Mystery Train

Two young Japanese tourists arrive in Memphis on a pilgrimage to the holy places of Graceland and Sun Studios. Jun (Masatoshi Nagase) exudes an air of sophistication and indifference, but in reality he is ignorant and completely reliant on his girifriend Mitzuko (Youki Yudoh); she however is bursting with eagerness, boldly demonstrating her mastery of the English language to the stunned natives. They spend the night at the Arcade Hotel, where the receptionist (Screamin' Jay Hawkins) and his bell boy argue intermittently in the company of a huge cockroach. An Italian widow, Luisa, arrives at the hotel and is forced to share a room with Dee Dee, a young woman on the run from her husband. That husband, Johnny, an English lager lout, arrives at the hotel having just shot a liquor store owner.

Jarmusch manages to get some excellent performances from most of his cast; especially worth mentioning is the deadpan Screamin' Jay Hawkins. The film is wonderfully photographed by Robby Muller; who worked on Wim Wenders' Kings Of The Road. There are some touches of comic genius and though it is certainly quiriry and off-beat there is something here for all tastes. However in the last episode Jarmusch can be seen to be struggling for ideas. Thankfully he gets it right in the excellent Night On Earth.

Review by Stephen Cox
Taken from EUFS Programme 1995-96