#16 - Night on Earth (1991)

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#16 - Night on Earth (1991)

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Recommended Movie-Club Sandwich: Mystery Train (1989)
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Re: #16 - Night on Earth (1991)

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Wow. Having been a huge Jarmusch fan since I was a teenager, I can't believe it took me this many years to finally see Night on Earth. Usually short-film anthologies are a mishmash of unrelated hits-or-misses. I thought this one was particularly even (with the exception of the first film.. there wasn't anything particularly horrible about it--but it certainly had much less to say than the rest). And, considering the rather loose theme that strings these together, the shorts complimented each other very well. Tom Waits' original score certainly added to this--providing the appropriate atmosphere for each, whether it be comedic or serious in tone. The New York segment was hilarious and oddly touching (an adjective I rarely use), and, thankfully, Rosie Perez's role was appropriately limited in scope. She served her character well, and Jarmusch didn't let her take over her scenes. "YoYo" and "Helmut" were both great, and the shift in tone at the end of the segment was effective without being jarring. The Paris segment was good and, I daresay, thoughtful. Great ending. Rome was fantastic. Benigni at his best. The fact is, the guy can pull off some amazing stuff when taken in small doses (as Jarmusch wisely divvies out here) or when presented purely as an oddity (as in Down by Law). Though, I gotta say, Paolo Bonacelli nearly steals the show from the backseat despite his sparse opportunities for dialogue. Shorts are all about the endings--and the final shot in this segment is another Jarmusch classic. Helsinki caps off the anthology with an odd blend of comedy and drama. Great performances all around, and the film itself concludes on a note that is neither not too sunny nor not too dark (perhaps like Helsinki itself?).

Anyway, I highly recommended this to anyone who has enjoyed Jarmusch's other work. In a way, it's a throwaway--but one hell of a memorable throwaway. It lacks the innocence of Stranger than Paradise, the whimsy of Down by Law, and the narrative of Dead Man..................but it's a helluva lot more even than the shoddily compiled Coffee & Cigarettes (a series of vignettes that, perhaps, should never have been anthologized into one singular work). And, as much as I enjoyed Broken Flowers--this comes off far less forced (in fact, the word "forced" would not have even come up if not for the Winona Ryder segment). I haven't watched Mystery Train in a while, but I think Night on Earth makes an appropriate companion-piece.

Been tryin' to come up with a workable ratings system... for now, my score: "I'd buy THAT for a dollar!!"
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Re: #16 - Night on Earth (1991)

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just watched Jarmusch's latest--figured i'd put my response here:

Limits of Control

It's pretty much a less in-your-face rendition of Waking Life. It has about as much to say (read: not much), but uses FAR fewer words. For the record, that's a good thing. As is expected with Jarmusch, the movie is a treat to the ears. His taste in music is (and has always been) impeccable. And he knows exactly how to employ it in his work. Unfortunately, the "story" is stretched FAR too thin for its 116 minute run-time. It's shot beautifully, but the editing can be off-putting (due to unnecessary lingering shots, I was certain that the movie was about to end several times before it actually did). Isaach De Bankolé (Night on Earth, Casino Royale) serves his purpose as a blank-slate, but the other actors don't always take full advantage of this opportunity. Not to say that they have much to work with--nor that their specific characters should outshine their respective ideologies. Nonetheless, it's kinda disappointing to see talented actors such as John Hurt, Gael García Bernal, and Bill Murray not given a chance to really do their thing.

Anyway, I can't honestly recommend this to anyone but introspective stoners and/or people who takes David Lynch movies seriously. Download the soundtrack instead.
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Re: #16 - Night on Earth (1991)

Post by silversurfer19 »

I recently watched Night On Earth also, found it going cheap and was seduced by Winona's involvement alone. Combine it with Jarmusch and I'm hooked. Gotta say though, the Rome segment was by far the best chapter, absolutely loved it, and while all the others had great qualities (I also really liked the NY short), the Helsinki one didn't really grab me. Still excellent performances all round and a really entertaining movie, with a great score to match. Highly recommended.

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