Permanent Vacation

1980 Jim Jarmusch debut

Rating: 12/20

Plot: Allie wanders New York in search of meaning.

Very much a student film, but considering the student is Jarmusch, it's possibly worth a look-see if you're a fan. There are traces of Stranger Than Paradise and Down by Law, but Jarmusch clearly hasn't found that niche yet. Really, it's a pretty dull 75 minutes although the final scene with an exchange of Babylons is classic Jarmuschian humor, and you do get to see John Lurie for a little bit playing his saxophone, a "vibrating bugged-out sound." There's also some play with characters who don't speak the same language, a Jarmusch motif. I also enjoyed on of the episodes--the "plot" is made up of various encounters the main character has with some oddballs--with actor Frankie Faison who says (I think) "He stop and think to the Doppler effect" at one point and tells a hilarious Doppler effect joke. Other oddball scenes include a war scene beside the building where the protagonist says he was born, a building we also learn was bombed out by China, that is interrupted by a story about a bubble car and a lady at an insane asylum who has the kind of laugh that makes you wonder if Jarmusch actually discovered her at a real institution. The real problem with the movie is the lead, Chris Marker. His character's got a silly name, and his acting is just the kind of acting you'd expect from an amateur film. Worst of all was his voice and his endless references to how reckless he is. After a while, I started to wish that they would have dubbed him with Arnold Schwarzennegar or somebody, and I'm really glad that Jarmusch figured out how to get by with a lot less words by the time Stranger Than Paradise was being made. All is forgiven, however, because of the scene that is featured on the poster up there where Chris Marker shows off some phenomenal dancing skills. Oh, and the soundtrack, which sounded to me like slowed-down wind chimes, was kind of irritating, too.

This was a bonus feature on Criterion's Stranger Than Paradise release if you're interested.

If you're reading this, Mark, you should know that main character reads from Maldoror.