Dead Man

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: What 2001 did for sci-fi this does for the western. A real work of art

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece of Spiritual Illusion
Review: This is a fantastic movie with outstanding visuals, a haunting score and outstanding performances & cameo appearances. The story twists & turns with humor, pathos, and horror while giving a sidewise salute to the traditional American western

Rating:
Summary: A mesmerising meander in madness
Review: Jarmusch's excursion into the (revisionist) western genre is a mesmerising meander in madness but at the same time a wry parody of American history. Powerfully photographed by Robbie Muller (who Wim Wenders owes much of his kudos to) the epic journey of William Blake (Johnny Depp) is little more than a 'wronged man' scenario that leaves more narrative threads dangling than the loosest of loose tapestries. Plot and narrative are not the real reasons for watching Dead Man: as Peter Greenaway once said "Film is too rich a medium to be wasted telling stories" and Jarmusch proves with this epic that he ranks along with Greenaway, Godard and the late lamented Derek Jarman as a visionary from a European rather than American tradition. Jarmusch fanatics may recognise in Dead Man some of the laid back but singularly quirky and highly original approach that signalled Permanent Vacation (Jarmusch's first international release) as the work of someone who would never go very far in Hollywood - thank heaven for small mercies!

Rating:
Summary: Some things that die, someday come back
Review: For the novice fan of Johnny Depp (i.e., "Edward Scissorhands" and "Pirates of the Carribean"), this movie will prove to be a pleasant surpise, into the world that Mr. Depp truly dwells. His portrayal of a man, William Blake, already broken, yet unknowing of his future, is exuberantly interesting and beautifully unsettling. Jim Jarmusch is known for his keen sense of cinematography and laughs, but this picture shoots straight from the hip of seriousness and straight-forward conciousness: Silent, subtle, and poignant, this film is brilliant.
Driven by a powerful subtext, this movie finds Johnny Depp as William Blake (hint: Not the dead poet) who is steering a seemingly promising life, straight into a dimming light, toward a city of burgeoning industry, somewhere in the old west. Complete with an encounter with a an Native American Indian named Nowhere, whom soon becomes his guide, he sets out to find, unknowingly, what it is that his life has in store for him. Throughout his travels, deep into woodlands, he makes his way toward, to meet what it is he does not yet completely understand.
The underratted facet of this movie, is the fact that it is shot completely in black and white (or, as my friends refer to it, Blake and White); an aspect of film that has not been efficiently accomplished since "Young Frankenstein". A perfectly foreshadowing cameo from Crispin Glover rounds out a cast that includes Robert Mitchum and Iggy Pop. Watch this and please be impressed by the purely natural feel to this movie, for it is an art that has been lost with the passing of such directors as Alfred Hitchcock and Akira Kurosawa.

Rating:
Summary: Dead Man
Review: I found this movie dark, moving and full of symbolisms. Look beneath the surface and it is quite interesting. However, the guitar soundtrack, I felt, did not fit the mood of the film and in fact was quite distracting and, I must say downright annoying. If the sound track could be deleted it would improve the film immeasurably

Rating:
Summary: JOHNNY LEGEND
Review: Dead Man.... is haunting.... irritating... comic.... mesmerising... all thanks to Johnny Legend(oops), I mean Depp - and a good cast and crew.... It`s a smoky and mythical journey, traveled by an ill-fated book-keeper named William Blake... Johnny Depp and his moon-face is incredable.... There has never really been anyone quite like him... and never a western... quite like this 1.... It is something u should never miss.....

Rating:
Summary: Not good art - a 1 to 2 star movie at best
Review: It just goes to show, just because you film a movie in black and white, doesn't make it art. This movie was really only consisted of a bunch of in-jokes regarding the Old West. They even go as far a naming a character after a member of Tom Petty & and Heartbreaker's band. Gimme a break! It certainly can't be called "revisionist", more of a attempted parody. Unfortunately, the bulk of the film falls flat. Guess what? Putting Iggy Pop in a dress isn't particularly funny or interesting. Neither is showing Lance Henriksen's culinary habits. Johnny Depp gives about the same low-key performance that he gives in all his other films, it doesn't work in this movie since nothing else in the movie is particularly interesting. I did like the Native American character of Nobody though.

Rating:
Summary: Johnny Depp's finest
Review: A film that you either love or hate - seems like there is no in-between.
A simple story of a wimpy loser who stumbles from one catastrophe to another during a journey in which he discovers his inner strength and the meaning of life and friendship. Jim Jarmusch's deft handling of pace and plot, interspersed with some subtle dark humour make this a caring observation of an unfortunate man's last few weeks on earth.
Neil Young's soundtrack of crashing, echoing chords is simply spectacular, and does much to heighten the tension that Jarmusch's black & white filming builds.
If I were allowed only one movie, this would be it.

Rating:
Summary: Unique
Review: Dead Man is by far one of the oddest westerns I've ever seen. The film concerns the journey of young accountant, William Blake(flawless Johnny Depp performance), who travels out west to fill a job in the small hell of Machinery. When he arrives he finds that the position has already been filled and now he is on his last leg. Blake's last penny was spent on that ticket and now he is stuck in a strange town far from his native home of Michigan. He promptly goes to the town saloon buys a beer and hooks up with a women selling paper flowers. They go to her house and make love only to have the woman's jealous lover intrude on them and shoot through the lady and the bullet is lodged right beside Blake's heart. Blake in turn kills the jealous lover and leaves the town in a weak daze. From there Blake wakes in the company of an Indian who helps him on his spiritual journey whilst aiding him in defending himself from assasins out to collect the large bounty on him.
The stark black and white portrait enhances the vintage western feel of the film and most of the movie has transcedentalist undertones that I'm sure Ralph Waldo Emerson would be proud of. The shoot outs have a realistic appeal to them and are far removed from typical overy dramatized hollywood gorefests. Anyways this is definitely not your typical hollywood film, if you appreciate the genius of Kubrick and Lynch and would enjoy seeing their style put to use in a Western than this is definitely your cup of tea. The minimalist raw guitar score by Neil Young is defninitely a great asset. Highly Reccomended.

Rating:
Summary: This movie was garbage but johnny depp was'ent
Review: The movie that really sucked it was so pointless and was boring in the first 5 minutes were Johnny Depp looks out a train window for 10 mins.Johnny Depps performance was good as he is in every movie but the story was horrible and the picture even worst.If your a johnny depp fan u would buy it or watch just to keep in your collection but ust keep the wrapper because its just a waste of time watching this trash movie.Buy something better like fight club or blow