In the 1920s-50s, Hollywood promoted man myths about the old west. One of the most common one was the 'pretty boy hero'. These heroic guys were nearly always perfectly coiffed, clean and wore clothing that looked more like what 21st century folks would wear to go country line dancing as opposed to acting like a real cowboy. To top it off, many of them loved to sing for no particularly good reason! They were, essentially, caricatures of the west. Entertaining? Yes...but caricatures.
Starting in the 1960s and 70s, a few westerns have been made to completely de-glamorize the wests...with no pretty boy heroes and lots of ugliness instead. Director Jarmusch and the casting directors deliberately chose non-pretty folks for the film...such as Iggy Pop and Crispen Glover (all covered in soot). These are much more realistic...though not necessarily fun representations of the American old west. In the films, there often were no heroes at all...and there was dirty, filth and long, greasy hair on nearly all the men. They are a huge contrast to these earlier Hollywood westerns!
One of the uglier representations of the west is seen in "Dead Man"...a film which tries to look like an old western through the use of black & white cinematography....but a thoroughly modern western when it comes to its sensibilities. All the men could use haircuts and shampoos...and the streets are full of mud, filth, filthy people and sleaze...and a minimum of dialog. Perhaps this film went a bit too far trying to de-glamorizing the west, as it presents a view which is too ugly and nasty...at least to be enjoyed by many viewers. Now this isn't to say it's a bad film....it is, in its own way, very interesting and unique.
The story begins with William Blake (Johnny Depp) aboard a train headed west. However, instead of just arriving in the town, there is a real tedium about these scenes...because such a trip would have taken many days or even weeks . Blake has apparently sold everything and is moving west following his parents' death and the breakup of his engagement. He has a letter from the Dickenson Company offering him a job....but after the train FINALLY arrives, he learns that the job was filled long ago and the owner of the company (Robert Mitchum...in his last film) is a psychotic nut who seems eager to shoot anyone who bothers him in his office!
Soon after leaving the Dickenson office without a job, Blake meets up with a prostitute. After doing the nasty, a guy walks in the hotel room and shoots the girl...and Blake shoots him. Now Blake is NOT familiar with a gun and misses the first couple times he shoots at him from almost point-blank range...illustrating both his inexperience with guns and that the murderer wasn't particularly eager to avoid his fate. He just seemed to wait to be shot. But the bullet that hit the woman and killed her also hit Blake....but Blake is in even more trouble, as the man he just justifiably killed turns out to be the son of the crazed Mr. Dickenson....so you know that he won't rest until Blake is dead. And, he soon hires some hired guns to get Blake...as Blake recuperates with the help of a Native American who clearly hates white folks! What's next? See the film....as describing what follows would not be easy!
So is it any good? Well....that's really hard to say. Much of it is because there really is nothing like it. The film becomes very allegorical and surreal....and probably isn't everyone's tea. As for me, I neither hated it nor liked it....it was novel experience and I did appreciate that and so I recommend you see it...especially if you want something different.
By the way, the reason why Nobody keeps talking about poetry and art is that Johnny Depp's characters, William Blake, shares the same name as the famous British painter/poet.
Starting in the 1960s and 70s, a few westerns have been made to completely de-glamorize the wests...with no pretty boy heroes and lots of ugliness instead. Director Jarmusch and the casting directors deliberately chose non-pretty folks for the film...such as Iggy Pop and Crispen Glover (all covered in soot). These are much more realistic...though not necessarily fun representations of the American old west. In the films, there often were no heroes at all...and there was dirty, filth and long, greasy hair on nearly all the men. They are a huge contrast to these earlier Hollywood westerns!
One of the uglier representations of the west is seen in "Dead Man"...a film which tries to look like an old western through the use of black & white cinematography....but a thoroughly modern western when it comes to its sensibilities. All the men could use haircuts and shampoos...and the streets are full of mud, filth, filthy people and sleaze...and a minimum of dialog. Perhaps this film went a bit too far trying to de-glamorizing the west, as it presents a view which is too ugly and nasty...at least to be enjoyed by many viewers. Now this isn't to say it's a bad film....it is, in its own way, very interesting and unique.
The story begins with William Blake (Johnny Depp) aboard a train headed west. However, instead of just arriving in the town, there is a real tedium about these scenes...because such a trip would have taken many days or even weeks . Blake has apparently sold everything and is moving west following his parents' death and the breakup of his engagement. He has a letter from the Dickenson Company offering him a job....but after the train FINALLY arrives, he learns that the job was filled long ago and the owner of the company (Robert Mitchum...in his last film) is a psychotic nut who seems eager to shoot anyone who bothers him in his office!
Soon after leaving the Dickenson office without a job, Blake meets up with a prostitute. After doing the nasty, a guy walks in the hotel room and shoots the girl...and Blake shoots him. Now Blake is NOT familiar with a gun and misses the first couple times he shoots at him from almost point-blank range...illustrating both his inexperience with guns and that the murderer wasn't particularly eager to avoid his fate. He just seemed to wait to be shot. But the bullet that hit the woman and killed her also hit Blake....but Blake is in even more trouble, as the man he just justifiably killed turns out to be the son of the crazed Mr. Dickenson....so you know that he won't rest until Blake is dead. And, he soon hires some hired guns to get Blake...as Blake recuperates with the help of a Native American who clearly hates white folks! What's next? See the film....as describing what follows would not be easy!
So is it any good? Well....that's really hard to say. Much of it is because there really is nothing like it. The film becomes very allegorical and surreal....and probably isn't everyone's tea. As for me, I neither hated it nor liked it....it was novel experience and I did appreciate that and so I recommend you see it...especially if you want something different.
By the way, the reason why Nobody keeps talking about poetry and art is that Johnny Depp's characters, William Blake, shares the same name as the famous British painter/poet.