Benigni said that he couldn't remember any English except for the sentence "Do you know my mother?" so that's what he said. Jarmusch was kinda shocked that he said that as it obviously wasn't scripted (most of this short weren't), but it was so funny he decided to keep it.
I first watched this on Netflix streaming on my little 3DS screen. My dad and I had just moved after my mom died, I was a stressed out mess and couldn't sleep. I put this on and for the whole movie, I forgot my problems for a while.
" I like to drink before I go to sleep. Drink a lot of Coffee before I go to sleep, so i can dream faster. I can dream like when they put i camera on a Indy 500, when they put a camera in the car, and it just whipping by like that...dream after dream after dream after dream. People ask me the next day 'what did you dre...am about?' and I say 'i can't..I don't have time, I don't have time to tell you this."
I like it for several reasons. I love coffee, as well as cigarettes, I love black and white films.. It's also a concept that differs very much from most movies, anything original scores higher with me. I also recognize a lot of myself and conversations with others in this movie. And there's a bit of an odd but slightly comfortable atmosphere in it as well.
This sketch had me laughing from 2:07 (when Steven Wright tells Roberto Benigni "I'm wound-up too" with his patented deadpan, monotone delivery) right through to the end. Brilliant writing, and a great pairing.
also, the way Roberto laughs when Steven's going off on something that Roberto clearly doesn't understand like the Indy 500 or coffee pops. I've done that so many times in Spanish when I'm getting my haircut , I must sound exactly like this guy
In 1992 I lived in Rome for a year. I loved Stevie Wonder so my Italian friend made me a cassette tape and labeled it Steve Wonder. Roberto calling Steven Wright "Steve" made me think of my friend Paolo.
Americans find it weird :-) That's natural. They are too used to hollywood stuff. Maybe just few people realized that there's no script at all in this scene. Jarmush just switched the camera on and let everything to Benigni and Wright 's bizarre creativity putting the scene inside the movie with no modifications at all. Total improvisation, like a jazz experiment.
not all 'americans' do. (ever go to a US film fest?) you're going by stereotype and the droll h'wood entrees we are regrettably known for. so damn many here who are very talented filmmakers who have to go the indie route (they have to get backers or raise their own funds.) would imagine you must be familiar with that.
Well, all right then. It's good to show their talents (Benigni is obviously a well known actor) and that the actors can cope with such idea but honestly? It's quite pointless. Movies are just like books - they should tell a story, not to be an experiment of some kind :) You can experiment BEFORE doing a released short or movie. You can try to interpret it but it's pointless, because there's probably nothing in it - it's only an experiment ;) But Jarmusch is known to make well-directed movies without too much content. I thought that in the end a waitress will come and say that Steven has to pay for those coffees :) Wouldn't it be much better if this had some sort of a conclusion?
I love those small brilliants: * * * - Steve! - Steven... - Yes! Steve! * * * - Do you know my mother? (without any relation with conversation line!) * * * Thank you VERY MUCH!!! (all the time) * * * - I gotta go I guess.... - Yes.... - I haven't been for awhile.. (hesitates) - Good. You don't go? * * * Both guys are very strange...One with his "coffee popsicles" and "dream after dream, after dream" and the other with "do you know my mother?". At least he's got free dentist appointment. TYVM!
god, That scene with Iggy Pop and Tom Waits was like being around my dad when I was a kid. He hung out with some strange cats from the village. brrrr. made me wince even at 7.
kind of both i guess it would mean more tense though like its all getting to our head and your in a rut and the pressure is building- stressful is perhaps a good word?
it's fun because in the italian version, when benigni goes away, he says "Dentista, che culo!" that means "dentist, stroke of luck!", he says this after the last "ahah", but here he just goes away lol
