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Dead Man (1996)
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Synopsis: In bringing his distinct vision to the Western genre, writer-director Jim Jarmusch has created a quasi-mystical avant-garde drama that remains a deeply spiritual viewing experience. After losing his parents and fiancée, a Cleveland accountant named William Blake (a remarkable Johnny... In bringing his distinct vision to the Western genre, writer-director Jim Jarmusch has created a quasi-mystical avant-garde drama that remains a deeply spiritual viewing experience. After losing his parents and fiancée, a Cleveland accountant named William Blake (a remarkable Johnny Depp) spends all his money and takes a train to the frontier town of Machine in order to work at a factory. Upon arriving in Machine, he is denied his expected job and finds himself a fugitive after murdering a man in self-defense. Wounded and helpless, Blake is befriended by Nobody (Gary Farmer), a wandering Native American who considers him to be a ghostly manifestation of the famous poet. Nobody aids Blake in his flight from three bumbling bounty hunters, preparing him for his final journey--a return to the world of the spirits. Jarmusch once again employs the beautifully contrasted black-and-white photography of Robby Müller, which sets a poetic, dreamy mood. He also fades in and out of scenes in order to better reflect Blake's dazed, weak mental state. Adding an even greater depth to the film is Neil Young's haunting score, which completes the overall effect. DEAD MAN stands firmly as a timeless work of art whose impact only increases upon subsequent viewings. [More]
Genre: Westerns
Starring: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott, Mili Avital
Screenwriter: Jim Jarmusch
Producer: Demetra J. MacBride, Karen Koch
Composer: Neil Young
DVD Info
Release:
Jul 12, 2001
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.78
- Dual Layer
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound - English
Additional Releae Material:
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
- Music Video
Interactive Features:
- Scene Access
- Interactive Menus
Reviews
I was held by Depp's transformation from white-man non-entity to the Jarmusch version of the affectless Man With No Name.
Characteristically meandering and sardonic, with Robby Muller's floating, shimmering camerawork, a catalog of witty cameos, and one of the most beautiful modern film-scores
Minimalism defines this revisionist and challenging noir- Western, a welcome artistic departure from Jarmusch's increasingly tired and tiresome Downtown New York sensibility.


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