PARADISE

Some would argue that Jim Jarmusch’s STRANGER THAN PARADISE (1984) is the “independent” film that pretty much defines American “indie spirit.”

You’ve got two guys and a girl driving to Cleveland, then to Florida…and, well, that’s about it. Oh, and it’s black and white. Gritty black and white…European black and white.

The film is quirky. I do hate that word, quirky…but STRANGER is, indeed, quirky. People say odd things at odd times. The story plods along at an unambitious pace…on purpose. There is snow. Lots of snow. And long master shots.

Jarmusch breaks his film into three titled “chapters,” and introduces the idea of separating single-shot scenes with cuts to black. I still love this affectation. It gives the narrative a start-and-stop, memory-like feel. Like a crime story narrative without the crime.

The Criterion Collection release of STRANGER is stark, crisp, vivid. And well worth 89 minutes of your time.