Dead Man -
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112817/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6
this film is both bad and good. I would encourage people to watch it, and hopefully you will see both the visionary, and the missed opportunities.
Act1:
William Blake (Depp) plays a city-boy accountant; his parents died and he spent everything he owns on getting to a mining town out in the wild west, following a job offer through a letter of employment. Once he arrives, he's told he's 2 months late and his position has been filled. The rude business owner kicks him out of the office.
Blake goes to the saloon to drown his sorrows, and he meets a young hot girl. By morning, the hot girl's boyfriend finds them in bed. The hot girl is killed, the boyfriend is killed by Blake - who clearly can't MAN - and Blake himself is wounded.
Act2:
Blake is found by *the real star of the film*, native american Xebeche (played by a very good Gary Farmer), who goes by the white man name of Nobody; Nobody quickly realizes that Blake is a "dead man", the bullet is lodged deep near his heart. While Blake does not understand this, Nobody knows Blake will die, and takes it upon himself to escort him to the ocean, to put his soul at rest.
A bunch of bounty hunters are hired by the business owner from Act1, hot-girl's boyfriend's father, to kill Blake.
By this time, Blake is severely hurt, and Depp's acting consists of looking really tired.
Act3:
the pursuit is on; Blake and Nobody come into conflict with some of the pursuers, mostly resulting in the pursuers getting killed off, in a mixture of comedic and tragic scenes.
The film has been described as a "black-and-white psychedelic western" and the description fits, mostly. The style shifts occasionally, which doesn't help to establish a mood. There's quite a few scenes reminiscent of Jodorovski's style, and some others played straight-western.
Throughout the film, the soundtrack (by Neil Young, but don't let that fool you) consists of overly-loud solo distorted guitar, continuously, and absolutely out of place. Apparently, this was improvised by Young as he watched the footage, and left as such; this cavalier decision by Jaramusch absolutely baffles me, as a proper soundtrack - OR EVEN SILENCE -would have done wonders for this film.
Anyway, Blake and Nobody continue their journey, where Blake discovers himself a remorseless killer. They find tobacco. Blake's arc is complete.
Act4:
Blake is taken to the medicine man, who prepares his for his voyage into the afterlife.
this film is still puzzling to me. I cannot understand if Jaramusch knows what art is, or if he just throws it to the wall hoping that it sticks - at this time, i'm leaning towards the latter. All i'm saying is, if you make a film, please - don't make it like this.
7/10, but only if you watch it multiple times. There are *some* interesting bits in this film, but it needs to have less art in it, and give more concessions to entertainment and traditional storytelling.
There also is a massive cast, but none used properly - John Hurt, Lance Henriksen, Billy Bob Thornton, Iggy Pop, but i dare you to recognize any of them in the film.
bonus: Jim Jaramusch "Dead Man" retrospective