Jim Jarmusch

[Johann]

Jim Jarmusch is the same age as my father.
Born in 1953 in Akron, Ohio.
I want to acknowledge him as a film poet.

Take his first feature, Stranger Than Paradise. It is a film lovers dream, a black and white poem dedicated to the beatniks of New York,who to me, are some of the most genuine souls you could ever meet. John Lurie pulls off the "street guy with style" attitude with skill. He's a great talent- as a musician AND as an actor. Hell, as a filmmaker as well- watch the hilarious Fishing With John series (put out by Criterion) and you'll see.

Jarmusch followed up his award winning first film with Down By Law, another Criterion release on DVD, with the amazing Roberto Benigni and Tom Waits (yes, the street poet). Some people have said that Down By Law is Jim's best film. I won't disagree, but I prefer Dead Man.

Coffee and Cigarettes is a film I won't talk about (unless anybody has heard of it). It has rarely been seen, and it holds the same fascination as Tarantino's "birthday party" movie.

The next two Jarmusch films in his filmography are Mystery Train and Night on Earth, 2 incredible beat/poet/art films. I'll discuss them with anyone who's interested.

Now, let's be clear on the poetry major's true masterpiece: Dead Man. There has been some discussion about this black and white chunk of genius, but not enough for my mind.
Dead Man is the textbook definition of film poetry to me. (I know many people will disagree. I can hear them now: "What about Children Of Paradise? or Blood of a Poet"?)
Yeah, I know, Jarmusch is no Cocteau. But if I may, the guy is one hell of an artist, and as such he should be pointed out as not "better" than anyone else, but gloriously different. Jim has got an intellect, an instinct, a talent that is desperately appreciated by people like me. He is in that class of directors who keep my interest in movies at a very high level. A class that includes (but is not limited to): Herzog, Wenders, Greenaway, Lynch, Kaurismaki, The Bros. Quay, Gallo, Solondz, Zwigoff and Tarantino.
Rock and rollers, guys who marry music and images to astounding effect. These guys are doing the work that I wish I was doing.
Year of the Horse. Speaking of rock and roll, this "doc" is the epitome of "rock and roll road movie". I saw it on the big screen in 1999 and it was awesome. It's the super 8 adventures of Neil Young and Crazy Horse. If you love Neil (the greatest Canadian rocker ever), then you must see Year of the Horse. Shot almost completely by hand-held super 8 tape, it is just another example of how Jarmusch is a filmmakers' filmmaker.

Until I get the kamakaze nerve to get off my ass and make an independent film, I'm content to watch the films of Jarmusch & co. with serious admiration.

[Johann]

Speak of the devil!

I trumpet Jarmusch in a post, mention "Coffee and Cigarettes" and what happens?

News of the release of said film interspersed with newly shot scenes! Info?
It's got Roberto Benigni, Alfred Molina, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, The White Stripes, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Spike Lee's bro Cinque, Isaak De Bankole (Ghost Dog's best friend), and Steve Buscemi sharing screen time. Hallelujah...

[oscar jubis]

LIFE HAS NO PLOT, WHY MUST FILMS OR FICTION?
Jim Jarmusch

For accuracy's sake, Jarmusch was born on 1/22/53 and directed Permanent Vacation before Stranger than Paradise, a Camera d'Or winner at Cannes. In all fairness, Permanent Vacation showed promise but it's a minor work, a stepping stone to better things. I read that Jim Jarmusch, who studied literature for years, decided to make films after watching foreign classics at the Paris Cinematheque (he was there studying French Lit for a year).

I think the key to understanding Jarmusch is the predominance of character over plot. Action springs directly from a given protagonist's nature. There's nothing imposed on the character. Often the character is a creation of the actor as much as Jarmusch. This is particularly true of Ghost Dog, which reflects several concerns and predilections of actor Forrest Whitaker.

I often recommend his films only to hear complaints regarding the lack of action or slow pace of them. Content wise, I find his slackers and oddballs interesting enough to sustain my attention. Visually he shows a preference towards long takes with minimal camera movement. Fade-to-black is his favorite punctuation tool. The contribution of his cinematographer Robby Muller can not be overemphasized. The aussie Muller has lensed all of his features since Down By Law, and most of Wim Wenders' classics.

I share Johann's enthusiasm for Dead Man. This is perhaps Jarmusch's most categorizable film in that it follows the conventions of the western, up to a point, of course. It revises genre conventions, giving them a contemporary sensibility. William Blake and Nobody are two unforgettable characters, entirely believable yet totally original in conception. Neil Young's minimalist score perfectly complements its black and white images.

Stranger Than Paradise and Mystery Train are also personal favorites.

[Johann]

I always aim for the utmost in accuracy with my comments.
Slip of the keys?

Jarmusch. Yes, he loves that fade to black trick. (So do I)

Robby Muller is a gigantic reason why Jarmusch's films are so powerful. He shot "Mad Dog and Glory","To Live and Die in L.A.", "Barfly", "Breaking The Waves"and "Dancer in the Dark" to name but 5. His photography is always engaging and beautiful. He's got skills to pay the bills, if you know what I mean.

I saw Ghost Dog twice when it came out. Blew me away. Jim's use of music was incredible. "Armagideon Time" by Willie Williams.
He uses that song in a scene where Ghost Dog prowls around in his stolen mercedes, scoping for a costume to steal. I've rewound that scene countless times. "A lotta people won't get no justice tonight...." Awesome. And don't forget the RZA, who handed Jarmusch some incredible music. (especially the opening credit music).

I left Permanent Vacation out of consideration because Jarmusch has all but disowned it. He never looks back, he has said, and when he had to watch Stranger Than Paradise again for the DVD release he hated the experience.

I recommend Tigrero, a documentary of Samuel Fuller. Jarmusch and Mika Kaurismaki follow Sam to the amazon jungle, where he expounds on the trials he had making a studio film in the amazon way back when. (The studio forbid shooting there, because the insurance co. would not insure the stars in the amazon). Some of the jungle footage Fuller shot back then found it's way into the film Shock Corridor- during the hallucination scene. Great film, and released by Criterion.

[oscar jubis]

Thanks for the tip. I rented Tigrero and enjoyed it very much. I became a fan 20 years ago, when I watched Fuller's last American movie White Dog, an allegory about a black man's attempt to deprogram a dog trained to attack blacks. Since then I've watched several of his films and found out that many others are a chore to track down (Park Row, Verboten!, I Shot Jesse James and many others). I hope someday to have a more complete take on his career. Casavettes and Tourneur also produced major works under very limiting conditions. I decided to buy Shock Corridor although I've seen it before.

[Johann]

Great to hear you saw Tigrero. I love those kinds of doc's. My Best Fiend, for example.

Cassavetes is a little like Godard to me, making little earthquake movies. Raw and immediate films. I've seen Faces about 5 times. I can see why Scorsese loves the guy. Shadows is a must see.

If anyone hasn't seen Shock Corridor, then I recommend seeing it with I am Curious: Yellow. That was a double rental I made one night and it was divine. These are the kind of films you should turn to if Hollywood is boring you.

Tourneur is a director I'm aware of but I haven't seen anything by him. What should I rent oscar?


LATE EDIT: Sorry! I have seen Cat People which I enjoyed.

[oscar jubis]

Scorsese sounds extremist when he says "Cat People was as important as Citizen Kane in the development of a more mature American cinema", but there's no doubt that the born-in-France Tourneur brought poetry and subtlety to several genres of the Hollywood B movie. The use of shadow and sound in Cat's pool scene is "textbook".

It's a major oversight in home video production that The Leopard Man and I Walked With a Zombie are not available. The made-in-England Night of the Demon, recut and released here as "Curse of the Demon" is Tourneur's sole film available in dvd and my recommendation in the horror genre.

Available on vhs, and a must-see for any noir fans is Out of The Past with Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas.

His best drama/family picture is Stars on my Crown(vhs)

Canyon Passage is his best western available on vhs.

The Tourneur touch

*Showing realistic light sources in interior scenes while exteriors are filmed to appear somewhat surreal.
*Emphasis on physical thresholds (doors, windows,etc)
*Encouraging actors to underplay.
*Preoccupation with death.
*General sense the world is ruled by irrational forces.

[Johann]

Jim Jarmusch's favorite director is Buster Keaton, and here are some films that influenced him:


The Mother and the Whore
Thunder Road (Robert Mitchum classic)
In the Land of the War Canoes (big Dead Man influence)
Shock Corridor (actually Jim loves all of Fuller's films)
The films of Yasujiro Ozu
The films of Robert Bresson
Branded to Kill
The films of Jean Vigo
The films of Dziga Vertov
The films of Max Ophuls


and here's a quote I really like from him:

"I'd rather make a film about a guy walking his dog than the Emperor of China"

[Chris Knipp]

I would agree that Dead Man is a masterpiece. To say it's a western is misleading to anybody who hasn't seen it. The photography in many places looks like authentic nineteenth-century photography. The compositions suggest a nineteenth-century landscape sensibility. The atmosphere is far more authentic in feeling than any other western I've ever seen. Did you ever see a horse take a piss in a conventional western? To anyone who doesn't "get" what's good about Johnny Depp I would suggest viewing this movie. In his Buster Keatonesque performance he creates classic images and illustrates the essential recessiveness characteristic of some of the great film actors. Scarlett Johansson has it especially in Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Dead Man takes you to a completely fresh world. Jarmusch's imagination in this sublimely kooky, haunting, beautiful, hilarious tale just doesn't seem to owe much to anybody; though I'm sure people will rush in to point out the influences.

Roberto Benigni seems to me funnier in Jarmusch than in his own movies. He is strange and hilarious in Down by Law, and completely sidesplitting in Night on Earth I would say his scene with the priest in that movie is what makes it worth remembering. Otherwise some of Jarmusch's movies between his first two known ones (STP and DBL) and Dead Man, though good, don't have the same power to stick in your mind. However, in Mystery Train, Howlin' Jack Hawkins is an inspired choice both as actor and singer, and who can forget the two young Japanese arguing who's the best, "ELVISA!" "CARL PERKINSA!" "ELVISA!" "CARL PERKINSA!"

[Johann]

Jarmusch said he couldn't control Benigni's performance in Night on Earth. He tried to direct him, but "he just went off" says Jim. The scene was almost completely improvised and despite his hate of improv, Jarmusch said he had to leave it in. For obvious reasons.

I agree totally about the priest scene- if you aren't laughing your head off, you need to check your pulse. It's one of the funniest scenes in movie history- thanks for reminding me about it.
I also like the Helsinki segment- very intriging to me.

The weakest segment was the first with Wynnona Ryder. She just doesn't pull off the "tough cabbie" role she's attempting.

[Johann]

www.bacfilms.com/site/coffee/video/facoffee.mov


espresso, anyone?

[Chris Knipp]

I agree on the relative strength of the Night on Earth segments; it's best that the LA one gets out of the way first when the taxi frame is still novel. Benigni is certainly one of the great improvisionnal talents on film--that segment isn't the kind of thing you could do with a script. Wow!

[Johann]

I saw this last night at an art-house screening and it was outstanding.

Thank god Jarmusch is still making films-this was a divine series of vignettes.

Cate Blanchett proves once again how staggeringly good she is as an actress. Her dual-role vignette COUSINS is both an insight into press junkets and the uncomfortable relationships that only family can produce.

My favorite vignette is the one with the stunning woman and the waiter (RENEE). Tommy James' Crimson & Clover is playing in the background (one of my all-time favorite songs) and it shows in interesting detail how people can make themselves look like jackasses and how subtle human communication can be.

Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan give us a tremendous segment- tremendous acting by both guys. If you love movies, then this one will no doubt put a smile on your face: Alfred (or Albert, as Steve mistakenly calls him) is just sheer exuberance and intelligence as the "cousin" of Steve. His post-Spike Jonze cell phone call one-ups Steve in a hilarious, quirky pure-Jarmusch way.
Steve: I once didn't give out my phone number to Sam Mendes- you're in good company.
Alfred: If it's good enough for Sam Mendes, It's good enough for me.

Every single vignette is either good or great. I'm prone to say they're all great, because I'm a big Jarmusch fan.
It's stark black and white photography (shot by 4 different people, including Robby Muller) is very pleasing visually.
The soundtrack is all beatnik, all cool.
The scene between Iggy Pop and Tom Waits is also a mini-masterpiece. Iggy asks Tom why none of his records are on the jukebox. Tom fidgets and looks for an excuse, and in poetic fashion, after Iggy leaves the bar, he checks the jukebox and indignantly proclaims "None of his are on there either!"

Coffee and Cigarettes gets under your skin in no time at all- it's exquisite, well-paced, and further proof of Jarmusch's considerable talents. He's one of my favorite directors, and he'll remain one forever. Nobody makes films like this: funny, razor-sharp, self-assured and completely original.

[JustaFied]

I'll tell you, I really appreciate the level of discourse on these threads. Jarmusch is someone I know much less than you guys do, but I learn a tremendous amount from reading your posts. I watched "Stranger than Paradise" several weeks ago, and really enjoyed it. And I think I developed a crush on that actress, what's her name, just like the two guys in the film did.

"Dead Man" is a film I definately need to see again. I saw it on cable several years ago, and my preconceived notion was that it was pretty damn pretenious (William Blake?). The way you guys describe it, it's one of the most important films of the last 25 years, so I need to re-examine it for sure.

Will try to check out "Coffee and Cigarettes". I actually own "Year of the Horse" because Neil Young is a bad ass. He put out a movie this year, anyone see it?

[Johann]

I haven't seen Greendale, Neil's experimental, 90-minute, avant-garde opus. I'm open to it, though.

You can never go wrong with Dead Man. It's in my top ten for a reason. Jarmusch created something other-worldly there. Crispin Glover, Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, John Hurt, Robert Mitchum, Billy-Bob Thornton, Iggy Pop, Michael Wincott, and the rapscallion known as Gibby Haynes.
Throw those guys in front of Robby Muller's lenses, with music by Neil Young and you have a masterpiece.

It's funny, serious, mysterious, beatnik, and pure cinema.


i can't recommend Coffee and Cigarettes enough. I'm still thinking about it. Seriously dude, I haven't given away anything- there is a "complex simplicity" to Jarmusch's work- lots to see and absorb. The White Stripes (Meg and Jack) have a great scene where they discuss Nikola Tesla's philosophies and watch a Tesla coil blow-up. Genius and highly entertaining.