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Mystery Train (1989) 7.4
Three stories are connected by a Memphis hotel and the spirit of Elvis Presley. Director:Jim JarmuschWriter:Jim Jarmusch |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Masatoshi Nagase | ... |
Jun (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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| Yûki Kudô | ... |
Mitsuko (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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Screamin' Jay Hawkins | ... |
Night Clerk (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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Cinqué Lee | ... |
Bellboy (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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| Rufus Thomas | ... |
Man in Station (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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| Jodie Markell | ... |
Sun Studio Guide (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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William Hoch | ... |
Tourist Family (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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Pat Hoch | ... |
Tourist Family (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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Joshua Elvis Hoch | ... |
Tourist Family (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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Reginald Freeman | ... |
Conductor (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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Beverly Prye | ... |
Streetwalker (segment "Far From Yokohama")
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| Nicoletta Braschi | ... |
Luisa (segment "A Ghost")
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| Elizabeth Bracco | ... |
Dee Dee - Charlie's Sister (segment "A Ghost")
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| Sy Richardson | ... |
Newsvendor (segment "A Ghost")
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| Tom Noonan | ... |
Man in Arcade Diner (segment "A Ghost")
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
A Japanese couple obsessed with 1950s America goes to Memphis because the male half of the couple emulates Carl Perkins. Chance encounters link three different stories in the city, with the common thread being the seedy hotel where they are all staying. Written by Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>
Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Release Date:
7 November 1989 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Mystery Train - Martedì notte a Memphis See more »Box Office
Budget:
$2,800,000 (estimated)Gross:
$367,879 (USA)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1
Edit
Mitzuko: Was that a gun?
Jun: Probably. This is America.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The book Luisa is reading when she is approached by the man with a story about Elvis' ghost is "Orlando Furioso" (The Frenzy of Orlando), an Italian epic poem by Ludovico Ariosto. See more »Goofs
Where Will parks his truck relative to Earl's Cadillac changes from when he enters the bar to when he leaves. See more »Quotes
[Mitzukoand Jun hear a loud noise outside]Mitzuko: Was that a gun?
Jun: Probably. This is America.
See more »
'Mystery Train' is probably the most entertaining, interesting and understated of indie-fave Jim Jarmusch's early work (i haven't seen 'Coffee and Cigarettes' yet). The films portrayal of Elvis' birthplace of Memphis, possibly one of the most featureless, gritty and desolate representations of urban America ever committed to film, is a deceptively clever and substantial take on American subcultures.
Without doubt, it is the first of the films three vignettes that makes the film stand out a little more than Jarmusch's other quirky offerings. Two Japanese tourists besotted with the King's legacy and 1950's American retro-culture in general, decide to visit Memphis, where they experience the superficiality his iconic status has been reduced to. The over-excitable and optimistic teenage girl, along with her more austere, cooler-than-cool boyfriend, are equally unimpressed with what the town has to offer. It's quite impressive that 15 years after its release, Jarmusch's depiction of alternative culture manages to capture the pretentious but proudly on-the-edges attitudes probably more apparent in today's retro-obsessed climate than ever before.
Jarmusch's signature eclectic cast is another reason for repeated viewing, the subtleties of, in particular, Steve Buscemi's stuttering and nervous performance, are worth looking out for. As is the linking theme of Elvis' ghost in all three vignettes, a brilliant example of how to take a simple theme, and continually parodize its implications until its every mention leads to some sort of in-joke. The cool, laid-back pace of the film allows the humour to hit you unexpectedly, and the timing is often genius. Very, very, very watchable.