Jim Jarmusch's Guide: All Films and Basic Directing Techniques

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

On January 22nd, the creator of "Night on Earth" and "Only Lovers Left Alive" turned 66 years old.

Jim Jarmusch always creates films according to his own script and on his own terms. His paintings are easy to recognize, because the director shoots in a special style, refusing the dynamics of the plot and bright colors. So he makes the viewer pay attention to the little things: simple life situations, music, landscapes and, most importantly, conversations.

Over the years, Jarmusch has shot not so many full-length films. But each of them deserves attention.

1. Vacation without end

• USA, 1980.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 75 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

Young Ollie wanders around New York. He meets strange people, visits a mentally ill mother and all the time dreams of becoming like Charlie Parker. And then Ollie steals a car to sell it and sail away in search of a better life.

After working as an assistant for the legendary director Nicholas Ray, Jim Jarmusch decided to make his first film. The painting cost the author only 15 thousand dollars, but critics praised the style and unconventional approach to work.

Already in "Vacation without End" you can see the techniques that Jarmusch will use in most of his next works: love for long desert landscapes, unhurried pace of storytelling and focusing not on global events, but on the little things of life.

2. Stranger than Paradise

• USA, Germany, 1984.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 89 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

The Hungarian emigrant Willie has long settled in New York. Suddenly, his cousin Eva comes to visit him for 10 days. During this time, Willie manages to become attached to the girl. And a year later, together with a friend Eddie goes to visit her. This becomes the beginning of changes in their lives.

The picture originated from Jarmusch's half-hour thesis "New World". He filmed several episodes and turned it into a full-length story.

Like the first film, "Stranger than in Paradise" determined the further style of the director. Jarmusch's heroes always go somewhere. The theme of movement, transport, as well as life in hotels will flicker in most of his works.

And of course, one cannot fail to notice that Jarmusch loves to shoot black and white films.

3. Out of the law

• USA, 1986.
• Drama, comedy, crime.
• Duration: 107 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

DJ Zach once again lost his job due to his stubbornness. Wanting to get money, he agrees to overtake the stolen car, but ends up in jail. There he meets pimp Jack and Italian Roberto, who knows only a few phrases in English. Together, the three decide to escape.

This film is also filmed in black and white and again vividly reflects Jarmusch's approach: the main thing in his paintings is human communication and the intersection of destinies. There is no excessive drama here, just the heroes meet, talk, and then part forever.

The cast also deserves a separate mention. Ever since the first films, the director tried not to dwell only on American actors, talking about the fate of immigrants from other countries. Outlaw continued this tradition. The film stars Italians Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi.

In addition, musician Tom Waits played one of the main roles. Subsequently, he and Jarmusch became very friends. Waits appeared in the director's subsequent works and wrote soundtracks for his films.

Tom is also a member of the playful club "Lee Marvin's Sons", founded by Jarmusch. These are people who look like they could be the sons of actor Lee Marvin (he was tall, with white hair and a very deep voice).

4. Mysterious train

• USA, Japan, 1989.
• Drama, crime, comedy.
• Duration: 110 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

The events of the three short stories take place in the rooms of the Arcadia Hotel in Memphis. The first story tells about a young couple of rock and roll fans from Japan who came to the homeland of Elvis Presley and Karl Perkins. In the second, an Italian woman accompanying her husband's coffin goes for a walk around the city, and she is deceived at every corner. Wanderings lead the girl to the same "Arcadia", where she rents a number with a stranger who escaped from a violent guy. And the third story is dedicated to just this guy who gets drunk with his friends.

Starting with The Mystery Train, Jarmusch regularly divides his films into several parts. Fragments-novellas are united by a common scene or some small references, but each story is completely self-sufficient.

The Mysterious Train again brings together actors from different countries, and the director invited the musician Screamin Jay Hawkins to play the role of the porter, whose song can be heard in the film Stranger than Paradise. Tom Waits also took part in the work on the film - his voice sounds on the radio.

And by the way, careful selection of voices is one of the reasons why Jarmusch opposes the dubbing of his films. He believes that the sound in the context of the dialogues of the actors should remain unchanged.

5. Night on earth

• USA, 1991.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 129 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

In five megacities of the world, unexpected meetings take place in a taxi. In Los Angeles, a girl driver gives a ride to a casting agent and gets a chance to audition. In New York, an emigrant from Germany puts a client behind the wheel. In Paris, a taxi driver takes a blind woman on a traditional ride. The Roman driver decides to tell the passenger about his sexual experience. And finally, in Helsinki, a taxi driver tells his drunk friends about his deceased daughter.

Jarmusch again divided his film into several parts, and Tom Waits wrote all the music. According to the director, he came up with the script literally in a week, but then the production was delayed.

Filming in different countries caused difficulties: in Italy the film crew was arrested for lack of passports, and in Finland the car broke down right on the tram tracks, almost provoking an accident.

But the most difficult thing, according to Jarmusch, is to shoot in a real car.

6. Dead man

• USA, Germany, Japan, 1995.
• Drama, western.
• Duration: 121 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

An accountant named William Blake comes to the Wild West in search of work. After a series of unfortunate accidents, a reward is announced for his head. He himself, having been wounded, hides in the forest, where he meets an Indian named Nobody. He takes Blake for his namesake - a famous poet - and decides to help the fugitive.

The name of the legendary William Blake is used in the film not only to plot the plot. In Jarmusch's paintings, heroes often quote or at least read famous poets.

In Dead Man, the director returned to a coherent narrative, but again gave up on color. In addition, he added ambiguity to the plot in the spirit of David Lynch. He believes that the viewer can decide for himself at what moment the main character died and which part of the story is considered fiction.

The creation of the soundtrack for the film is no less interesting. Composer Neil Young just watched the rough cut of the film and played the guitar. As a result, some of these improvisations were included in the picture.

7. Year of the Horse

• USA, 1997.
• Documentary, music.
• Duration: 106 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

A documentary about the 1996 concert tour of Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse. Filming is interspersed with rare recordings from the band's archives and interviews with musicians.

Jarmusch didn’t approach his work in the most standard way. Year of the Horse is not like a traditional concert film. Recordings of performances and conversations with musicians are sometimes interrupted by clips with abstract and almost psychedelic visuals.

8. Ghost dog: the path of the samurai

• USA, Germany, France, Japan, 1999.
• Drama, crime, action.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

The hired killer, nicknamed the Ghost Dog, lives by the laws of samurai honor. An Italian mafioso once saved his life, and the Ghost Dog vowed to serve him. But after completing the next task, he himself becomes a target for the mafia.

With this film, Jarmusch anticipated another round of fashion in Asian cinema. Later, Quentin Tarantino will release Kill Bill, Sofia Coppola - Lost in Translation, and then other directors will turn to this topic.

However, Jim Jarmusch again deviated from tradition and did everything his own way. In The Mystery Train, he portrayed Asians as fans of rock and roll, and in The Ghost Dog, he made a black actor a samurai.

9. Coffee and cigarettes

• USA, Japan, Italy, 2003.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 95 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

A collection of many stories not related to each other. Several people meet in each. They drink coffee, smoke cigarettes and just talk. Every time about something different.

Jarmusch began working on this film back in 1986 during the filming of Outlaw. This is how a six-minute short film appeared, starring Stephen Wright and Roberto Benigni.

Then, over the years, the director filmed various episodes. In 1989, the "Memphis Version" appeared about twins arguing over which one was evil. And in 1993 - "Somewhere in California." In this novel, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop discuss how to quit smoking.

The final version of the picture included 11 such stories. And all of them are united by several parameters: black and white picture, coffee, cigarettes. And the main thing is the complete absence of any dynamics, the characters just talk.

10. Broken flowers

• USA, France, 2005.
• Tragicomedy, road movie.
• Duration: 106 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

Aged ladies' man Don Johnston receives a letter. One of the former friends reports that 20 years ago, right after breaking up with him, she discovered that she was pregnant. She does not ask Don for anything, she simply writes that her grown-up son is now trying to find his father. The hero decides to visit all his ex-girlfriends to find out who sent the letter.

In terms of plot construction, this film can be called the most mainstream of Jarmusch's works. The action here often leans towards traditional drama or even melodrama.

But still, the director did not finish the picture with an unambiguous happy ending, allowing the viewer to think about the ending on their own. And for the most attentive, an interesting "Easter egg" was added: in one of the scenes, the real son of Bill Murray, who played the main role, appears.

11. Limit of control

• USA, Japan, 2009.
• Drama, crime, road movie.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 3.

A loner with no name receives instructions to complete his mission. It is unknown what he should do and how it will happen. But each person he meets gives him advice on how to find the next clue. The characters communicate in different languages and speak in common words. But this leads alone to his goal.

After the very light and traditional film Broken Flowers, Jim Jarmusch released his strangest work ever. The film was perceived ambiguously, because it does not have any content. Just abstract conversations and a lot of quotes from classics.

But over time, the picture became truly cult. It shows the triumph of form over content and makes the viewer look for meaning even where it actually does not exist.

12. Only lovers will survive

• Great Britain, Germany, 2013.
• Drama, fantasy.
• Duration: 123 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

Ancient vampires Adam and Eve live far from each other. He plays rock music and hates people. She loves to talk about poetry and follows fashion. When Adam becomes depressed, Eve has to get out of the house and fly to him. But circumstances and not the most beloved relatives only complicate the situation.

This picture can be considered a confession of Jarmusch's love for poetry and music. From his point of view, even creatures who have lived for hundreds of years find the meaning of existence only with the help of art. The film's picture is full of frames with musical instruments, and verses often sound in the background.

As for the plot itself, after the first trial screenings, the director was criticized for the lack of action in the film. Then he re-edited the picture, removing almost all the dynamic scenes. So he wanted to show that the action in it is not the main thing.

13. Gimme Danger. The story of Iggy and the Stooges

• USA, 2016.
• Documentary, music.
• Duration: 108 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

And one more documentary about a musical group. This time it's the story of The Stooges and their leader Iggy Pop. The film contains archival footage, interviews with musicians and many references to the entire pop culture of the heyday of the group.

By the way, Iggy Pop is also rumored to be a member of the Lee Marvin Sons club. In addition, Jarmusch is very fond of the work of The Stooges. According to him, this film is "A declaration of love for possibly the best band in the history of rock and roll."

14. Paterson

• USA, 2016.
• Drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 118 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

Paterson is a bus driver in Paterson, New Jersey. He spends evenings with his beloved wife and writes poetry, without even planning to publish them someday. But one day, due to a fateful coincidence, he loses everything he wrote.

Paterson is another poetry hymn. Classics here are interspersed with poems written specifically for the film. Otherwise, Jarmusch returns to his original style.

There are no serious conflicts in the picture, and the action concentrates on the little things of life. The cinematography is minimalistic, but fully conveys a leisurely narrative.

The main roles were played by actors from different countries. American Adam Driver was joined by Golshifte Farahani from Iran and Japanese Masatoshi Nagase.