For a relative brief moment in 1990s, Quentin Tarantino enjoyed status of the king of American independent cinema. But when he went mainstream, the title went back someone that seemed more suitable both before and afterwards, someone who had easier time winning festival awards and critics while disregarding tastes general public. That someone was Jim Jarmusch, whose 1999 crime drama Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is one of the more interesting works of American cinema at the end of 20th Century.
The protagonist, played by Forest Whitaker, is Ghost Dog, black hitman who lives simple and lonely life, guided by teachings of Hagakure, book by 18th Century Japanese samurai Yamamoto Tsunemoto. The person with whom he has regular contact is Louie (played by John Tormey), small time mobster who had saved Ghost Dog’s life in the past and whom Ghost Dog treats as his feudal master. Louie isn’t concerned with Ghost Dog’s motives nor with Ghost Dog’s pigeons as only source of communication, because Ghost Dog is extremely efficient and discreet in his work. That includes his last mission, but mob boss Ray Vargo (played by Henry Silva) is unhappy because the assassination was witnessed by his daughter Louise (played by Tricia Vessey). That means that Ghost Dog, who lives on building roof with pigeons and has Haitian ice cream vendor Raymond (played by Isaach de Bankolé) as the only friend, will become mafia target. But Ghost Dog isn’t concerned with it, because, according to Hagakure, “the way of samurai is found in death”. Disregarding his own wellbeing, he would nevertheless use his deadly skills against his former employers.
Ghost Dog is a film that could be interpreted in many ways. At first glance, it could be seen as Jarmusch’s ironic comment on Tarantino and his black comedies set in small time gangsters’ milieu. Cinephiles could plenty of references and homages to various film classics, most notably Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Samourai, whose opening seems almost identical to the opening of Jarmusch’s film. Ghost Dog could also be seen as psychological study of obviously mentally unstable individual that can’t handle modern way of life, but also as as commentary on popular culture and peoples’ inability to adapt to challenges of modern world. Just like Ghost Dog with his ancient code of ethics in the urban American jungle looks like someone who has escaped from mental asylum, once feared and all-powerful mafiosi look like geriatric club of losers being destroyed by passage of time. The conflict between the Old and the New is presented as conflict between Japanese and Italian culture, illustrated by soundtrack written by rap artist and musician RZA.
Jarmusch’s film has plenty of bizarre details and at times looks like self-parody, like in the scene in which mafia leaders interrupt their business discussion in order to display surprisingly good knowledge of modern rap lyrics. Even more absurd is unconventional, yet rather predictable ending. The cast is very good, especially Forest Whitaker in the role of action hero, which was something quite rare and unusual for his career. Veteran characzter actor Henry Silva also gave good performance in the role of villain. Despite some flaws, Ghost Dog is well-directed and superbly acted film that could be recommended both to snobbish fans of arthouse cinema and those that simply want simple crime thrillers.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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