It does not happen often that a relativly unknown artist is honored in such a sensitive, subtile and most impressing way, as Jim Jarmusch did it with his movie "Dead Man".
The black white movie is set in the Wild West. A young man (an extraordinary performance of Johnny Depp) is on his way to a new job as accountant in a city at the end of the railways. Thristy for action, but lecking self confidence auf.
But the real goal of his travels is a different one ... its the other side of life. Beeing victim of his destiny, he realizes himself beeing an outlaw, hitten by gun bullet and tracked by bounty hunters.
A indian called Nobody (performed by Gary Farmer) is taking care of him. He belives Blake to be the poet William Blake, whiches works he worships. Nobody knows the young man will die soon. The spirits were telling him via the Peyotl. And so he is guarding Blake on his last, his spiritual travel to death.
The deep mood of this movie is underpined by slow but dynamic pictures and a perfect soundtrack from Neil Young's guitars. Partly the movie was cut on this sounds, partly he was live performing on the pictures.
This movie is perfect and a must have for everyone interessted in the depth and intensitivity of Blakes work.
121 minutes; english; co-production: USA, Germany, Japan; black-width; dolby
Quotes:
That gun will replace your tongue. You will learn to speak through it. And your poetry will be written in blood. (Nobody)
If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite. (William Blake)
The eagle never lost so much time as when he submitted to learn from the crow. (Nobody)
Things which are alike, in nature, grow to look alike. (Nobody)
I was then taken east, in a cage. I was taken to Toronto. Then Philadelphia. And then to New York. And each time I arrived at another city, somehow the white men had moved all their people there ahead of me. Each new city contained the same white people as the last, and I could not understand how a whole city of people could be moved so quickly. (Nobody)
It is strange that you do not remember any of your poetry, William Blake. (Nobody)
What name were you given at birth stupid white man? (Nobody)
Some are born to sweet delight; some are born to endless night. (Nobody)
I have prepared your canoe with cedar boughs. It's time for you to leave now, William Blake. Time for you to go back to where you came from. - Do you mean Cleveland? - Back to the place where all spirits come from, and where all spirits return. This world will no longer concern you. (Nobody - Blake - Nobody)
God damn your soul to the fires of Hell! - He already has. (missionary - Blake)
Perfomers:
William Blake - Johnny Depp, Nobody - Gary Farmer, Thel Russell - Mili Avital, John Dickinson - Robert Mitchum, Cole Wilson - Lance Henriksen, Conway Twill - Michael Wincott, Johnny 'The Kid' Pickett - Eugene Byrd
Awards:
Awarded: Best Non-European Film - Prix Screen International (European Film Awards 1996) and New York Film Critics Circle Award (1996).
Nominated: Golden Palm (Cannes 1995) and Independent Spirit Awards (1997).
The black white movie is set in the Wild West. A young man (an extraordinary performance of Johnny Depp) is on his way to a new job as accountant in a city at the end of the railways. Thristy for action, but lecking self confidence auf.