Joel and Ethan Coen

It's been eight years since the Coen brothers were last in Japan -- a period in which their films "Fargo" and "The Big Lebowski" garnered devoted cult followings -- so media interest ran high for this rare chance to pick the minds of America's most consistent and obstinately offbeat filmmakers. As it turned out, a mere eight questions were allowed -- one for each year, I guess.

On casting "O Brother, Where Art Thou":