Inspiration #3: Stranger than Paradise

Films play a big role in our lives. Just like with the books, we can live the lives of the characters, feel their emotions and learn on their mistakes. We can remember important quotes, scenes and remember them for long. It’s the same with me. I love watching the same films again and again, paying attention to those details that make it so special.

I prefer watching European cinema. Who makes better comedies than the French? And what films are weirder (in a positive sense, of course) than the Scandinavian ones? Could anyone be better than the British at serving bitter-sweet stories to the viewer? And Italian or Czech productions where no one really knows what’s going on but everyone enjoys it. 😀

So that’s basically what I am looking for in cinematography. And surprisingly I ‘ve found it all in the films of an American director, namely

JIM JARMUSCH (THE GREAT)

my inspiration #3

How many times have I already watched “Broken Flowers”, “Down by Law” or “Coffee and Cigarettes’? Probably I don’t have enough fingers (and toes!) to count them. Whenever I feel down in the dumps I always play one of his films to cheer me up. This subtle irony, sense of humour and at the same time some kind of sophistication that emanates from the screen are something that really catches my fancy. Not as popular as other film creators, Jarmusch, for my part, might cater for the esthetic needs of majority of world’s population. You won’t find excess violence in his films, nor speed and action. His works are long and slow, and boring. He once admitted that he even speaks slowly so one shouldn’t expect fast action in his films. 😉

But there’s always something comforting the viewer. I once read an interview with him. When asked about the message of his films, Jarmusch replied that he doesn’t want to leave the viewer devastated, depressed or at any point uneasy. He leaves the film frame open so that everyone can fit into it their own endings, be it happy or sad.

It’s what I like about them. I’m learning how to keep everything on this balanced level, not too exaggerated nor underhanded and trying to incorporate this into my everyday life; this positive and balanced approach.

That’s why I love his films so much. They’re applicable to everyone. They’re universal, maybe not for an average audience (rather for a bit more demanding film lovers) but most certainly worthwhile.

No wonder why my blog’s name’s Stranger Than Paradise.

I’m leaving you with a gallery of his most famous films, maybe some of you will decide to watch this or that one.

(The pictures are taken from different online sources.)