Mystery Train (1989)

Three stories are connected by a Memphis hotel and the spirit of Elvis Presley.

Director:

Jim Jarmusch

Writer:

Jim Jarmusch

Stars:

Masatoshi Nagase, Yûki Kudô, Screamin' Jay Hawkins

1 win & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Masatoshi Nagase	...	Jun (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Yûki Kudô	...	Mitsuko (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Screamin' Jay Hawkins	...	Night Clerk (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Cinqué Lee	...	Bellboy (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Rufus Thomas	...	Man in Station (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Jodie Markell	...	Sun Studio Guide (segment "Far From Yokohama")
William Hoch	...	Tourist Family (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Pat Hoch	...	Tourist Family (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Joshua Elvis Hoch	...	Tourist Family (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Reginald Freeman	...	Conductor (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Beverly Prye	...	Streetwalker (segment "Far From Yokohama")
Nicoletta Braschi	...	Luisa (segment "A Ghost")
Elizabeth Bracco	...	Dee Dee - Charlie's Sister (segment "A Ghost")
Sy Richardson	...	Newsvendor (segment "A Ghost")
Tom Noonan	...	Man in Arcade Diner (segment "A Ghost")

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.

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Plot Keywords:

hotel | japanese | elvis presley | three stories | thief | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Japanese Italian

Release Date:

7 November 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mystery Train - Martedì notte a Memphis

Filming Locations:

Arcade Cafe - 540 S. Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,800,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$367,879 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

JVC Entertainment Networks, Mystery Train

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

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.

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Goofs

After Charlie drops the liquor bottle, the position of the glass fragments change between shots.

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Quotes

Night Clerk: [after hearing the bellboy complain about his uniform] Well, you should do like I do, shit, go over and buy your own damn clothes over at Lansky's, somewhere like that; I mean, you know it's like they say: the clothes make the man. I mean look at that damn hat on your head, you look like a damn mosquito-legged chimpanzee, I mean-
[he abruptly breaks up]

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Crazy Credits

For Sara

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Connections

Featured in Screamin' Jay Hawkins: I Put a Spell on Me (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Blue Moon"
Performed by Elvis Presley

User Reviews

Jarmusch's slice of Americana

Jim Jarmusch (Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Broken Flowers) delivers films that are true indy's. They don't fit any norm, and this one is over before you even realize it.

It is three stories that are tied together by a seedy motel. The characters never intersect. There must be a point there somewhere, but I sure missed it.

I did like the picture of America that we usually don't see unless we go looking for it. Most cities are lit with fast food signs and an endless string of car lots. Getting down on the back streets with stores shuttered, bars where everyone knows your name, and seedy motels that should have closed long ago, is an adventure that most do experience.

The blues music and the Elvis theme that runs through the movie is an exciting backdrop. Steve Buscemi is fun to watch as always, and I really liked the Japanese teen, Youki Kudoh, and, of course Robby Müller's (Paris, Texas) cinematography is always good.

Jarmusch fans will love it.