CINEMA
Review
Paris, Texas
Directed by Wim Wenders; adap
tation by L.M. Kit Carson; written by
Sam Shepard; director of photog
raphy Robby Mutler; with Harry
Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean
Stockwell, Hunter Carson.
A grizzled figure in a weather
beaten suit and tie stumbles across
the chalk white Mexican border
into Texas. He totes a plastic bot
tle of water which he discards
when he catches sight of a dilapi
dated truck stop. Finding a freezer
in a near empty tavern, he slowly
munches on some ice before col
lapsing.
The man is Travis (Harry Dean
Stanton), presumed dead, having
disappeared four years ago. He
doesn't talk, remaining totally
silent when questioned by the
doctor and when retrieved by his
younger brother Walt (Dean
Stockwell), who flies in from Los
Angeles and drives to the nowhere
hospital Tavis has been taken to.
The phantoms that drive Travis
on have not left him, and he twice
attempts to hit the road solo
again, only reluctantly rejoining
his brother in the car. Finally, on
the second day, the silence is bro
ken when Travis mutters "Paris."
"What?"
'Paris. Have you ever been
there?"
Travis is like a child in his con
dition. His four years away have
done more than simply change
him; he seems purged of the past
and now he slowly rebuilds, ask
ing questions about his mother,
re-establishing his relationship
with brother Walt, pulling out the
photo of a bare plot of land he
bought years ago through a mail
order. The land is in the small
town where he believes his parents
conceived him, the town of Paris,
Texas.
Travis is rebuilding more than
his memory, though. He is redis
covering his identity, and that en
tails meeting his seven-year-old
son Hunter (Hunter Carson), who
only barely remembers him if at
all, and finding the wife he left
years ago, Jane (Nastassja Kinski).
Travis is out to rebuild the family
that was destroyed all those years
ago.
Paris, Texas is the brainchild of
Wim Wenders, in my mind Ger
many's finest living director, and
American playwright Sam She
pard, who penned the dialogue
for the story he co-wrote with
Wenders. Like Wenders' previous
works, most prominently Kings of
the Road (quite possibly the finest
film of the last ten years), and his
1978 Cannes Film Festival Grand
Prize winning The American
Friend, Paris, Texas continues the
exploration of his favorite themes
—isolation of man in today's
world and the triumph of relation
ships in the face of such isolation.
This is a road picture, and for
Wenders the road is the highway
to self discovery and enlighten
ment. It is only natural for Travis
to treat his life as a journey—from
his family to the desert, from the
desert to his brother's home
(where he re-establishes his bond
with his son), to his wife, and so
on.
Like all of his previous works.
this is a leisurely paced film with
few words but more silent com
munication between characters
than most people manage through
conversation. Cinematographer
Robby Muller's camera work is a
veritable textbook of visual story
telling. At an initial dinner scene
where tensions are still high, the
characters are captured in tight
single shots, isolated in their own
space. In other scenes the camera
slowly, elegantly moves into the
PAoWye* —HOI abRPR******
Hany Dean Stanton as Travis in Paris, Texas.
characters, isolating one, zooming
in for the close-up, regrouping
and re-establishing relationships.
Only once does the timelessness
of Wenders’ impeccable pacing
lag, and that is during the inevit
able meeting between Jane and
Travis, a brilliantly conceived ex
change where the two are sep
arated by a pane of glass while
talking through a telephone,
unable to break through the walls
of isolation they have built
around themselves through time.
Travis finally tells the story of
what happened four years ago,
and we sit watching Jane's expres
sion as she slowly realizes who she
is talking to. For a visual director
like Wenders, the static scene is
too long; there is more spoken in
this one exchange than in the en
tire rest of the film, trivializing the
monologue by its sheer overabun
dance of words.
Yet this is only a minor flaw in
an otherwise near masterpiece of
filmmaking. Paris, Texas is a
heartfelt, heartbreakingly beau
tiful meditation on human rela
tionships and the American fami
ly, told in understated power by
one of the world’s most gifted
directors. There's no denying that
the film demands much from the
viewer, but a film of this power
and grace is so unique in the
American cinema that the invest
ment is well worth it. This is prob
ably the finest American film
made in years.
—Sean Axmaker
NOW
SHOWING
Browstar'S Millions: Richard Pryor is a baseball
player who is bequeathed $30 million on the con
dition that he spend it all In 30 days. National
(344-3431).
Desperately Seeking Susan: A good girl-bad
girl social satire that offers rock star Madonna as
the Manhattan queen of sleaze whose glitter,
street-wise lifestyle Is coveted by a bored, virginal
New Jersey housewife (Rosanna Arquette) who is
married to a hot tub king. Someone aptly describ
ed this film as a "New Wave Alice In Won
derland .'" Susan Seidelman directed (her first film
was Smithereens). Aldan Quinn (Reckless) plays
the handsome projectionist Dez. Not a heavy
message film, just a lot of fun. Mayflower
(345-1022).
Fletch: Comedy. Chevy Chase is a newspaper
reporter who assumes many and varied disguises
to get the story. Cinema World (342-6536).
Goon las: Steven Spielberg (executive producer
on this one) has kept the story a secret. What hap
pens to this group of adventuresome kids from the
Northwest? Shot in Astoria, OR. Directed by Ric
Donner (Omen, Superman). Shows at the
McDonald (344-4343).
Just One of the Guys: Comedy. A girl (Joyce
Hyser) who feels she’s being treated as a second
class student, disguises herself as a boy, falls In
love with her best male buddy (making complica
tions for him) and volleys teenage one-liners with
her little brother throughout the film. Young teens
seem to laugh at this movie directed by Lisa Gott
lieb. Shows with Lost in America at the Fine Arts
(747-2201).
Ladyhawke: Medieval Romance. Rutger Hauer
(the evil replicant in Blade Runner) Is the dashing
swordsman Navarre who suffers from the unre
quited love of the fair Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer,
Scarface). John Wood (Wargames) is her rejected
jealous lover who bestows a curse which
transforms Isabeau to a hawk by day and Navarre
to a wolf by night. Directed by Richard Donner
(The Omen, Superman). Shows with Rustier’s
Rhapsedy at Oakway (342-5351).
Lost in America: Albert Brooks wrote, directed
and acted in this funny, Winnebago-Easy Rider
comedy about a Yupwardly mobile couple who quit
their high-paying L.A. jobs, buy a Winnebago with
a microwave, and hit the road to "find them
selves." Shows with Just One of the Guys at fine
Arts (747-2201).
Mask: Cher is the perfect biker mama In this
“Elephant Man" (true-life) story about a teenage
boy with a horribly disfigured face. Newcomer Eric
Stoltz (The Wild Life) Is sensitive and poignant as
the misfit whose mother's love gives him the
courage to live. Cher is tough and funny and
sweet. The bikers give the film Its comic relief,
and provide a support community of misfits in
which Mom and son live, work and play. Spring
field Quad (726-9073).
By the author and filmmakers of Watership Down, Plague Dogs pits two dogs
against the scientist/captors who were using them for medical experimentation.
This serious animated film—rated PG—is showing this week at Cinema 7.
Parts Texas: Nobody does "On the Road
America” like West German director Wim Wen
ders. (Recall Kings of the Road and Alice in the
Cities.) In this story, a displaced man (who is
presumed dead) returns home after a mysterious
four-year disappearance to find his wife gone and
his brother and sister-in-law parenting his child.
Harry Dean Stanton (the sleazy car-repo guy In
Repo Man) gives a brilliant performance as the lost
father trying to reclaim his identity. Hunter Carson
plays the irresistible child; with Nastassja Kinski
as the wife, Dean Stockwell as the sensitive
brother and Aurore Clement as the sister-In-law.
(This film won the top award at Cannes In 1984).
Written by Wenders, Sam Shepard and Kit Car
son. Bijou (686-2458).
Perfect: Based on a Rolling Stone article (Looking
for Mr. Goodbody) the film features John Travolta
as a reporter Investigating health clubs. Travolta
falls in love with the Club director (Jamie Lee Cur
tis) and exciting things reportedly happen. Real
life Rolling Stone magazine publisher and editor
Jann Wenner plays a fictional editor in the film.
Directed by James Bridges. Cinema World
(342-6536).
Plague Dogs: Take the kids! From the creators
of Watership Down and the best-seller novel by
Richard Adams. A new animated film about two
dogs who escape an animal research lab in search
of freedom and are chased because they are
rumored to have the plague. Cinema 7
(687-0733).
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment.
Cop comedy. A punk gang terrorizes the precinct,
and Inept rookies foul the rescue attempt. Spring
field Quad (726-9073).
Prizzi’s Honor: Mobster hit man Jack Nicholson
marries a beautiful woman (Kathleen Turner, Ro
mancing the Stone) who turns out to be a bona
fide hit woman herself. Should be intense. John
Huston directs. Cinema World (342-6536).
Rambo— First Blood Port II: If you liked Code
at Silence, you'll love Rambo. This film picks up
where First Blood left oft—that is. with Sylvester
Stallone in prison for shooting apart a whole town.
The government hires Rambo to go to Vietnam and
get proof of POW’s. West 11th (342-4142) and
Springfield Quad (726-9073).
Return of the Soldier: Rom Rebecca West's
1918 novel. Directed by Alan Bridges. A shell
shocked captain (Alan Bates) has amnesia and
has forgotten 20 years of his life. The three women
who love him (Julie Christie, Glenda Jackson and
Ann Margaret) consider confronting him with the
awful truth or leaving him in his innocently childish
and happy state. Valley River Twin (686-8633).
Romancing the Stone: Kathleen Turner (Body
Heat, A Breed Apart, The Man with Two Brains)
plays a strait-laced writer who with mercenary
rogue Michael Douglas (the film's producer) sear
ches the jungles of Columbia to find her missing
sister. West 11th Tri Cinema (342-4142).
Rustier’s Rhapsody: Directed by Hugh Wilson
(Police Academy, TV's WKRP in Cincinnalf). A
western spoof reported to be somewhat in the
genre of Blazing Saddles. Stars Andy Griffith and
Tom Berenger (The Big Chill). Shows with Lady
Hawkrat Oakway (342-5351).
Secret Admirer: An anonymous love-letter
throws a group of people into confusion and self
deception. Cinema World (342-6536).
A View to KN: James Bond (Roger Moore)
engages In mortal battle with a psychotic Indus
trialist (Christopher Walken, Brainstorm) and
Villainess Grace Jones to save Silicon Valley from
being captured, blown-up and GASP! tumbled into
the ocean. Springfield Quad (726-9073) and
Valley River Twin (686-8633).
Yellow Hair: West 11th (342-4142).
-S.R.
FUTONS & FRAMES
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Deliveries available
CINE/AA 66707
‘Oregon Premiere—
June 14-20*
Shows nightly, at 7:00 and 9:00 pm
Based on the bestselling novel by Rich
ard Adams and from the people who
brought us "Watership Down" comes a
new, fully animated, realistic film that
has audiences cheering and critics rav
ing.
“The most intelligent movie cartoon in
ages,“ Christian Science Monitor.
1
THE
PG
iPLAGUE
J A Special Kind Of Movie
DOGS
Magic From The Creators
Of Watership Down
BIJOU
492 E 13th
+86 2458
Fri.Sat. 7:15 4 10:00
Sun.-Thurs. 6:45 4 9:30
Sat. Sun. Bargain Mat. 4 pm $3
, Miser Monday Admission $3
: | Unanimous Winner GRAND PRIZE , PALME D’ORCannes Film Festival [:
“ONE OF THE
BEST MOVIES
OF THE YEAR.
It’s visionary,
it's realistic,
it’s poetic,
it’s heart
breaking."
- Ri er I bert
ai no MOVIF
RI
PARIS,TEXAS
