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Dead Man

Actor(s): Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott, Robert Mitchum
Director(s): Jim Jarmusch
16

Details

MPAA Rating: R
Content Advisory: Violence, Brief Nudity, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Humor, Profanity, Sexual Situations
Movie Release: 1995
DVD Release: 12/19/2000
Format: DVD - Black and White,Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
Audio Tracks: English
Subtitles: French
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 2 hrs 1 mins
Studio: Miramax
Members Wishing: 20
Genres: Western, Road Movie, Hybrid Western, Psychological Western

Synopsis

A dark, bitter commentary on modern American life cloaked in the form of a surrealist western, Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man stars Johnny Depp as William Blake, a newly-orphaned accountant who leaves his home in Cleveland to accept a job in the frontier town of Machine. Upon his arrival, Blake is told by the factory owner Dickinson (Robert Mitchum) that the job has already been filled. Dejectedly, he enters a nearby tavern, ultimately spending the night with a former prostitute. A violent altercation with the woman's lover (Gabriel Byrne), also Dickinson's son, leaves Blake a murderer as well as mortally wounded, a bullet lodged dangerously close to his heart. He flees into the wilderness, where a Native American named Nobody (Gary Farmer) mistakes Blake for the English poet William Blake and determines that he will be Blake's guide in his protracted passage into the spirit world. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Cast

Johnny Depp - William Blake
Gary Farmer - Nobody
Lance Henriksen - Cole Wilson
Michael Wincott - Conway Twill
Robert Mitchum - John Dickinson

Awards

1996	Five Continents Award (winner)	Screen International	Jim Jarmusch
1996	Best Screenplay (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Jim Jarmusch
1996	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Gary Farmer
1996	Best Cinematography (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Robby Müller
1996	Best Cinematography (winner)	National Society of Film Critics	Robby Müller
1996	Best Cinematography (winner)	New York Film Critics Circle	Robby Müller

Editorial Review

Jim Jarmusch's masterful Dead Man is available on DVD through Miramax Home Entertainment. The film is presented in widescreen (1.78:1) and comes with 2.0 Dolby Surround Sound. It boasts the standard scene selection screens and comes with English captions and French subtitles. Bonus materials include the film's trailer, several entertaining deleted scenes and outtakes, as well as a music video for the instrumental track "Dead Man Theme," as performed by Neil Young, which consists of scenes from the film interspersed with shots of Young. Unfortunately, the DVD doesn't offer anything as far as production notes or talent files are concerned. ~ Jose Promis, All Movie Guide

Member Reviews

Jason C. - NEWARK, NJ wrote on 12/28/2007...

Beautifully shot in rich black and white, "Dead Man" follows the story of William Blake (Johnny Depp), a conservative accountant en route to his new job as head accountant at a metal works factory in the industrious town of Machine. All starts to go down hill, when the job has been given to someone else and the metal works owner John Dickinson (the legendary Robert Mitchum) doesn't want to hear Blake's rant, so much that he's ready to kill him in cold blood if he doesn't leave the grounds!

Penniless and nowhere to go, Blake runs into Thel (Mili Avital), a beautiful prostitute that quickly befriends then beds Blake at a local hotel. The next morning, Charlie Dickinson (Gabriel Byrne), John's son, enters Thel's room. We realize that Charlie and Thel have a past history. After some words, Charlie shoots Thel in the chest which goes through her and hits Blake in the chest...in the same breath Blake kills Charlie. Blake leaves the hotel, steals Charlie's horse and passes out somewhere in the vast surrounding prairie. Blake is discovered by a Indian (Gary Farmer), who helps him back to a healthier state. Meanwhile, John Dickinson hires three outlaws (Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott and Eugene Byrd) to track down his son's killer.

The movie takes on an unusual approach as he learns many things from the Indian he travels with, showing him how to face the dangers of being a "dead man." To know what that means, SEE THE FILM! There is a haunting score by Neil Young, which is excellent and the film is truly a work of cinematic poetry. It also has its gritty moments.

There are many cameos throughout the film including Billy Bob Thorton, Alfred Molina, Iggy Pop, Jared Harris, John Hurt and Crispin Glover.

A great one from Jarmusch, check it out...