Watch Dead Man
- R
- 1995
- 2 hr 1 min
-
7.5 (104,305)
Dead Man is a 1995 western film that stars Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Crispin Glover, and Iggy Pop. This Jim Jarmusch film takes place in the late 1800s and follows a young man named William Blake, played by Depp, who travels from Cleveland to the frontier town of Machine to take a job as an accountant. However, once he arrives, he quickly finds that the job is no longer available and soon becomes embroiled in a series of violent events that ultimately leads to his transformation from an innocent accountant to a gunslinging outlaw.
The film opens with William Blake traveling to Machine by train. During the journey, he meets and befriends a taciturn Native American named Nobody, played by Gary Farmer, who becomes his guide throughout the film. Once they arrive in Machine, Blake discovers that his job is no longer available and decides to stay in a boarding house owned by a devout Christian woman named Thel, played by Mili Avital. Soon after his arrival, he finds himself drawn into a violent conflict between the town's corrupt business leaders and a band of Native Americans led by a charismatic warrior named "Nobody" Cares, played by Lance Henriksen.
As the story unfolds, Blake finds himself on the run from both the business leaders and the Native Americans, who are seeking revenge for the killing of one of their own. As he travels deeper into the wilderness with Nobody, he begins to experience a series of surreal and supernatural events that challenge his perception of reality and his sense of purpose. Along the way, he also has a series of encounters with a cast of eccentric characters, including a crazed Englishman played by Robert Mitchum and a group of misfit outlaws led by a man named Conway Twitty, played by Michael Wincott.
Throughout the film, director Jim Jarmusch uses a series of unique visual and narrative techniques to create a haunting and atmospheric portrayal of the American West. Shot entirely in black-and-white, the film has a distinctive and moody look that contrasts sharply with the traditional western genre. The film's score, composed by Neil Young, also adds to its surreal and dreamlike quality with distorted guitar riffs, wailing harmonicas, and eerie sounds like the howling of wolves.
At its core, Dead Man is a meditation on death, redemption, and the collision of different cultures in the American West. Johnny Depp delivers a standout performance as William Blake, who begins the film as a timid and naive accountant but ultimately transforms into a fearless outlaw who is willing to risk everything for his own survival. Gary Farmer is also impressive as Nobody, who serves as the film's philosophical and spiritual guide. The film's supporting cast, which includes Crispin Glover, Iggy Pop, and John Hurt, also delivers memorable performances.
Overall, Dead Man is a thought-provoking and visually stunning film that challenges the conventions of the western genre. With its surreal imagery, haunting score, and powerful performances, it is a film that lingers long after the credits roll.
Dead Man is a 1995 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 1 minute. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 62.