Jim Jarmusch Collection Vol.2 (DVD)

Wow! Not one but three of the finest movies ever committed to the silver platter in one set. Almost the very definition of understated cool, Jarmusch's pictures are generally very satisfying from an artsy/cultured point of view (feeding the soul) yet highly entertaining too. Despite the omission of 'Down By Law' (available on Volume 1) the three films gathered here are one the world's finest film-maker's finest films.




Jarmusch may lurk at the artsy end of the spectrum but there's no doubting the incredible craftsmanship of his work. Breathtaking cinematography (particularly in 'Dead Man') combined with an imaginative director's eye for composition and juxtaposition makes his movies incredibly satisfying. In fact, they're almost film school case studies on how to get the job done right. Add to that his brilliant instinct for the right music (move over Tarantino, Jarmusch remains the king!) with a brilliant Tom Waits score for 'Night on Earth', an abstract Neil Young score for 'Dead Man' (which works superbly well in the film but which is unlistenable in isolation on the soundtrack CD) and a mix of Memphis rock ' roll and blues for 'Mystery Train'.




MYSTERY TRAIN (1989)

In typical Jarmusch style, Mystery Train gathers together three interconnected stories all happening on the same night in Memphis Tennessee. (An approach he reiterated on a more global scale in his comic masterpiece 'Night on Earth') The three stories are linked by a low rent hotel run by a cool night clerk (Screamin' Jay Hawkins no less) and his slightly dopey sidekick bellboy.



The movie is broken into three key parts.

"Far From Yokohama" features a teenage couple from Japan making what can only be described as a pilgrimage to Memphis. Jun, played by Masotoshi Nagase (Beautiful Sunday, Flirt, Cold Fever), is rockabilly cool, barely mumbling a word. His girlfriend, Mitzuko, played by Youki Kudoh (Crazy Family, Picture Bride, Heaven's Burning), is just the opposite. Boundlessly enthusiastic and full of bubbly energy and optimism. We see a filthy run down Memphis through their eyes as they continuously argue about who is the king (she claims its Elvis, he claims Carl Perkins) which is all delivered in deadpan Japanese with subs. There are plenty of laughs, including a studio tour that sees the two shuffling a couple of inches at a time around a tiny studio as the history of the studio is delivered. There's a touch of 'lost in translation' style humour as they book into the hotel and some near Lynchian surrealism as the girl shows us her party trick when she lights the boys cigarette using only her feet.





. 'A Ghost' follows an Italian woman, Luisa, played by Nicoletta Braschi (Down By Law), who gets stuck in Memphis during a flight layover. She is flying with her husband's body in a casket, though we never know quite why (though there could be Mafia connections?). At the hotel she ends up sharing a room with another woman who, it turns out, is the by now ex-girlfriend of one of the characters in the next part of the film. During the night she receives the most royal of visitations from the ghost of one of Memphis's most famous citizens.





In "Lost In Space" a violent liquor store robbery leaves the three perpetrators (who count Joe Strummer in their number) drunk and hiding out at the hotel, drawing closer over their reminiscences of the hit sci-fi show. Johnny (Strummer) and his friend, Will Robinson played by Rick Aviles, have just lost their jobs and Johnny's girlfriend, from the previous episode, has dumped him. So not a happy start! Following an extensive drinking binge they go out to rob a liquor store and end up shooting the man working there. After that they hide out at the hotel and end up discussing 'Lost in Space'. They're joined by Charlie, ex-girlfriends brother law played by Steve Buscemi who tries to calm Johnny down - but is too late.




The transfer is fine (at 1.85:1) and the stereo soundtrack is fine too. I suspect that this transfer is no different to a previously issued single disc though cannot be certain. Other than a trailer there are no extras on this disc.





NIGHT ON EARTH (1991)

Perhaps the most universally accessible of all Jarmusch's films, 'Night on Earth' is a collection of five vignettes concerning the temporary bond formed between taxi driver and passenger in five different cities; Los Angeles - featuring Gena Rowlands and Winona Ryder, New York, Paris, Rome and Helsinki. Jarmusch takes us from city to city as the clock turns during the late hours of the night. Featuring a score by Tom Waits and also starring Armin Mueller-Stahl, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez, Beatrice Dalle and Roberto Benigni.



'Night on Earth' did surprisingly good box office on its release in 1991. It's one of those rare movies where the Director sets himself up with a unique challenge - that may or may not work. I think it's fair to say that here it works magnificently and without exception.

The idea of the movie was to explore how much 'life' is going on around the globe on any one night - through the eyes of five different taxi drivers. So the movie is essentially five vignettes, stylistically glued together with Tom Waits haunting soundtrack. The bulk of the film is a two shot where you see the driver in the foreground looking into their mirror to the passenger. There are also healthy helpings of each of the cities featured by night (from the cab window), which are a joy to see in their own right.

Jarmusch uses a simple but effective linking device showing a row of clocks on local time before zooming in the appropriate one for the next story.



The first is LA where a highflying casting executive is picked up by gum chewing, chain smoking tomboy Corky (played brilliantly by Ryder). It's an amusing tale where the stressed executive is having trouble casting a 'tough chick' in a role (all played out on a giant mobile phone) when it suddenly dawns on her that Corky would be ideal for the part. Only Corky doesn't want the part. She's happy being a driver as the first step to her becoming a mechanic like her older brothers. It's a heart-warming tale and one that must resonate for Jarmusch who remains an outsider to Hollywood style business.

Next it's to the east coast where New York cabby Helmut (Mueller-Stahl) kangaroos his way to picking up Yo-Yo (Esposito). It turns out that Helmut doesn't know how to drive and the lets Yo Yo take the wheel. It turns out that Helmut was once a clown in East Germany and as they make their way through the mean streets, picking up Yo Yo's cursing sister-in-law on the way, a bond forms between them.





Paris is next which shows an unnamed black driver (Isaach De Bankole) pick up Beatrice Dalle who plays a sassy blind girl who seems more in control than he does. Jarmusch covers issues like the absurdity of racism and attitudes to handicapped people in a way that is never crude or clumsy and Dalle is breathtakingly good as the blind girl.




Then it's off to Rome for some light relief. Roberto Benigni gives a powerhouse comedic performance as a slightly crazed cabby. After driving the streets of Rome at some speed whilst delivering a stream of consciousness soliloquy (is this ad-lib?) he picks up a priest. What then ensues is one of the funniest monologues in comedy history with the Priest hardly able to get a word in edgeways. It becomes apparent that the Priest is unwell and Roberto's monologue is sending him over the edge.

Roberto is talking so much and so quickly that he doesn't notice that the Priest has died. If you don't laugh aloud at the line 'I don't eat vegetables because of the Pumpkins…' then you just haven't been listening! Brilliant.



In stark contrast (and perhaps the weakest of the five episodes) we get a bleak journey in Helsinki. Mika (Pelonpaa) picks up three drunks who tell him of one amongst them's extreme misfortune. (Shaggy dog tale stuff that goes from bad to badder). However, Mika has his own grim tale to tell and they realise that there's always someone worse off than themselves - in this case Mika. In an otherwise unremarkable segment the nighttime views of snowbound Helsinki are magical.



This is a fine 1.85:1 transfer that looks very much like the previously issued transfer (though with new menus etc). The stereo soundtrack is fine too.

There is a single extra on the disc other than a trailer - a nice 10 minute interview with Gena Rowlands (who featured alongside Winona Ryder in the fist vignette). In the absence of any Director interviews, hearing Gena's views on working with Jarmusch is really interesting and mercifully concise, which is how I like my extra features these days.





DEAD MAN (1995)

'Dead Man' is a beautiful journey of a film that you need to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy.

It's a film that demands to be seen in a single uninterrupted sitting and judged only as the final credits roll. Which is to say, it's a surreal journey that is understood really only as a whole.

Dead Man is the story of a young man's journey, both physically and spiritually, into unfamiliar terrain. The ironically named William Blake (played beautifully dead-pan by Johnny Depp) travels to the extreme western frontiers of America looking for work sometime in the latter half of the 19th century.



Arriving at the supposed place of work he finds that the invite is bogus (a streak of Kafka to all of this). At a loss for what to do next he passes a saloon just in time to see a flowergirl being tossed to the floor. She is touched by his concern and invites him back to her pace. A jealous lover comes into the room and shoots the girl and Blake shoots the man before he has time to think. This precipitates the story of Dead Man - a buddy road movie with a very dark twist. Having shot the son of a powerful local business man a price is put on his head and he becomes a virtual walking 'dead man'. Shot and wounded he is saved by an odd Native Indian called Nobody (Gary Farmer) who believes that Blake is actually the dead English poet of the same name and takes an interest in guiding him on a quest for identity.




On their endless journey together they encounter many dark characters of the forgotton west including Robert Mitchum, Iggy Pop (a demented woods dweller dressed in a ladies bonnet), Gabriel Byrne, Alfred Molina, John Hurt, Jared Harris, and Billy Bob Thornton.



It's stunningly shot in high contrast black and white and every frame is a potential picture postcard (see the random grabs posted here).

Neil Young's obliquely abstract , angular guitar feedback makes for a surprising effective score - yet must have taken an enormous leap of faith to include. An inspired choice illustrating Jarmusch's singular and confident vision. Having said that - as a soundtrack album it stinks. Without the visuals you are merely left with a strange concoction of noises. (As a Neil Young fan I bought the disc before seeing the movie - ill advised!).



Overall, 'Dead Man' is a masterpiece and ranks alongside 'Night on Earth' as his finest hour to date.

The DVD has a stunning transfer presented in 1.85:1 and a perfectly serviceable stereo soundtrack.

Other than a trailer, the only other extra is an entertaining interview with John Hurt who appears at the front of the movie as the Kafkian boss of the workhouse that Blake reports to. Hurt is very complimentary about Jarmusch's approach to movie-making.