Mystery Train (1989)

Director:

Jim Jarmusch

Writer:

Jim Jarmusch (written by)

Release Date:

7 November 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Hotel | Japanese | Elvis Presley | Three Stories | Thief

Awards:

1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

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")
Stephen Jones	...	The Ghost (segment "A Ghost")
Lowell Roberts	...	Lester (segment "A Ghost")
Sara Driver	...	Airport Clerk (segment "A Ghost")
Richard Boes	...	2nd Man in Arcade Diner (segment "A Ghost")
Darryl Daniel	...	Waitress in Arcade Diner (segment "A Ghost")
Calvin Brown	...	Pedestrian (segment "A Ghost")
Jim Stark	...	Pall Bearer at Airport (segment "A Ghost")
Elan Yaari	...	Pall Bearer at Airport (segment "A Ghost")
Joe Strummer	...	Johnny aka Elvis (segment "Lost In Space")
Rick Aviles	...	Will Robinson (segment "Lost In Space")
Steve Buscemi	...	Charlie the Barber (segment "Lost In Space")
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Ed (segment "Lost In Space")
Royale Johnson	...	Earl (segment "Lost In Space")
Winston Hoffman	...	Wilbur (segment "Lost In Space")
Rockets Redglare	...	Liquor Store Clerk (segment "Lost In Space")
Marvell Thomas	...	Pool Player 1 (segment "Lost In Space")
Charles Ponder	...	Pool Player 2 (segment "Lost In Space")
D'Army Bailey	...	Pool Player 3 (segment "Lost In Space")
Tom Waits	...	Radio D.J (segment "Lost In Space") (voice)

Directed by
Jim Jarmusch

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jim Jarmusch		written by

Produced by
Kunijiro Hirata	....	executive producer
Demetra J. MacBride	....	associate producer (as Demetra MacBride)
Rudd Simmons	....	line producer
Jim Stark	....	producer
Hideaki Suda	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Lurie

Cinematography by
Robby Müller		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Melody London

Production Design by
Dan Bishop

Set Decoration by
Dianna Freas

Costume Design by
Carol Wood

Makeup Department
Robert Laden	....	special makeup artist (as Bob Laden)
Meredith Soupios	....	hair stylist supervisor
Meredith Soupios	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Kathie Hersch	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Heffron	....	first assistant director (as Eric 'Elvis' Heffron)
Constance L. Hoy	....	second assistant director (as Connie Hoy)

Art Department
Jeff Butcher	....	prop master
Dianna Freas	....	hotel room paintings
Eric Gruber	....	construction coordinator
Takuya Matsuyama	....	special props: Tokyo
Tom Mittlestadt	....	assistant props

Sound Department
Gina Alfano	....	dialogue editor
Jeanne Atkin	....	apprentice sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marco Constanza)
Rick Dior	....	sound re-recording mixer: Todd A/O East
Eugene Gearty	....	sound effects editor
Mark Goodermote	....	boom operator
Robert Hein	....	supervising sound editor
Mary Hickey	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Kern	....	dialogue editor
Lori Kornspun	....	adr editor
Drew Kunin	....	location sound mixer
Deborah Martin	....	apprentice sound editor
Ahmad Shirazi	....	dialogue editor
Sylvia Waliga	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Gary L. King	....	special effects coordinator (as Gary King)

Camera and Electrical Department
Katherine M. Butler	....	second assistant camera (as Kate Butler)
Paul Ferrara	....	key grip
Mark Higashino	....	assistant still photographer
Paul Leonard	....	additional grip
Chris Lombardi	....	first assistant camera (as Cris Lombardi)
David Mackay	....	third electrician
John Joseph Minardi	....	third grip (as John Minardi)
Robert O'Bleness	....	additional electrician
Christopher Porter	....	gaffer
Melvin Pukowsky	....	best boy (as Melvin Pukowsky Jr.)
Masayoshi Sukita	....	still photographer
Eric Wilson	....	additional electrician
Naomi Wise	....	fourth electrician
Elan Yaari	....	best boy

Casting Department
Noriko Murao	....	casting: Tokyo, Meries Casting Co.
Novella Smith	....	local casting
Kohta Yamada	....	casting: Tokyo, Meries Casting Co.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daryl Kerrigan	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Tim Brennan	....	negative matcher
Dana Congdon	....	apprentice film editor
Jay Rabinowitz	....	assistant film editor
Gene Zippo	....	color timer
John Dowdell	....	hd colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Doug Bowne	....	musician: drums (as Douglas B. Bowne)
Tony Garnier	....	musician: bass
Valerie Goodman	....	score coordinator
Tom Lazarus	....	music recording engineer
John Lurie	....	musician: guitar and harmonica
Marc Ribot	....	musician: guitar and banjo

Transportation Department
Pat Stubbs	....	transportation
Charles Walsh	....	transportation

Other crew
Jamaine Bell	....	production assistant: Memphis
Beth Bernstein	....	assistant production coordinator
Michael Berry	....	location manager
Molly Bradford	....	assistant to producer
Steve Carroll	....	production insurance: Albert G. Ruben, Inc.
Peggy Craven	....	production assistant: New York
Anna Doyle Jefferson	....	production assistant: Memphia
Karen Eisenstadt	....	production auditor
Yoshiko Furusawa	....	interpreter
Richard Heller	....	legal services: Frankfurt, Garbus, Klein and Selz
Donna Hester	....	assistant location manager
Sam Jackson	....	adr voice
Bobby Jay	....	adr voice
Georgia Kacandes	....	production coordinator
Tina Klein	....	production assistant: New York
Lisa Krueger	....	script supervisor
Karen Longwell	....	adr voice
Ian MacDougall	....	translator: English
Elisabeth Myles	....	script supervisor
Kazuki Ohmori	....	translator: Japanese (as Kazuki Oomori)
Todd Pfeiffer	....	key set production assistant
Stacy Robison	....	assistant auditor
Christa Saredi	....	world sales: Saredi Film
Kerry Sherin	....	office coordinator: New York
Paul Snow	....	production assistant: Memphis
Danielle Sotet	....	post-production auditor
Tom Stocker	....	adr voice
Jeff Taylor	....	production assistant: Memphis
Ralph Wakefield	....	adr voice
George Walden	....	production insurance: Albert G. Ruben, Inc.
Jan Walker	....	assistant location manager
Noel Wiggins	....	production assistant: Memphis
Sherman Willmot	....	production assistant: Memphis

Thanks
Don Donigi	....	special thanks: processing and prints
Al Gore	....	special thanks (as Senator Albert Gore)
Gary Hardy	....	special thanks
Bill Nisselson	....	special thanks: Sound One
Phil Sodano	....	special thanks: processing and prints
Irwin Young	....	special thanks: processing and prints

Production Companies

• JVC Entertainment Networks
• Mystery Train

Distributors

• Orion Classics (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pyramide Distribution (1989) (France) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1989) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1990) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Orion Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2005) (New Zealand) (DVD)
• Barrandov Biografia (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (????) (UK) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Palace Films (????) (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  production insurance (as Albert G. Ruben)
• Another Roadside Attraction  catering
• Du Art Film Laboratories  processing and prints (as Du Art Film Labs)
• Frankfurt, Garbus, Klein and Selz  legal services
• Frieder Hochheim & Kino Flo  special lighting equipment
• Meries Casting Co.  casting: Tokyo
• Optical House, The  titles
• Otto Nemenz International  Arriflex cameras and Zeiss lenses provided by
• Saredi Film  world sales
• Todd-AO Studios (East)  editing facilities (as Todd A/O East)
• Todd-AO Studios (East)  sound re-recording mixing (as Todd A/O)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | USA:R | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | France:Unrated | USA:TV-MA (cable rating)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

JVC Entertainment Networks

Trivia:

This film contains some of the last known footage of Stax Records.

Goofs:

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

Quotes:

Mitzuko:Jun, why do you only take pictures of the rooms we stay in and never what we see outside while we travel?
Jun:Those other things are in my memory. The hotel rooms and the airports are the things I'll forget.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cinefile: Made in the USA (1993) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Soul Finger

Memphis Soul Stew

Jim Jarmusch's follow-up to 1986's "Down By Law" is an engrossing trio of stories revolving around one night in a run-down Memphis hotel. Continuing his tradition of casting musicians as actors, he enlists Joe Strummer as a British Elvis and the late Screamin' Jay Hawkins as the hotel night clerk. R&B great Rufus Thomas appears in the train station, and Tom Waits is the voice of the radio DJ. John Lurie provides the score, along with a fabulous soundtrack of classic Memphis music (from Elvis Presley to the Bar-Kays). The stories are intertwined, with certain events being shown from the perspective of each of the three sets of characters. The town has fallen a bit since its heyday as a musical hotbed, but the spirits of its past can be sensed in the delapidated buildings and landscapes, all lovingly embraced by Jarmusch's lens. All of the night shots were actually filmed at night, and some scenes are subtitled in Japanese and Italian. As is typical with Jarmusch's work, the action unfolds at a leisurely pace, and not without some humor. The film's juxtaposing of cultures is a popular theme with the director, and one he would use again in his next anthology piece, "Night On Earth."