Everything about Jim Jarmusch totally explained
Jim Jarmusch (born
January 22 1953 in
Akron, Ohio) is an
American independent
film director.
Background
Jarmusch obtained his B.A. from
Columbia University. Before graduating from
New York University's school of film, Jarmusch decided to drop out of the program and funnel his scholarship funds into his first feature. His advisor at the time, Thaddeus Sebena, helped to support the release. This resulted in his first film,
Permanent Vacation, which introduced audiences to the deadpan style that he'd later develop in
Stranger Than Paradise and
Down by Law. Jim had worked as a teaching assistant to American director
Nicholas Ray while at NYU. Through Ray's efforts, Jarmusch became a production assistant on
Wim Wenders' tribute to Ray, "Lightning Over Water" (1980) .
Career
Jarmusch's first major film,
Stranger Than Paradise, was released in 1984 to much critical acclaim. Recounting a strange journey of three disillusioned youths from
New York to
Cleveland to
Florida, the film broke many conventions of traditional Hollywood moviemaking, and to this day is still considered a landmark work in modern independent film. In 1986, Jarmusch wrote and directed
Down by Law, a film about three convicts in a New Orleans jailhouse. As a result of his early work, Jarmusch became an influential representative of the trend of the American
road movie.
In 1995, Jarmusch released
Dead Man, a film set in the American West in the 19th century starring
Johnny Depp and
Gary Farmer that has been called a
Western movie, an "
acid western," an "anti-Western," and a "post-Western" by various critics. The film has been hailed as one of the few films made by a Caucasian that presents an authentic Native American culture and character, and Jarmusch stands by it as such; however, critics have both praised and decried the film for its portrayal of the American West, violence, and especially Native Americans. The film was shot in black and white by Robby Müller, and features a score composed and performed by
Neil Young.
Following artistic success and critical acclaim in the American independent film community, he achieved mainstream renown with his far-East
philosophical take on a
crime film set in
New York City,, starring
Forest Whitaker, with a
soundtrack by
the Wu-Tang Clan's
RZA.
Coffee and Cigarettes
One of his major projects is an ongoing series of short films called
Coffee and Cigarettes. The original six-minute film appeared on
Saturday Night Live in
1986, featuring filmmaker
Roberto Benigni and comedian
Steven Wright. Three years later, he released, with actor
Steve Buscemi, which was eight minutes long. The next 12-minute installment was in
1993,, featuring musicians
Tom Waits and
Iggy Pop.
In 1993, Jarmusch said, "I've shot two more which are waiting to be edited, and I've scripted two or three more. Although the intention is for them to work separately as short films, I plan to shoot around 12 to 14 and put them together for a video release."
(External Link
). These were released in
2004 as
Coffee and Cigarettes. The movie consists of 11 installments (the 1986
Coffee and Cigarettes,
Memphis Version and
Somewhere in California being segments 1, 2 and 3), featuring, among others, Jack and Meg of
The White Stripes,
Cate Blanchett,
RZA,
GZA,
Bill Murray,
Steve Coogan and
Alfred Molina.
Sons of Lee Marvin
Jarmusch is the founder of
The Sons of Lee Marvin, a humorous 'semi-secret society'. Members of the society reportedly include musician
Tom Waits and actor
John Lurie, both of whom have worked with Jarmusch on several occasions.
Richard Bose,
Nick Cave,
Thurston Moore,
Iggy Pop (who has also worked with Jarmusch),
Josh Brolin and
Neil Young are also rumored to be members. The entry criterion for the club is that the person must have some physical resemblance or plausibly look like a son of the actor
Lee Marvin — as such, women are not allowed to join. Most current members also share what seems to be a
beat mentality in that they represent and express the lives of the down and out.
The club supposedly meets occasionally to watch Lee Marvin movies together. Its members perpetuate the joke in the media.
» "I'm not at liberty to divulge information about the organization, other than to tell you that it does exist. I can identify three other members of the organization: Tom Waits, John Lurie, and Richard Bose. You have to have a facial structure such that you could be related to, or be a son of, Lee Marvin. There are no women, obviously, in the organization. We have communiques and secret meetings. Other than that, I can't talk about it."
:—Jim Jarmusch: Interview: Vol. XIX - No. 11, 1989: pp 146-150.
The real son of Lee Marvin is said to have objected to the existence of the organization when he encountered Waits in a bar.
Music
Jarmusch was the keyboardist for the No-Wave band Del-Byzanteens, whose sole LP
Lies to Live By was a minor underground hit in the US and Britain in 1982.
Jarmusch is also featured on
Wu-Tang Meets The Indie Culture quoting Bach and Yehudi Menuin.
New film
Jarmusch is currently set to start production in February 2008 on his new film,
The Limits of Control. The film will star
Isaach de Bankolé and be set in Spain. The film will also star
Hiam Abbass,
Gael García Bernal,
Paz De La Huerta,
Alex Descas,
John Hurt,
Youki Kudoh,
Bill Murray,
Jean-François Stévenin,
Tilda Swinton and
Luis Tosar.
Personal
Jarmusch divides his time between New York City and the
Catskill Mountains of
Upstate New York.
Although Jarmusch doesn't frequently make public appearances, in early 2003 he signed the Not In My Name declaration (along with people such as
Noam Chomsky and
Susan Sarandon), opposing the invasion of
Iraq.
Filmography
Director
Other production credits
Lightning Over Water (1980) - Observer
You Are Not I (1981) - Producer/Cinematographer
Der Stand Der Dinge (The State of Things) Portugal (1982) - Composer
Burroughs (1984) - Sound Recordist
Sleepwalk (1986) - Camera Operator/Cinematographer
When Pigs Fly (1993) - Executive Producer
Clerks (1994) (special thanks)
(2005) (special thanks)
Acting credits
Underground U.S.A. (1980) - Sound recordist
American Autobahn (1984) .... Movie Producer
Straight to Hell (1987) .... Amos Dade
Helsinki Napoli All Night Long (1987) ... Barkeeper #2
Candy Mountain (1988)
Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989) ... New York Car Dealer
The Golden Boat (1990) ... Stranger
In the Soup (1992) ... Monty
Iron Horseman (1995) ... Silver Rider
Blue in the Face (1995) ... Bob
Cannes Man (1996) ... Cameo
Sling Blade (1996) ... Frostee Cream guy
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Book on Tape) (1996) ... Raoul Duke (voice)
Appearances as himself
Fräulein Berlin (1983)
Fishing with John (1991) TV
Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made (1994)
American Cinema (1995) TV
The Typewriter, the Rifle & the Movie Camera (1996)
R.I.P., Rest in Pieces (1997)
We're Outta Here! aka The Ramones (1997) Video
Year of the Horse (1997)
Pop Odyssee 2 - House of the Rising Punk (1998) TV
Divine Trash (1998)
Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1998) TV
Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman (1998) TV
SpongeBob SquarePants (2000) TV
Screamin' Jay Hawkins: I Put a Spell on Me (2001)
V.I.P. (2001) TV
¿Quién es Alejandro Chomski? (2002)
Focus on Jim Jarmusch (2002) TV
Chaplin Today: A King in New York (2003) TV
Hollywood High (2003) TV
Rockets Redglare! (2003)
(2004) TV
Cinema Mil (2005) TV
Excavating Taylor Mead (2005)
Punk: Attitude' (2005) TV
Magacine 2005 (2005) TV
(2008)
The Simpsons - "Any Given Sundance" (2008)Further Information
Get more info on 'Jim Jarmusch'.
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