Down by Law

Well, we, we, uh, had a question that kind of involved one of the, uh, probably best known, one of the best-known directors of his era, and now we're gonna move on to the more indie side because the next question is this: In 1984, the guest star in this episode, Esther Balint, co-starred in the Jim Jarmusch film Stranger Than Paradise alongside jazz musician John Lurie.

John Lurie also co-starred in Jarmusch's 1986 comedy Down by Law with this musician turned actor.

Here's your choices: David Bowie, Prince, Sting, or Tom Waits.

Again, the options are David Bowie, Prince, Sting, or Tom Waits.

The film's Down by Law, 1986, Jim Jarmusch.

I'm gonna give you a couple seconds to think about it.

[upbeat music] All right, how well do you know Jarmusch? Do you know who it is? Down by Law, who starred with John Lurie in that film?

Oh, my God.

They're a bunch of short films all based on the theme of coffee and cigarettes.

They'd already shot the Tom Waits, Iggy Pop one at the end of Down by Law.

It was a way of getting a free short film out of the budget of the, your feature.

[laughs]

Okay.

'Cause you get, in, in Jim Jarmusch's second feature film, Down by Law, you get co-starring performances by John Lurie, the-

Mm-hmm

... saxophone player from The Lounge Lizards, and Tom Waits.

Cool.

All right.

Well, anyways, Down by Law, incredible black and white film from the mid-'80s, indie film.

John Lurie and Tom Waits' characters wind up sharing this jail cell in New Orleans with Roberto Benigni, the great Italian comedian.

Yeah, yeah.

I also really like this title, Down By Law.

Yeah,

yeah.