Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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Jack (Lurie) and Zack (Waits), super-cool no-hopers, meet up in a New Orleans jail. Initially at odds with one another, they are soon distracted by the arrival of Roberto (Benigni), whose pidgin English, memories of old movies, and quotations from Robert Frost in his native Italian keep them both irritated and amused. Finally, however, it is this garrulous and eternally optimistic little man who leads the two self-appointed tough guys to freedom. Jarmusch's fairytale amalgam of prison movie, noir thriller and offbeat comedy bears some resemblance to his earlier Stranger than Paradise: both are in three parts; both concern jaded Americans transformed by contact with a foreign innocent; both are shot in stunning, sharp black-and-white. And again music (by Waits and Lurie) and mood are essential components to Jarmusch's poetry. But what makes this more accessible (and perhaps less ambitious) is the emphasis on humour; after the initial establishment of character and atmosphere, the laughs come thick and fast, most notably from the marvellous Benigni. For all the wit and style, however, the film's most delightful triumph is to demonstrate that 'Ees a sad an' beautiful world'.

TimeOut

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Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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Jim Jarmusch followed up his much-lauded, anti-narrative film Stranger than Paradise with the more comical Down by Law, but despite the lighter tone, it is a bold film which directly challenges the domination of the classical Hollywood narrative while remaining true to the director's unique vision. Opening with slow, extended sequences expressing the aimless lives of Zack and Jack, Jarmusch continues the life-between-the-drama approach he's known for, but throws a kink in the wheel with the addition of Roberto Benigni as the comic relief.

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Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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At first it appears that his role is simply that - a relief from the mundanity of the other two characters - but he is intelligently used as a commentary on the conventional narrative itself. Throughout the film, he's the one creating movement in the narrative, driving the story forward by convincing the others to escape, keeping them together as they travel and falling in love on their final stoping point. In a sense, it's as if a Hollywood character was thrown into a film like Stranger than Paradise simply to make it more accessible, but Jarmusch is clearly too smart to make such simplistic use of this. Roberto's presence in the film is something of a comic miracle as he crosses paths with Zack early in the film and somehow ends up being put in the same prison cell later on. This, along with the intentionally over-the-top nature of the character and his deliberately ridiculous character arc complete with happy ending, is evidence of Jarmusch self-consciously using him to comment on the manipulative and wholly unrealistic character types of those other films.

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Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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He puts his faith and career into lovable losers like Zack and Jack who help him represent the simple beauty of moments of everyday life, so it's no surprise that the funniest and most touching scenes of Down by Law occur in the very same manner. Scenes like the unforgettable "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream" sequences are hilarious and magical because they come from the materials of aimless, bullshitting conversations rather than in service of a contrived story. Of course, it'd be silly to suggest that this film isn't contrived, but only inasmuch as it is critical of the devices it mocks. Its soul is the same as all Jarmusch films, but here he digs a bit deeper into the roots of his own methodology and that to which he is opposed. The fact that he does all this within his funniest and probably oddest film makes it all the more impressive.

Cinematic Reflections

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Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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Down by Law is a human comedy. It doesn't pander with Adam Sandler-style hyucks but it is easily accessible and funny deep down in its soul. Sure, Benigni is a brilliant comedian and Jarmusch gives him ample room to play, but there is more to this film than simple laughs. Jarmusch spends the time it takes to really build his film's atmosphere. His characters are stupid and sad and real. They come straight from everyday life, but in their inarticulate ways they're completely entertaining. The film is heartbreakingly funny. It's almost like watching yourself and laughing at the foolishness in your own life.

DVDtalk

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Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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Down by Law (1986) [The Criterion Collection #166] [Re-UP]

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Special Features:
- New high-definition digital transfer, enhanced for widescreen televisions

DISC ONE:
- The Film
- Isolated Score (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono)
- Jim on Dubbing (Audio - 2:20 min)
- Thoughts & Reflections by Jim Jarmusch (audio session, not audio commentary - 71:55 min)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:27min)
- Color Bars

DISC TWO:
- 2002 video interview with director of photography Robby Müller (22:39 min)
- 1986 Cannes Film Festival press conference with Jarmusch and stars John Lurie, Roberto Benigni, and Nicoletta Braschi (41:43 min)
- 1986 John Lurie interview with optional 2002 John Lurie commentary (11:38 min)
- Outtakes (deleted scenes) (24:08 min)
- 1989 Music video of Tom Waits singing Cole Porter's "It's All Right with Me" directed by Jim Jarmusch (4:41 min)
- Jim on Shooting This Video (Audio - 2:11 min)
- Q&A with Jim (Audio - 24:02 min)
- Jim Jarmusch's phone calls with Tom Waits (28:42 min), Roberto Benigni (12:27 min) and John Lurie (24:18 min) (Audio only)
- Production Polaroids (345 Stills)
- Location Stills: Ferrera Stills (80 Stills) and Anderson Stills (11 Stills)

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