Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Down by Law’ Released by Criterion Collection

Jim Jarmusch, one of the most prolific independent filmmakers in the renaissance of independent film in the ’80s, received another Criterion Collection release on July 17, 2012, with “Down by Law.” The movie was the third for Jarmusch, and took the director out of his comfort zone of Manhattan, transferring the action down to Louisiana. What resulted was one of his most exotic and interesting films.

“Down by Law”

“Down by Law” stars John Lurie, Tom Wait and Roberto Benigni, three men in a Louisiana prison who develop an uneasy and dangerous relationship with each other. Lurie plays a pimp, an upscale character used to getting what he wants, when he wants. Wait plays a former radio disc jockey, broke and is down on his luck. He two characters are like oil and water and what separates them is Benigni’s foreigner, who plays his role with comic innocence.

It is no wonder the only man with a glimmer of hope in the movie is Benigni, ironic since he is the only guilty man of the three. The entire movie is open ended, and like all of Jarmusch’s films, remains up to the viewer to fill in the blanks when it comes to what things symbolize and what each character represents in the world of the story.

The Criterion Collection Release

The Criterion Collection release is a nice one, available on DVD and Blu-ray. The transfer was restored under the supervision of Jarmusch and looks amazing. This edition includes an audio interview with the director from 2002 and an interview with the director of photography, also from 2002. There is footage from the movie’s appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in 1986, with the director and his cast talking at a press conference.

The Criterion edition of “Down by Law” also includes 16 outtakes, a music video by Tom Waits, directed by Jarmusch, a fan’s Q&A; session with the director, recordings of phone conversations, production photos, the trailer and an isolated music track.

Other Jarmusch Films with Criterion

Jarmusch is no stranger to the Criterion Collection. This movie is one of four he has in the prestige film collection. Other Jarmusch films you can check out from Criterion include “Stranger Than Fiction,” “Mystery Train” and “Night on Earth.