Movies

Willie, a small-time hustler of Hungarian origin from New York, receives a call from his aunt in Cleveland. She informs him that his young cousin, Eva, is coming to stay with him from Hungary. Willie resents the idea and initially treats Eva with hostility, insisting that she speak only English. However, he soon grows fond of her. Ten days later, Eva leaves for Cleveland to stay with her aunt. A year after that, Willie and his good-natured best friend Eddie decide to visit her. It is the middle of a harsh winter, and the three of them pass the time playing cards and watching movies.

In his second feature film, Stranger Than Paradise—an expanded version of his earlier, mid-length film of the same name, later retitled The New World—Jim Jarmusch builds on the themes of social marginality, travel, alienation, and pop culture introduced in his debut, Permanent Vacation. He adds a new perspective: the perception of America through the eyes of an outsider and a foreigner. At the same time, Jarmusch further radicalizes his minimalist style, narrative, and dramaturgy. The entire film is composed of long takes separated by black leader, and Jarmusch emphasizes absurdist, humor-driven dialogue, which would become one of his trademarks.

Jarmusch cast three musicians in leading roles: jazz artist John Lurie, with whom he previously composed the score for Permanent Vacation; violinist Eszter Balint; and Richard Edson, a former drummer for the influential indie rock band Sonic Youth. The film received significant international acclaim. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Caméra d’Or for Best First Feature, despite not being Jarmusch's debut. The film also won the Golden Leopard for Best Film and the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Locarno Film Festival. Later, it received a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The National Society of Film Critics named Stranger Than Paradise Film of the Year, and in 2002, it was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry as a work of special cultural significance.

Stranger Than Paradise is considered a seminal American independent film of the 1980s. Its success enabled Jarmusch to continue his respected career and helped bring American independent cinema to a wider audience, paving the way for filmmakers such as the Coen brothers, Spike Lee, and Steven Soderbergh.