) was published in 2005---eight years after 'American Perfekt' was released.

Certainly his book is no re-telling of the A.P. story, and I wouldn't accuse him of consciously stealing from it. But in view of the coin-flipping and (particularly) the out-of-nowhere car crash at the end, I would be absolutely amazed if it were claimed that he hadn't seen that movie, prior to writing his book.

I think that 'American Perfekt' HAD to have percolated in his subconscious and contributed greatly to his novel.

I also liked how in both films, you never really believe that the killers are really killers. They never really act like the typical killer.

Even in the end of Perfekt, the main character still doesn't really fess up to the killing. Awesome.