Paris, Texas (1984)

Travis Henderson, an aimless drifter who has been missing for four years, wanders out of the desert and must reconnect with society, himself, his life, and his family.

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

L.M. Kit Carson (adaptation), Sam Shepard

Stars:

Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell

Top Rated Movies #239 | Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 18 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Travis Henderson
Sam Berry	...	Gas Station Attendant
Bernhard Wicki	...	Doctor Ulmer
Dean Stockwell	...	Walt Henderson
Aurore Clément	...	Anne Henderson (as Aurore Clement)
Claresie Mobley	...	Car Rental Clerk
Hunter Carson	...	Hunter Henderson
Viva	...	Woman on TV (as Viva Auder)
Socorro Valdez	...	Carmelita
Edward Fayton	...	Hunter's Friend
Justin Hogg	...	Hunter - Age 3
Nastassja Kinski	...	Jane Henderson
Tom Farrell	...	Screaming Man
John Lurie	...	'Slater'
Jeni Vici	...	'Stretch'

Storyline

A man wanders out of the desert after a four year absence. His brother finds him, and together they return to L.A. to reunite the man with his young son. Soon after, he and the boy set out to locate the mother of the child, who left shortly after the man disappeared.

---

Plot Keywords:

father son relationship | desert | texas | wandering | mute | 

---

Taglines:

It brings magic back to the cinema...

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Hunter is in his room he is playing a Zaxxon Coleco Tabletop.

---

Goofs

While traveling to LA, Walt tells Travis that Hunter will be eight in January. However, while in Houston on the 5th November, Hunter tells Travis he'll already be eight by the same time the following month.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Gas Station Attendant: What the hell?

---

Connections

References Super Friends (1973)

User Reviews

Second American best film of the eighties

It might seem odd to call this an "American" film, as its director, Wim Wenders is a German film director, who , unlike his predecessors, Lang, Murnau, Pabst, Von Sternberg , and Billy Wilder, has chosen to remain aloof from the Hollywood film industry. But Paris Texas is as much an American film as Tocquevillle's "Democracy in America" is an American book. Sometimes it takes a foreigner ( In Wim Wenders' case, a foriegner who loves American music, American movies and American literature.) to look into the American soul. In this case,it helps that he is working with a great-and misunderstood- American writer, Sam Shephard, and a great-and under appreciated- American actor, Harry Dean Stanton. I can not begin to convey who poetic, how haunting, and how beautiful this film is, and how artfully it probes the American heart. The scene where Stanton confronts his wife, and tells what he did and why he did it, must rank among the supreme scenes, not just of film, but of human life. It echoed the great scenes of our literature, such as Ulysses meeting with Penelope, and the return of the prodigal son. In short, the only film which goes beyond it in the eighties is Raging Bull, and that is largely because of the volcanic power of Scorsese, that most self-crucifying of auteurs. in short, I would go so far as to say that Paris Texas is more than a "ten'...Like Citizen Kane, like 2001, like Andrei Roublev, like Raging Bull , like the Searchers, like Pickpocket, Tokyo Story, Seven Samurai and Ordet,it is an ELEVEN. Sublime AND beautiful.

Details

Country:

West Germany France UK USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

23 August 1984 (UK)

Also Known As:

Paris, Texas

Filming Locations:

State Hwy 118 and American Legion Road, Brewster County, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

GBP1,162,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,181,987

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,206,121

Company Credits

Production Co:

Road Movies Filmproduktion, Argos Films, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

145 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1