Jim Jarmusch by Ian Stout

A review on Jim Jarmusch by Ian Stout

Born James R. Jarmusch January 22nd 1953. He is an independent film writer, director, producer, actor, editor, and all around auteur. Although I doubt he would call himself that. He would be the first to tell you that his style has nothing to do with having a profound vision then working hard to capture that vision. His methods of creating a film are far more organic. He conceives his films from the inside out. He usually starts with a specific actor or actors in mind. Then he draws from a collection of random ideas he keeps written down in a notebook that he is ever adding to. Finally Jim leaves room for collaboration with the actors once he is on set. “If you know too much about the film before you shoot it,” he claims, “it takes the fun out of it.”
His films rely a lot on emotion. He uses incredible patience in the pacing as he allows his actors their creative space to feel out each scene and each moment.
Jim’s films have a rough and gritty “true to life” feel to them. Once you have an understanding for his style there is no mistaking the fact that you are watching a Jim Jarmusch film. Yet each of his films brings a fresh, unique and original take on stories and ideas that have been told many times over.
Jim’s films are loosely structured but the theme always shines through brightly. Since you’re not constantly being manipulated through camera moves and shot selections, as Jim will almost never do, you can really take in the scene and the interpretation is left up to you, the viewer. When asked to expound on any one of his films Jim will calmly reply, “It’s not my job to know what they mean. The audience’s interpretation is far more valuable than my own.”
His films hold a level of realism. Although the characters are almost always members of society living on the fringe, they are never stylized. They always hold a level of truth to them.
His style is simple and straightforward, often taking on grave and serious topics yet you can always find a level of comedy in the characters themselves.
Jim’s films follow no real order or formal structure. After attending film school at NYU to complete a masters program, he spent the next few years unlearning much of what they taught him about how Hollywood makes movies. He started working on Permanent Vacation, his first feature length film, with grant money he was suppose to be putting toward his tuition. Upon finding this out, NYU did not award him his degree. (until years later) Jarmusch also partially financed one of his later films with money from a car lone. His mind and method is truly that of an independent filmmaker. Breaking into Hollywood was never in his sights. He found it ironic how so many people spend their entire lives trying to break in and through telling his unique stories in his own way, he has had multiple opportunities to turn down offers from Hollywood. He never wanted fame or fortune. He just wants to be able to tell the stories that he wants to tell. As long as he can pay the bills, then all is well.

The first film I would like to share a clip from is The Limits of Control, his most recent film. It is a great snapshot of his entire career and story sense. This film, Jim quotes, “… is all about variations.” The entire movie is basically the same scene over and over with different variations as the protagonist has coffee with an ongoing list of cameo appearances. It’s in those variations that you find the humanity of the characters.

PLAY THE CLIP (Chapter 7 – BLONDE – 33:30-36:00)

Each of his films is a variation on similar themes. And in each story there are recurring scenarios played out in many different ways. The most reoccurring theme being, the past is gone, the future isn’t here yet. There is only now. Control, holds true to much of his earlier films as he utilizes an all-star cast of famous actors, writer and poets in this film. He differs in that the theme of Control is stated much louder than many of his earlier films have stated their themes. At times it almost comes across on the nose, yet it is delivered in such a way that it still sounds natural coming form each actors performance. I believe Control holds true to Jarmusch as a filmmaker and as a person. The growth in that he still does not have all the answers to life but he does seem to have a far greater handle on his own personal beliefs. In an interview he states, “The highest thing I can aspire to do is to be in any given moment in that given moment… It is real easy to say that, yet real hard to do.” Throughout all of his work, Jim’s characters do just that; they live in their moments on screen. I believe his strongest style shines through The Limits of Control through the never-ending coffee drinking scenes that dominate the plot. This plays off of Coffee and Cigarettes, a collection of short films spanning over 9 years. After three separate releases they were all compiled into a feature film in 2003.

I would like to share a clip from Coffee and Cigarettes, that is a conversation between Bill Rice, an underground actor, filmmaker, painter, photographer, sculptor and historian and the talented actor, Taylor Mead.

PLAY CLIP (FINAL CHAPTER – CHAMPAIGN 1:29:09-1:31:00)

Jims style, as I stated before, is summed up in every talent mash up who sits down for a cup of coffee and a cigarette. Using simple camera set ups and carefully paced edits, Jims subtlety hand can be seen and felt through out. Again the basic similarity in Coffee, that holds true to the rest of his work, is the unique individuals that he cast’s to be juxtaposed with one another. The strongest impression is left through the silence between the dialog. And when they do speak, the performances that he evokes are profoundly original. Yet if you know Jim well, you can hear his voice through every word the actors speak. For instance when Taylor speaks of Paris in the 30’s and when Bill speaks of NY in the late 70’s, these were both eras that Jim was very much in love with. NY was his own life in the 70’s and Paris was the life he experienced through older French films he viewed while studying in Paris. Once you know what to look for, his fingerprints are all over his work. If you were to watch only one of his films as a stand-alone peace much of his work seems out there with no real theme or reason for being on screen, other than to give us a look into different peoples lives. It’s in the repetition and diversities of similar themes that one picks up Jims style. As far as quality of work, I would say this collection of shorts not only sums up his career but is also his magnum opus. There is most defiantly a delightful scenario for every type of person that can be found in Coffee and Cigarettes. So brew a fresh pot and roll up a stog. It’s time to enjoy the finer things in life. And for Jim, those special things can be found in this very moment. Because this is now, and this is all you’ve got!


Name: Jim Jarmusch
Year Born: 1953
Country of Origin: America
Background (education/upbringing): Grew up in Cuyahoga Falls Ohio. After being asked to leave the Medill School of Journalism for not attending any Journalism classes Jim transferred to Columbia University in pursuit being a poet. His final year at Columbia he moved to Paris and instead of attending class he spent most of his time at the Cinematheque Francaise. After graduating from Colombia in 1975, Jarmusch on a whim applied to NYU’s gradate film school. He got in and worked under film noir director Nicholas Ray. In his senior year he used his tuition money that was intended for school on his first feature film. NYU denied him his degree.
First Feature Permanent Vacation
Most notable Films: Down By Law, Coffee and Cigarettes, Ghost Dog Way of the Samurai and Dead Man starring Jonny Depp.
Genre’s Explored: Unconventional Drama, Indi Drama, Gritty, Cerebral, Quirky
Stylistic Tendencies: Long takes. Slowly paced edits. Heavily influenced by music.
Typical Content: Character driven, often foreign actors and characters, quirky, fun and often gritty.
Awards & accolades: Jarmusch was recognized with the Filmmaker on the Edge award at the 2004 Provincetown International Film Festival. A retrospective of the director's films was hosted at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during February 1994, and another, "The Sad and Beautiful World of Jim Jarmusch", by the American Film Institute in August 2005. (pulled from wikipedia)
Long-term collaborators: Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, Bill Murray, and Steve Buscemi to name a few.
Interesting facts/ etc:
This quote sums him up nicely. “Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery — celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from — it’s where you take them to.” – Jim Jarmusch