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Every Jim Jarmusch film involves a journey into a foreign culture. Mystery Train, in which three journeys intersect, marks one of his more diverting efforts. In the finest ("Far from Yokohama"), a Japanese couple makes a pilgrimage to Memphis. Playful Mitzuko (Youki Kudoh) worships Elvis Presley, while sad-faced Jun (Masotoshi Nagase) prefers Carl Perkins. They stay at a haunted hotel overseen by a sharp-dressed clerk (R&B wild man Screamin' Jay Hawkins) and a quirky bellboy (Spike Lee's brother, Cinqué) in a broken-down city that recalls the New York of Jarmusch's debut, Permanent Vacation: filled with rust, weeds--and character (Dead Man cinematographer Robby Müller finds the beauty in every blemish). In the following chapters ("The Ghost" and "Lost in Space"), two other foreigners converge at the same locale: Italian widow Luisa (Nicoletta Braschi, wife of Roberto Begnini), who drops by during a layover, and heartbroken Brit Johnny (the Clash's Joe Strummer), who seeks a hideout. If these sections are less engaging, Hawkins and Lee are consistently amusing ("You look like a damn mosquito-legged chimpanzee" the former quips at one point). Other highlights include Tom Noonan as a sleazy hustler, Steve Buscemi as Johnny's straight-arrow brother-in-law, Tom Waits as an unseen disc jockey, and a savory score from sax player John Lurie.
The supplements start with an audio-only Q&A, in which Jarmusch answers 35 questions from fans, including one about Hawkins, whose signature song figures prominently in Stranger Than Paradise, explaining that he cast him, in part, because he saw no profit from the use of "I Put a Spell on You." This essential release concludes with excerpts from a film about the late performer, a fine featurette on the locations, two photo galleries, and essays by critic Dennis Lim and Elvis biographer Peter Guralnik. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
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Aloof teenage Japanese tourists, a frazzled Italian widow, and a disgruntled British immigrant all converge in the city of dreams-which, in Mystery Train, from Jim Jarmusch (Stranger Than Paradise, Night on Earth), is Memphis. Made with its director's customary precision and wit, Mystery Train is a triptych of stories that pay playful tribute to the home of Stax Records, Sun Studio, Graceland, Carl Perkins, and, of course, the King himself, who presides over the film like a spirit. Mystery Train is one of Jarmusch's very best movies, a boozy and beautiful pilgrimage to an iconic American ghost town and a paean to the music it gave the world.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DVD SET FEATURES * New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Jim Jarmusch * Q&A with Jarmusch in which he responds to questions sent in by fans * Original documentary on Mystery Train's locations and Memphis's rich social and musical history * On-set photos by Masayoshi Sukita, and behind-the-scenes photos * New and improved English subtitle translation * PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by writers Peter Guralnick and Dennis Lim, as well as a collectible poster
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Memphis resurrection,
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This review is from: Mystery Train (Criterion Collection) (DVD)
Jim Jarmusch continues to create his own universe on film, and Mystery Train is an essential part of it -- and this Criterion edition does full justice to it. It's partly an ode to Memphis and its key role in American musical history. Like Night on Earth, it gives us several interconnected stories, but this time the connection is the place rather than the time. Yet like other Jarmusch films, it has an international flavor, thanks mostly to the two young Japanese tourists who arrive on a pilgrimage to the home of Elvis (the girl's favorite) and Carl Perkins (her boyfriend's choice). There's also a character whom everyone calls "Elvis" (for his hairstyle), played by Joe Strummer of the Clash. The choice of musicians as actors is another Jarmusch trademark, and this film also brings us Screamin' Jay Hawkins as night manager in the seedy hotel where all the characters cross paths. (The extras on the Criterion disk tell us quite a bit about Screamin' Jay and how Jarmusch helped to resurrect his career.)The film's title comes from an Elvis song, and certainly doesn't indicate that it's a "mystery" in the usual Hollywood sense. Yet life itself comes across as a mystery, partly because you're not sure whether to laugh or cry at it all. There's plenty here to laugh at, and even a bit of melodramatic suspense, but mostly this is an appreciation of the human depth behind the superficial glamor of American pop culture. This is much enhanced by Jarmusch's thoughtful answers to questions sent in by fans (provided in lieu of a director's commentary track, which Jarmusch consistently refuses to do because he doesn't like to watch his films after they're made!). Of course the transfer, sound, subtitles etc. are impeccable as we expect from Criterion, so this is certainly the preferred choice over cheaper DVD versions of the film. The interconnections between films help to hold the Jarmusch universe together -- in this case, the voice of Tom Waits plays a key role, reprising his DJ character in Down by Law -- but it's their unique perspective on the real world we all live in that makes Mystery Train and other Jarmusch films worthy of many a watch.
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4.5 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews) 18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Criterion Edition HUGE Improvement over Bare Bones MGM,
By Cubist - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Mystery Train (Criterion Collection) (DVD)
Mystery Train is a fascinating snapshot of Memphis through the eyes of foreigners and the disenfranchised. The stories in this film run the gamut from romantic to touching to amusing but all with a humanistic streak running through them. Jarmusch would follow this film with Night on Earth - Criterion Collection which would adhere to the same structure but on a much more ambitious level.In the way of special features, there is a "Q&A with Jim." As he has done for past Criterion editions of his films, Jarmusch answers questions submitted by fans in lieu of an audio commentary. They are by no means restricted to the film but the bulk of them do pertain to it. Jarmusch confirms that Tom Waits' D.J. heard in the film is in fact the character he played in Down by Law - Criterion Collection. He talks about how he worked with the Japanese actors and the origins of their segment title. He also talks about his favourite Elvis era and addresses the barren and bleak look of Memphis in the film. "I Put a Spell on Me" features excerpts from a 2001 documentary on Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Jarmusch is interviewed and talks about when he first heard Jay's signature song, "I Put a Spell on You," how he used it in Stranger Than Paradise - Criterion Collection and then cast him in Mystery Train. Jay talks about working on the film and shares some amusing anecdotes on this fantastic extra. "Memphis Tour" revisits many of the locations used in the film. We get a brief history of each location and what happened to it since filming. The restaurant used is the oldest in the city. Unfortunately, the hotel featured so prominently in the film was torn down a year after it was made. This is a fascinating extra that takes a look at how these locales have changed over the years. "Polaroids" features snapshots taken on location during filming. Finally, there is a gallery of behind-the-scenes images from a photo book published at the time of the film's release. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
I hardly ever watch a movie twice, never mind purchase one,
By Boney Gumbo Jefferson - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Mystery Train (Criterion) (Blu-Ray) (Blu-ray)
This is an exception. I bought it on VHS, then DVD, and now the Blu-Ray special release. Oh yeah, and the soundtrack on CD.I am not a film or music critic, so I won't try to shoot for lofty, heady adjectives. Suffice to say that this film is so rich in nuance that it must be watched over and over...the masses won't get it, but anyone who landed at this review must be interested in the film and will probably enjoy it.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another great Jim Jarmusch film on Criterion,
By Ted "Ted" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Mystery Train (Criterion Collection) (DVD)
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.Mystery Train is the fourth film directed by Jim Jarmusch. It is quite a good film and depicts tourists visiting Memphis, Tennessee. The main two are a Japanese couple who are planning to visit Elvis Presley's home, (hence the film's title) One thing I like about the film is that the Japanese couple speaks their own language when talking to each other, making it more realistic. The other two people in the film are an Italian widow taking her dead husband back home, and a British man. This is the fourth release and fifth film by Jim Jarmusch that Criterion Collection has released and I would love to see more. This supplements include audio of Jim Jarmusch answering questions asked to him on Criterion's website, (Jarmusch doesn't do commentaries as he does not like watching the film's he's made after finishing them), Production photos, a documentary on the filming locations, and Memphis, and scenes from a documentary on one of the film's actors Screamin' Jay Hawkins. |
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