Review of Dead Man (1995) by Grant P — 20 May 2008

I think I have a new favorite genre, and it's the acid western. (Ok... cyberpunk is still #1). Neil Young's distorted electric guitar almost solely comprises Dead Man's musical score, and he sounds like Michio Kurihara. It's a wicked brilliant technique that succeeds effortlessly. The film itself is incredibly funny with unique visual flair; none of the humor is really satire, though. It develops as the smart-silly variety, I suppose, evident early in the first act. Much of the dialogue revolves around misunderstandings and self-absorption, which pokes fun of western stereotypes. That's not to say there aren't serious moments in Dead Man; the hallucinogenic elements and frequent, consistent fade ins/dissolves are treated with more gravity, alluding to spirituality (and peyote to a lesser extent, haha) strongly referenced by Nobody.

Cinematography becomes more engrossing as the film rolls along, oddly enough, piquing somewhere toward the conclusion. There may not be an overwhelming variety of settings, but each scene is definitely memorable no matter how brief.

I have a few minor complaints with the film including Will Blake's past (more exposition) and transitory characters, but I concede that the focus is strong throughout.

All sorts of actors have cameos including Crispin Glover, Alfred Molina, Iggy Pop, and Robert Mitchum just to name a few.