Mystery Train

For 1989's Mystery Train, his first foray into color film, indie auteur Jim Jarmusch brings his signature deadpan philosophical musings to the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, following three different tales as they overlap, however briefly, at the sleepy Arcade Hotel. Manning the desk is a night clerk that looks remarkably like blues legend Screamin' Jay Hawkins because it is Screamin' Jay Hawkins (in his only significant film role) and a pensive bellboy, played charmingly by Cinqué Lee (Spike's baby brother). Among the guests that this low-key duo encounters are Mitsuko and Jun (Youki Kudoh and Masatoshi Nagase, respectively), a young rock ‘n' roll-loving couple from Yokohama who memorably banter about their favorite Sun Records heroes with heavy Japanese accents--"Elvis. Carl Perkins. Elvis."--and humorously tour the renowned studio itself. Elvis Presley is, in fact, present in each segment of Mystery Train--a widowed Italian woman (Nicoletta Braschi) is visited by a vision of the King, and a British ne'er-do-well nicknamed Elvis (ex-Clash frontman Joe Strummer) struggles with both his burdensome moniker and his American companions (one portrayed by Steve Buscemi). It all doesn't add up to much in the way of action or plot, but that's not the point--what the film does is expertly capture a series of moments where characters are well outside of their comfort zones and, in many cases, time zones.