Night on Earth

About Night on Earth

"Night on Earth" is a 1991 film directed by Jim Jarmusch. The movie is a collection of five vignettes, taking place during the same night, in five different cities around the world. Each segment follows a taxi driver and their passenger(s), providing a slice of life study of these varied and vibrant cities. From humorous to melancholic stories, the different plot lines allow viewers to explore human intimacy and interactions under the backdrop of a single, shared night on Earth.

Making / Production

The film was written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It was produced by Victor Konak and co-produced by Rudd Simmons. Cinematography was handled by the renowned Frederick Elmes, and the film was edited by Jay Rabinowitz. Despite being set in multiple international locations, the film was predominantly shot in New York and Los Angeles.

Actors

• Winona Ryder as "Corky": A young, sassy taxi driver in Los Angeles with aspirations to be a mechanic.
• Gena Rowlands as "Victoria Snelling": A high-class talent agent who recognizes a fellow woman's ambition in the LA segment.
• Giancarlo Esposito as "YoYo": A frantic passenger in New York who ends up driving the cab himself.
• Armin Mueller-Stahl as "Helmut Grokenberger": A former circus clown from East Germany, now a taxi driver in New York.
• Roberto Benigni as "Driver": A quickly speaking, comical Italian taxi driver who confesses his sins to a priest in his cab.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• Roberto Benigni could not speak English when he was filming his segment. He learned his lines phonetically.
• The segment in Finland was filmed in Helsinki, and it was -27 degrees Celsius during the shoot.
• Jarmusch wrote each segment in the city where it takes place.

Quotes

• "No, no, no, I love Rome, Rome is home. But gotta problem here, in the brain. The fear of the space." - Roberto Benigni's character, explaining his fear of outer space.
• "I said, 'Lady, the eyebrows, I do not approve of them myself, but if I don't have them, I don't look normal." - Winona Ryder's character, about her eyebrows.

Music, Soundtrack

• The movie's soundtrack was composed and performed by Tom Waits.
• Waits' wife, Kathleen Brennan, also contributed to the soundtrack.
• "Back in the Good Old World (Gypsy)" and "On the Other Side of the World" are two notable tracks from the film.