Jim Jarmusch is an American director Auteur, screen writer, musician, born and raised in Ohio. He eventually moved to New York at 17 and Paris. He is known for low budget independent films and makes films that suit him. He owns all his own negatives except one that he made for Neil Young. His growing up in Ohio is evident in his films. You can see his love of music as well as his personality in his films. Jarmusch has so much influence and control on his movies but rejects the title of Auteur. In an interview with Jim Jarmusch he explains why the Auteur thing is nonsense. Jarmusch rejects the title of auteur and say’s that he cannot do a movie without the help of his collaborators.
“Because the auteur thing is nonsense. Film is so collaborative, and especially in my case, because I have artistic control over the film. That means I choose the people I collaborate with—we’re making the film together. I use “a film by [Jim Jarmusch]” in the credits to protect my ability to choose my collaborators in this world of financing and using other people’s money. But we’re collaborating all the time, so the film is evolving each day we scout, and then each day we shoot, and then if we rehearse, whatever that might mean, it’s just changing, changing, changing.”
https://theplaylist.net/jim-jarmusch-explains-auteur-thing-nonsense-20161228/
In the last two weeks I watched two of Jarmusch’s movies 1984, Stranger Than Paradise and 1995 Dead Man both in the category Auteurs Rethinking Genres. Despite some of the reviews I thought both movies although slow moving beautifully made and enjoyable. Both movies are shot in black and white with heavy music influence. Both films references Ohio and the how the scenery including the people are all the same.
Stranger Than Paradise is a 1984 film written and directed by Jarmusch. It was made on a $150,000 budget and grossed over $2 million. It was a Cannes Film Festival winner. This film like critics say was very enjoyable in an expressionless manner. This review of the Stranger Than Paradise by Roger Ebert January 1 1984. He describes the movie as a treasure from one end to another.
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/stranger-than-paradise-1984
The movie is filmed in black and white and with shots that fade in and out and some shots are characters in silence make the movie just kind of move along. The characters don’t work and gamble to make money their lives are very dull and lacking excitement.
The story is about Bill who calls himself willy a hipster who came to New York ten years prior and completely engrosses himself in American culture. He gambles in hopes to win big, eats tv dinners, watches football and doesn’t want anything to do with Hungary where he is from. His young cousin Ava comes to stay with him from Hungary hoping to see America and he doesn’t take her out once. She moves away to Ohio and a year later Willy and his friend go to “save” her in Cleveland. The way the movie is shot in black and white makes you think all of America looks the same New York, Cleveland and even Florida. Even as the three look over Lake Erie they see nothing just an endless bland lake. The song I put a spell on you is the only song in the film loved by AVA hated by Willy. I think Ava kind of put a spell on Willy and brought some life and purpose to his world.
The next film I watched was 1995 starring Johnny Depp as William Blake along with some other well-known names. This film was written and directed by Jim Jarmusch with a budget of $9 million. Dead Man only grossed $1,037, 847 with mixed reviews, mostly bad. Roger Ebert disliked the film saying “Dead Man” is a strange, slow, unrewarding movie that provides us with more time to think about its meaning than with meaning. I dis-agree.
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dead-man-1996
Dead Man is a poetic story of human nature. I thought the film was well written and with good acting. Jarmusch’s use of the famous poet and artist William Blake is evident throughout the film. This is western unlike most done in the past Dead Man is not fast paced and does not glorify cow boys and Indians. This movie is violent and tells a more realistic version of a western and Americas obsession with guns and death. There are many lines that say “Stupid White Man” throughout.
Dead Man is about a timid accountant named William Blake played by Depp is invited to the town Machine for a job but get’s there too late the job is taken by another. He meets a woman and agrees to walk her home. He sleeps with her in the morning they are visited by an ex-lover of hers who tries to shoot Blake but kills her as she shields William, but the shot goes right through her and William is left with a deadly wound in the chest. Blake shoots and kills the man leaving him wanted for murder with a bounty on his head and paid killers to find him. Blake wanted for murder and having no other choice but to accept his death. Blake is found by an Indian named Nobody who is convinced that the accountant is the famous poet William Blake. He decides to join Blake on his journey to death. All though he knows he will eventually die he defends himself with a gun throughout the movie.
William Blake, do you know how to use this weapon?
Not really.
That weapon will replace your tongue, you will learn to speak through it, and your poetry will now be written with blood.
This review is of Dead Man by the Chicago Tribune June of 1996, I agree with this one. They describe this movie as a visionary western and say that Jarmusch has never made a better film.
Hello Melisa,
Good job showing how a director can have the same style but use it differently for opposite genres. Though I have never seen Stranger Than Paradise; my mother owns Dead Man and loves the film. I never myself got into it when I was younger and I believe it’s do to it being slow moving. However, the film is absolutely beautiful and with Depp as the main character you know it’s well acted. I like the background you gave about the director. It’s nice to know that we do have directors that are making art to make it. Even though the films are black and white it does give a fresh feel, and makes it feel more classic. Stranger Than Paradise looks to me like an enjoyable film in that it’s visually appealing and uses other forms of media to expand on the other all feel. I should give Dead Man another try simply because every movie does deserve a chance. Nicely done!
Hey Melisa,
Once again, I love that resource you used featuring an interview with Jim Jarmusch where he rejects the word ‘auteur’, his point of view is definitely refreshing, especially in the movie industry where being modest isn’t very common. Although I still want to call Jarmusch an auteur- you did a great job describing his directing style and what influenced his style. You also explained both movies cinematography and characters really well, I felt like I got a good idea of the differences and similarities between the movies. I’m going to work on using imagery more in my future blog posts!
Hi Melisa, I thought it was good to start out with a brief history of the man behind the films, especially because he not only has made so many films that could fit into the category, but he actively denies the title of an Auteur. I find it really honorable that he wishes to spread the credit around to his fellow creators who helped him with his work. I have never heard of any movie described as “enjoyable in an expressionless manner” and I find it really cool and oddly fascinating that Stranger than paradise was able to earn that distinction.