Dead Man (1995)

Director:

Jim Jarmusch

Writer:

Jim Jarmusch (written by)

Release Date:

10 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Western

Tagline:

No one can survive becoming a legend.

Plot:

On the run after murdering a man, accountant William Blake encounters a strange Indian named "Nobody" who prepares him for his journey into the spiritual world.

Plot Keywords:

William Blake | Accountant | Native American | Small Town | Factory

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	William Blake
Gary Farmer	...	Nobody
Crispin Glover	...	Train Fireman
Lance Henriksen	...	Cole Wilson
Michael Wincott	...	Conway Twill
Eugene Byrd	...	Johnny 'The Kid' Pickett
John Hurt	...	John Scholfield
Robert Mitchum	...	John Dickinson
Iggy Pop	...	Salvatore 'Sally' Jenko
Gabriel Byrne	...	Charlie Dickinson
Jared Harris	...	Benmont Tench
Mili Avital	...	Thel Russell
Jimmie Ray Weeks	...	Marvin, Older Marshal
Mark Bringleson	...	Lee, Younger Marshal (as Mark Bringelson)
John North	...	Mr. Olafsen

Also Known As:

Dead Man (Germany)
Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for moments of strong violence, a graphic sex scene and some language.

Runtime:

121 min | Australia:115 min | Argentina:120 min

Country:

USA | Germany | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Denmark:15 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:Refused Classification (original rating) | Australia:R (re-rating) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Canada:R (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Applegate River, Oregon, USA

Company:

Pandora Filmproduktion

Trivia:

The character Thel is also taken from a William Blake poem called "The Book of Thel".

Goofs:

Continuity: When William and Nobody are riding horses, William's jacket is hanging off his shoulders, in the next shot, his arms are in the sleeves, and a few shots later, his jacket is once again on his shoulders.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Train Fireman: Look out the window. And doesn't this remind you of when you were in the boat, and then later than night, you were lying, looking up at the ceiling, and the water in your head was not dissimilar from the landscape, and you think to yourself, "Why is it that the landscape is moving, but the boat is still?"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: South by Southwest (#6.17)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Billy Boy

Magical trip to demise

What a movie!... didn't want to see it at first.. But, then, when it begins, you take the trip with Blake to the big sea.

So beatiful pictures, such poetry in every single one of them. Hypnotic black and white scenes, still and vast nature, music that takes you down the other side.

It's the unconsious trip of one man to death, slowly descending to another level, deeper into nature. Or is he already dead and is not aware of it? Rivers, trees, animals and spirits to guide him along the way. This is a trip to self-knowledge, a hallucinational, sweet and slow resignation from needs and senses.

Amazing directing, incredible photography and an also amazing Johnny Depp, sunk in his own visions and thoughts, excellent in his portrayal of a man's abdication to parrallel levels of consiousness.

Thank god there is the indie american film making, that we see such beatiful movies.