The Town in Dead Man - Le blog de Tante Lou

DEAD MAN

A Jim Jarmush film

1995

The Town

Arrival to Machine:

Progress and industry:

What can you see on the first picture? Compare it with the following picture .

L’arrivée d’un train en gare de la Ciotat, Lumière Brothers

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

What does it indicate about the relationship between motion pictures and trains ?

Find other elements which could illustrate the theme of scientific progress. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

How is scientific progress qualified here? Justify with what you see.

The western genre:

Analyse the following elements which are typical of the genre:

The stranger’s arrival to town …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

The main street …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Coffins …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Horses …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Animals’ corpses and skulls …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Robert Mitchum. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Violence and rifles …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

To what extent does Jarmush make fun of some of the most famous western motifs?

List the objects in Dickinson’s office. Which theme do they represent? What could they herald? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Johnny Depp/William Blake:

How does William Blake appear in this western town? Does he fit the landscape? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

How is Blake called by Dickinson’s assistant? What could it refer to?

Make some research about Johnny Depp: what are his origins? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Jim Jarmush had Johnny Depp in mind when he created the movie, describing him as a “white page”. Why do you think Johnny Depp corresponds to the character? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Focus on the actor-character to analyse the theme of the “double” in this passage. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

The Indian Village

List the common points between the town of Machine and the Indian village:

Arrival

Characters

Technology

Violence

Death

Departure

on train

arrival of a stranger

The roadsign

Metalworks

The canoe-maker

However, they’re all represented differently. Focus on the characters to support this point of view:

Why did Jarmush choose to make a black and white movie in 1995? Try to support your point of view with your answers to the previous questions.

This movie is both haunted and haunting. Explain.