Night On Earth (1991)

A mesmerising cinematic masterpiece

ThomasKus from Gloucester [Highly rated reviewer] , 12/01/2004

Somehow it seems that Jim Jarmush tried to make life difficult for himself when he created this unusual film. Five Taxis in five different cities during a single night are the background for five very different short films. Yet despite having to draw the viewer in each time I was literally glued to screen from the very first minute in every single episode. Each of these could have been a prize winner in the short film category of any film festival in the world but it is the combination that makes this film so special. I will not tell you any of the storylines as it would spoil the viewing experience but the line-up of great actors from around the world is already impressive: Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Beatrice Dalle, Roberto Benigni etc. Add to this a cool Tom Waits soundtrack that captures the essence of the movie and you will understand why this is a winner.

My only criticism is the actual DVD as it contains no extras whatsoever. The film is so outstanding that I would have liked a little more background information but apart from 'Play Movie' and 'Scene Selection' there is nothing else on this DVD. What a pity!

Summary: Great film, great acting, excellent storylines and a cool soundtrack - You won't regret watching this one!

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Midnight ride

Bob Hume from Newcastle UK , 26/02/2007

I watched this as I have loved previous Jim Jarmusch films I have seen. All of his films make you think, but this may be the hardest work of those I have seen so far. That is not to denegrate the film however.

I found the film dragged a little as it jumps from story to story, and would have been initially inclined to award 3 stars, however , I found this film stayed with me and like all Jarmusch's films got inside my head & started playing games. This is not just entertainment, this film requires the viewer to work with it and as such warrants at least 4 stars.

There is no need to rehearse the storylines as others have done that. Jump in, pay your fare and enjoy the ride.

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Simply Benigni.

Patrik Ewe from London, England , 20/04/2004

Simply the Roberto Begnini story in Rome is worth a viewing, hilarious.

The other storys can drag but are interesting with a fine cast.

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One Night, Five stories

Clucky from Cardiff , 18/08/2005

Split into five short comedy segments, Jarmusch’s Night on Earth runs the spectrum from mundane to achingly funny. The first two take place in the US (LA and New York) and it was these I found to be the weakest. Ryder’s tomboy character was just too annoying for my liking and Perez’s loud mouthed antics with her brother and German taxi driver doesn’t pay off. However, the film really comes to life with the Parisian segment which, despite its ambiguous nature, contains some brilliantly biting dialogue. This is then followed up by the sublime antics of Benigni, whose confessional speech is certainly the highlight of the film. Finally the film finishes on a more sombre note in the frozen streets of Helsinki, where a drunken trio encounter a taxi driver carrying a heavy burden. Like Mystery Train I found this to be a little uneven but thankfully the good outweighs the mediocre. If you are new to Jarmusch’s style of comedy then this is a great place to start as there is something for everyone here (including a great Tom Waits soundtrack). 3.5/5

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excellent film

A customer from cornwall, uk , 11/04/2005

This is a really great set of 5 films, three subtitled all about a taxi journey. The start is slow, but they have such great moments in them. enjoy

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A mesmerising cinematic masterpiece

ThomasKus from Gloucester [Highly rated reviewer] , 12/01/2004

Somehow it seems that Jim Jarmush tried to make life difficult for himself when he created this unusual film. Five Taxis in five different cities during a single night are the background for five very different short films. Yet despite having to draw the viewer in each time I was literally glued to screen from the very first minute in every single episode. Each of these could have been a prize winner in the short film category of any film festival in the world but it is the combination that makes this film so special. I will not tell you any of the storylines as it would spoil the viewing experience but the line-up of great actors from around the world is already impressive: Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Beatrice Dalle, Roberto Benigni etc. Add to this a cool Tom Waits soundtrack that captures the essence of the movie and you will understand why this is a winner.

My only criticism is the actual DVD as it contains no extras whatsoever. The film is so outstanding that I would have liked a little more background information but apart from 'Play Movie' and 'Scene Selection' there is nothing else on this DVD. What a pity!

Summary: Great film, great acting, excellent storylines and a cool soundtrack - You won't regret watching this one!

Read all highest rated reviews