Blue in the Face (1995)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Directors:

Paul Auster
Wayne Wang

Writers:

Paul Auster (situations) and
Wayne Wang (situations)

Release Date:

13 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Welcome to the planet Brooklyn.

Plot:

Wayne Wang's follow-up movie to Smoke presents a series of improvisational situations strung together...

Plot Keywords:

Red Panties | Ad Lib | Sequel | Color In Title | Cigar Shop

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Lou Reed	...	Man with Strange Glasses
Michael J. Fox	...	Pete Maloney
Roseanne	...	Dot
Mel Gorham	...	Violet
Jim Jarmusch	...	Bob
Lily Tomlin	...	Waffle Eater
Jared Harris	...	Jimmy Rose
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Tommy Finelli
Malik Yoba	...	Watch Man
José Zúñiga	...	Jerry (as Jose Zuniga)
Victor Argo	...	Vinnie
Stephen Gevedon	...	Dennis
The John Lurie National Orchestra	...	Street Band
Madonna	...	Singing Telegram
Sharif Rashed	...	Purse Snatcher

Also Known As:

Brooklyn Boogie (UK)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Brazil:14 | USA:R (No. 33629) | Australia:M | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Italy:T | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Filmed in just five days, using the same set and much of the same cast as Smoke (1995). The premise of the film came to directors Wayne Wang and Paul Auster while watching an improvisation session between Harvey Keitel et. al. to help them get into character for filming Smoke (1995). They decided that the improvisations were so funny that they would spend a few days after shooting Smoke just filming film is almost entirely improvised. Auster and Wang claim to have "borrowed" the idea of shooting another movie on the back of an existing one from Roger Corman who often used to shoot movies very quickly on leftover sets from other productions.

Goofs:

Continuity: Dot bolts the store door to talk with Auggie, then leaves without unlocking it.

Quotes:

Man with Strange Glasses: I don't know anyone in New York who doesn't say 'I'm leaving'. I've been thinking of leaving New York for... uh... thirty-five years now.

Movie Connections:

References Clerks. (1994)

Soundtrack:

El Negrito Del Batey

Good for them

I wish I could make a movie this funny and so easily. Five days, improvisations, not a definite storyline and a great and funny movie is born. I loved it, it still makes me laugh and will keep on making me laugh. All the actors are great, but if I had to give an award to one of them it would be Jim Jarmusch, with his "last cigarette" speech. Fantastic also is Lou Reed, and his conclusions about life. The movie really benefits from its addition of well-known stars, including a much-in-the-gutter character Michael J. Fox, which is really funny. The film also includes some curiosities about Brooklyn, and works not only as a set of vignettes but also as an account of what's typical and traditional in that neighbourhood. It has some cool moments and some touching moments, but overall it's a movie to see and not to analyse.