Review: ‘Night on Earth’ Captures The World in One Night
Jim Jarmusch’s 1991 anthology film moves from Los Angeles to Helsinki, capturing a wide array of characters along the way
By 1991, Jim Jarmusch was on quite the hot streak. He had consistently confirmed his position as one of the independent directors to keep a close eye on, having directed two of the best American films of the 1980s with Down by Law and Mystery Train. He had also proven with Mystery Train that he could make an anthology film work with different characters, an extension of the episodic approach to storytelling which he utilised in Stranger Than Paradise and Down By Law.
Basically, he was in a great position. And Night on Earth is the kind of film that can come from a strong, stylish director becoming comfortable. This may sound like I’m preparing to go on a rant about allowing independent directors too much freedom — that is not the case. Jarmusch does not let his comfortability, or the security of his position after a string of critical successes, stop him from pushing himself forward and experimenting further.
The three stories in Mystery Train are connected by their themes and by the Arcade hotel, a location in Memphis which all of the characters eventually visit. Their connections are loose, but…
