A brief history of tom waits and jim jarmuschs creative. Tom waits collection on letterman, 19832015 duration. It was distributed by island pictures other websites. But, for my money, tom waits steals the show in this movie. Down by law is a 1986 blackandwhite independent film written and directed by jim jarmusch and starring tom waits, john lurie, and roberto benigni. The movie is also bookended by two fabulous songs from tom waits, both taken from his rain dogs album, the aforementioned jockey, and, to close out the film over the end credits, the angular and wonky piano. General commentif youve ever seen down by law, this is the song you hear in the beginning of the movie, and its the best videoclip you can hope for this one, speaking of movies, waits stars in down by law you may wanna see coffee and cigarettes too waitss movie appearances are simply unforgettable. Waits and lurie are both fabulous as different shades of a nonetheless similar lowrent cooldudecumloser type. Tom waits, john lurie, roberto benigni, nicoletta braschi en ellen. The film will be released digitally on 15 september and will be one of six. Hes made a jim jarmusch film instead of just making a film. An interesting third person, with broken english, joins them in their cell.
When fate lands three hapless men an unemployed disc jockey tom waits, a smalltime pimp john lurie, and a strongwilled italian tourist roberto benigni in a louisiana prison, their singular adventure begins. Dec 22, 2008 the dead south in hell ill be in good company official music video duration. Mar 27, 2020 the theatrical posturing of waitss live performances led in the 1980s to an alternate career as a film actor, notably in down by law 1986. Down by law 1986 official uk trailer in cinemas 12th. Tom waits starred in a 1986 movie called down by law in which he plays a disc jockey who ends up in jail with roberto begnini of life is beautiful fame. Down by law is a movie about cheap whiskey and black coffee, allnight drunks and lost jobs, and the bad times you can have with goodtime girls. Down by law revels in its offbeat characters and their tentative stabs at friendship in long scenes that capture the poetry of everyday life. The theatrical posturing of waitss live performances led in the 1980s to an alternate career as a film actor, notably in down by law 1986. It discards jailbreak film conventions by focusing on the interaction between the convicts rather than on the. Bob roberto begnini is from an unseen european film, but we can probably guess it is a comedy. Alma was a conventional housewife and regular churchgoer.
The former rolls around in his unmistakable baritone as zack, a hepcat loser and former radio dj. Down by law, the1986 cult classic, and follow up to jarmuschs. Tom waits, a smalltime pimp john lurie, and a strongwilled italian tourist roberto benigni in a louisiana prison. Down by law by jim jarmusch jim jarmusch, tom waits, john. Set in a seedy new orleans summer, down by law details the meeting of three unlikely convicts and their just as unlikely escape.
Down by law is slightly more accessible than wenders films, however, due to the slapstick presence of roberto benigni. Down by law is a 1986 independent film directed by jim jarmusch and stars tom waits, john lurie, roberto benigni, and ellen barkin. One day they are joined by a boisterous italian roberto benigni, and the chemistry changessuddenly an escape attempt is on the horizon. He made further appearances in dracula 1992, mystery men 1999, coffee and cigarettes 2003, and domino 2005. Jarmusch wrote down by law with waits and lurie in mind. Jun 27, 2019 the filmmaker promptly recognized waits acting abilityhis raspy voice, his knack for portraying devilish outsiders and absolute weirdosand cast him in 1986s down by law. He contributes his shift to more experimental, eccentric music starting with the album swordfishtrombones to the. Tom waits jockey full of bourbon lyrics songmeanings.
On his idea, they decide to escape from the prison. Though not as critically successful as his debut, stranger than paradise, director jim jarmuschs down by law is a worthy followup in a similar vein. Written and performed by tom waits from his rain dogs album courtesy island records. Down by law is a worthy followup in a similar vein. John lurie, leader and saxophone player of his own arthouse jazzinflected group the lounge lizards most of whom are the band who he recorded this soundtrack with, supplies a brilliantly evocative score available in its own right here. Tom waits and john lurie helped jim jarmusch perfect his cool. Tom waits is subtle and superb while roberto benigni is.
Jim jarmusch follows his groundbreaking stranger than paradise with another rambling, characterdriven film with a twisted sense of humor. The film centers on the arrest, incarceration, and escape from jail of three men. Down by law scene with tom waits and roberto benigni. Tom waits ends up in jail for a crime he didnt commit in this rereleased comedy of 1986. The film opened and closed with waits songs taken from rain dogs. Down by law follows three men, each from their own movie. Described as one of the last beatniks of the contemporary music, waits in fact has two separate careers. Its so much of a piece that its not easy to separate and identify the components that make the movie what it is. Down by law film down by law is a 1986 blackandwhite independent film written and directed by jim jarmusch and starring tom waits, john lurie, and roberto benigni. Tom waits jockey full of bourbon down by law soundtrack. Jim jarmusch tom waits,john lurie,roberto benigni,nicoletta.
Roberto benigni, tom waits, and john lurie in down by law 1986 he has said that bob dylan is his favorite songwriter and his main influence for initially getting into music. Intriguing, amusing story of three losers who wind up in jail together and then make a break for it. What blows me away about his performance in down by law is hes an absolute natural when it comes to comedic timing, pathos and delivery. Sep 19, 1986 down by law is a fable of poetic density.
Jockey full of bourbon written and performed by tom waits from his rain dogs album courtesy island records, inc. Johnny depp ive been wanting to write a piece on tom waits for quite some time so thought that it would be a good fit now that im doing this music in the movies column. Down by law takes place in louisiana, where two losers musicians tom waits and john lurie find themselves stuck in a jail cell together. Down by law, by contrast with ghost dog, is everything i love most about jarmusch. Thomas alan waits was born in pomona, california, to schoolteachers alma fern johnson and jesse frank waits. Tom waits ends up in jail for a crime he didnt commit in this rereleased comedy of 1986 cue hypnotic score, superb cinematography and. And the roles waits and lurie play in down by law are nothing if not tailored to their respective personae.
Jul 11, 2007 down by law scene with tom waits and roberto benigni. Thomas alan waits was born on december 7, 1949, in pomona, california. Set in a seedy new orleans summer, down by law details. In down by law, hes made that kind of movie, but hes worked from the outside in.
It tells the story of a pimp, an unemployed disc jockey and a bewildered italian tourist and how they escape from jail and wind up slogging through the louisiana bayous looking for a decent place to have breakfast. Benignis staccato voice and mincing of english cliches are very funny, though jarmusch occassionally lets him run on too long. From 1973 lp closing time to 1983 one from the heart soundtrack, he recorded nine lps for asylum records, writing songs. With tom waits, john lurie, roberto benigni, nicoletta braschi. Waits and lurie ooze their distinctive downtown charisma, but its the italian comic superstar benigni who provides the films real spark. Zack tom waits is an outofwork dj who is accused of murder when a body is found in the trunk of a stolen car he was hired to drive across town. Id seen him act in other films i think the first time i saw him on the screen was in ironweed, and he was very impressive. Luckily, the director keeps the rest of the film generally obtuse. Here are a few examples of ways you can filter the charts. He started his career in the early 1970s as a singer in spit n sawdust bars.