A young man wanders New York City searching for some meaning in life and encounters many idiosyncratic characters.A young man wanders New York City searching for some meaning in life and encounters many idiosyncratic characters.A young man wanders New York City searching for some meaning in life and encounters many idiosyncratic characters.
- Awards
- 1 win
María Duval
- Latin Girl
- (as Maria Duval)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJean Michel Basquiat was present while they were shooting the scenes in the apartment, sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag.
- GoofsWhen Allie reads to Leila from the book, he does not read continuously but instead takes snippets from the text, skipping sentences as he does.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The King of Comedy (1982)
- SoundtracksUp There in Orbit
Written and Performed by Earl Bostic
Featured review
Stylish depiction of anomie
My review was written in September 1982 after a screening at a Chelsea (Manhattan) theater.
"Permanent Vacation" is a visually arresting narrative of alienation, hailing from the New York underground school of indie filmmaking. Debuting director Jim Jarmusch evidences a keen eye for composition, but his inexperience with actors makes the film an entry for specialized audiences only.
Picture limns vignettes in the life of a restless youth, Aloysious Parker (Chris Parker) living in lower Manhattan. Through his encounters with his girlfriend (Leila Gastil), hospitalized mother (Ruth Bolton) and casual encounters with people on the oddly deserted streets of the city, we learn of Parker's dropping out from the mainstream of life and his increasing introversion. He ultimately turns his back on the unyielding Gotham homeland, setting sail (in a striking final shot of the receding Manhattan skyline) for Europe.
Structured like a road movie (but traveling on foot), "Vacation" shares the tics that have endeared so-called "new wave" films to devotees of the form but limited their general dissemination: posed, awkward acting and cold, aloof stagings. Jarmusch's use of deep focus and well-lit still-lifes in 16mm show evidence of an embryonic talent, but the interaction among his thesps rings false. Supporting cast ranges from outrageous mugging (Maria Duval) to throw-away stony readings (Leila Gasti).
Through it all lead Chris Parker, who collaborated closely with the director in fashioning the central role, resembles a little boy in a home movie pretending to be an adult. His hipster delivery and physical mannerisms are painfully self-conscious.
Certainly, Jarmusch wanted to impart the feelings of alienation and indifference his characters are feeling, but an audience needs more entry points to empathize with the screen personages. There are more than enough "who cares" narratives already being cranked out by established filmmakers.
Musical score, involving clock-like rhythmic chimes and haunting sax solos by John Lurie, is an asset.
"Permanent Vacation" is a visually arresting narrative of alienation, hailing from the New York underground school of indie filmmaking. Debuting director Jim Jarmusch evidences a keen eye for composition, but his inexperience with actors makes the film an entry for specialized audiences only.
Picture limns vignettes in the life of a restless youth, Aloysious Parker (Chris Parker) living in lower Manhattan. Through his encounters with his girlfriend (Leila Gastil), hospitalized mother (Ruth Bolton) and casual encounters with people on the oddly deserted streets of the city, we learn of Parker's dropping out from the mainstream of life and his increasing introversion. He ultimately turns his back on the unyielding Gotham homeland, setting sail (in a striking final shot of the receding Manhattan skyline) for Europe.
Structured like a road movie (but traveling on foot), "Vacation" shares the tics that have endeared so-called "new wave" films to devotees of the form but limited their general dissemination: posed, awkward acting and cold, aloof stagings. Jarmusch's use of deep focus and well-lit still-lifes in 16mm show evidence of an embryonic talent, but the interaction among his thesps rings false. Supporting cast ranges from outrageous mugging (Maria Duval) to throw-away stony readings (Leila Gasti).
Through it all lead Chris Parker, who collaborated closely with the director in fashioning the central role, resembles a little boy in a home movie pretending to be an adult. His hipster delivery and physical mannerisms are painfully self-conscious.
Certainly, Jarmusch wanted to impart the feelings of alienation and indifference his characters are feeling, but an audience needs more entry points to empathize with the screen personages. There are more than enough "who cares" narratives already being cranked out by established filmmakers.
Musical score, involving clock-like rhythmic chimes and haunting sax solos by John Lurie, is an asset.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Dauernd Ferien
- Filming locations
- Roosevelt Island, New York, USA(Bombed house where Allie was born)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $12,000 (estimated)
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