A beautiful film. An "indie" classic. Black and white. Directed by Jim Jarmusch in 1984.
This film is hard to describe, but with that it brings the talent of Jim's skill. It is a story of an exiled Hungarian emigrate, who calls himself Willie played by musician, composer, performer John Lurie, along with his friend Eddie played by Richard Edson, and his 16 year old Hungarian cousin Eva who is played by Eszter Baliant who comes to stay with him in the Lower East Side in (where Jim lived) New York City for 10 days. Then she's off to Cleveland to see her aunt.
The initial "chapter" is called "New World", with an illusion to when immigrants moved to New York to find a better life, in a different country. Eva is here, and with her ragged hair and bags with her tape player projecting the sounds of "I Put A Spell On You" by
Screamin' Jay Hawkins while she walks along the New York City streets going to her cousin's apartment. I really want that song on my mp3 player now... reminds me of
Howlin' Wolf and
Tom Waits. We meet all three characters, Willie, her Americanized cousin, his friend, Eddie, and Eva. A stranger in a strange land. New York City.
One thing that I noticed when watching this film is that I can't pinpoint any direct time period. All I know is that it was in the past, sometime after the 1950's (TV dinners). She is only supposed to stay a night or two, but ends up spending 10 days with her relaxed cousin where she is exposed to American culture for the first time, as with eating TV dinners and watching television until the early morning.
The second "chapter" is called "One Year Later," which is by it's title, actually one year later. One day, while Willie and Eddie are playing poker with some local neighbors they decide to cheat. Take the money and run. And where do they run to when they don't know of anyplace other than New York City? Cleveland. See Eva. Visit with Aunt Lotte. So they go. One of my favorite lines in the film, which are often dry humored and witty, Eddie says while they are seeing the sights "You know, it's funny... you come to someplace new, an'... and everything looks just the same." Oddly enough, I think we all know that's true.
A
fter the dull, dreariness of Cleveland the trio once again leave after playing cards with Aunt Lotte and eating her delicious goulash it transitions to "Paradise." With Willie and Eddie's newly acquired fortune they leave the snow covered land of Cleveland for sunny Florida.
This film is very interesting. Every single scene is broke up with seconds of a black screen, and while most of the scenes are short conversations, glimpses of time into the world of these three intriguing characters. And their journey together. Jim uses unique scenes to make the storyline, they are the "small talk" or "dead space" and he uses it for his advantage instead of just using bits and pieces for times sake. He lets those pieces tell the story. His work also reminds me of Fellini, in the vivid use of black and white film creating cold, stark locations and using the wide variety of locations such as a chemical plant, a snow covered lake, and a white sandy beach. I love his style of directing and writing. This film also did unprecedented things in Hollywood, he created this film with a low-budget, a stage actress and a few crossover actors who are normally musicians.
Stranger Than Paradise has received much affection for it's qualities over years appearing on many Greatest Films list, from
Empire Magazine, American Film Institute, and
Entertainment Weekly. It is known to be one of the greatest independent films. I have to say I agree. I love it. I want to own it and watch it again.
The classic idea of the "American Dream", the big house, white picket fence, perfect wife, job, kid?
