Impact Magazine - Issue 211 - June 2011

Page 41

f A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO JIM JARMUSCH -Jem Talbot

Contemporary stalwart of the art house tradition, -DUPXVFKŇ‹V Ă€OPV DUH VXIIXVHG ZLWK DQ HTXDO PHDVXUH RI WUDJLFRPLF SURWDJRQLVWV RII EHDW KXPRU DQG WKH NLQG of coffee table philosophy associated with ‘American LQGHSHQGHQWŇ‹ FLQHPD <HW \RX FDQŇ‹W DFFXVH -DUPXVFK RI WKH NLQG RI WZHH QHVV DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK WKH )UHQFK QHZ ZDYH SKLODQGHULQJV RI :HV $QGHUVRQŇ‹V Ă€OPV +LV PRYLHV FDUU\ WKH NLQG RI FORXW WKDW RQO\ WKLUW\ \HDUV RI H[SHULHQFH and ten feature lengths, both written and directed, brings. Dominant features of his work include characters who move across zones by random circumstance, the emotional ZHLJKW RI PXVLFDO GLUHFWLRQ ZHŇ‹YH DOO H[SHULHQFHG WKH perfect song played at the perfect moment feeling), and casual and often humorous contemplation of the deepest SKLORVRSKLFDO FRQXQGUXPV 'RQŇ‹W KHVLWDWH LQ GLYLQJ ULJKW LQWR WKH XQRUWKRGR[ ZRUOG RI -LP -DUPXVFK

Broken Flowers (2005) This is entry-level Jarmusch, as it’s the most palatable of his Ă€OPV )HDWXULQJ %LOO 0XUUD\ %URNHQ )ORZHUV LV SDUW $PHULFDQ road drama, part detective narrative. Protagonist ‘Don Juan’ goes on a cross-country journey tracking down his lost lovers after receiving an anonymous letter proclaiming he has a son. -DUPXVFK SDWWHUQV WKH Ă€OP LQWULFDWHO\ ZLWK WKH XVH RI PRWLI DQG symbol, just as an author would. Whether the ending infuriates or calms you, Broken Flowers is a must for the supporting cast alone: Tilda Swinton, Sharon Stone, and ChloĂŤ Sevigny.

film KRPDJH WR -HDQ 3LHUUH 0HOYLOOHҋV /H 6DPRXUDw 7KH ÀOP is an innovative blending of samurai and gangster lifestyle. Handsomely shot, surprisingly peaceful, and intriguingly parodic RI GLVVLPLODU JHQUHV *KRVW 'RJ LV D EULOOLDQWO\ FRKHVLYH SLHFH RI GLVSDUDWH ÀOPPDNLQJ Soundtrack: 2ULJLQDO PXVLF IRU WKH ÀOP ZULWWHQ DQG SHUIRUPHG by Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA.

The Limits of Control (2009) -DUPXVFKŇ‹V PRVW UHFHQW DQG PRVW FKDOOHQJLQJ Ă€OP VHFRQG RQO\ WR 'HDG 0DQ ,WŇ‹V D PRYLH WKDW GHĂ€HV FDWHJRULVDWLRQ EXW might be best described as ‘outlaw noir’. Isaach De BankolĂŠ, D ELW SDUW SOD\HU LQ SUHYLRXV -DUPXVFK Ă€OPV WDNHV RQ WKH OHDG UROH KHUH &ULWLFDOO\ -DUPXVFKŇ‹V OHDVW ZHOO UHFHLYHG Ă€OP LV unsurprisingly his most ambitious. Disparaged for its use of minimal dialogue and slow pace, these features become Limits of Control’s virtues if viewed patiently. Yet another stellar cast of cameo performances by the likes of John Hurt, Gael GarcĂ­a Bernal, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray, the characters remain unnamed and are credited as Blonde, Mexican, American, and *XLWDU ,W LV DSSDUHQW WKDW WKH Ă€OPŇ‹V Ă€JXUDWLYH QDWXUH LV NH\ WR LWV understanding. Limits To Control is undoubtedly a movie buff’s Ă€OP LQ LWV FXOWXUDO UHIHUHQFHV WR +LWFKFRFN :HOOHV DQG 7DUNRYVN\ If you’ve got the inclination and the patience it is Jarmusch’s IXOOHVW IHDWXUH LQ ZKLFK WKH UHZDUGV RXWZHLJK WKH Ă€OPŇ‹V LQLWLDO opacity. Soundtrack: Meditative ambient noise rock from Sun O))), Boris, and Jarmusch’s band Bad Rabbit.

Soundtrack: Brian Jonestown Massacre, Marvin Gaye, Gabriel FaurĂŠ

Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) Technically a collection of short vignettes rather than a feature length, but nevertheless both hilarious and enlightening. The title is pretty self-explanatory: these are 11 shorts that share the thread of coffee and cigarettes. Performances to look out for include Roberto Benigini, Cate Blanchett, Steve Coogan and Alfred Molina, and the incongruous coupling of Bill Murray and RZA & GZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. With a focus on interpersonal connections shot in black and white, each vignette portrays how each person completely disagrees with the other, yet amicably shares a coffee and a cigarette at the same table. If vignettes are your thing then Stranger Than Paradise (1984) is its earlier equivalent. Soundtrack: Joe Strummer

Ghost Dog: Way of The Samurai (1999) Here Jarmusch dips into the crime action genre. Ghost Dog, a KLWPDQ LQ WKH HPSOR\ RI WKH PDÀD SOD\HG E\ )RUUHVW :KLWDNHU lives by the strict code of Hagakure – more commonly known as the way of the samurai. The odd subject matter is a curious

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