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 hotel where the three stories converge is no longer standing, so many fans of the movie have made pilgrimages to the site only to find that it no longer exists. It can, however, be seen in the background of the scene in Great Balls of Fire!, in the scene where Alec Baldwin is preaching from his broken-down car.

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Goofs

Where Will parks his truck relative to Earl's Cadillac changes from when he enters the bar to when he leaves.

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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

Referenced in Heimat 3: A Chronicle of Endings and Beginnings: Das glücklichste Volk der Welt - 1989 (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Mystery Train"
Performed by Junior Parker

User Reviews

Quirky movie

Mystery Train is the type of movie that is over before you know it. Serious and funny at the same time. I like the layout of the picture, how all the people's live inter-mingled without touching each other and time started over when the next group of people started their adventure.

Made in 1989, this movie still lives today, just like Elvis! Actually, this movie will be around for a very long time. With quirky being the "norm" for TV and movies now, it fits into the current movie atmosphere even more. I think this one fell in between the time of Twin Peaks & Northern Exposure on network TV and Six Feet Under and Dead Like Me on cable movie channels.

This one ranks way up there with Momento as one of my favorite movies.