Paris, Texas (1984)

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

L.M. Kit Carson (adaptation)
Sam Shepard (written by)

Release Date:

9 November 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A place for dreams. A place for heartbreak. A place to pick up the pieces.

Plot:

A man wanders out of the desert not knowing who he is. His brother finds him, and helps to pull his...

Plot Keywords:

Desert | Paris Texas | Reunion | Amnesia | German American

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 14 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Harry Dean Stanton	...	Travis Henderson
Sam Berry	...	Gas Station Attendant
Bernhard Wicki	...	Doctor Ulmer
Dean Stockwell	...	Walt Henderson
Aurore Clément	...	Anne Henderson (as Aurore Clement)
Claresie Mobley	...	Car Rental Clerk
Hunter Carson	...	Hunter Henderson
Viva	...	Woman on TV (as Viva Auder)
Socorro Valdez	...	Carmelita
Edward Fayton	...	Hunter's Friend
Justin Hogg	...	Hunter - Age 3
Nastassja Kinski	...	Jane Henderson
Tom Farrell	...	Screaming Man
John Lurie	...	Slater
Jeni Vici	...	Stretch

Also Known As:

Motel Chronicles (West Germany) (working title)
Paris, Texas (West Germany)

Runtime:

147 min

Country:

West Germany | France | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | UK:12 (DVD rating) (2007) | West Germany:6 | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Norway:12 | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG | New Zealand:R | France:U | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

10060 Olivia Terrace, Sun Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Road Movies Filmproduktion

Trivia:

During the scene in the Texas airport, Dean Stockwell's character is on the phone with his wife. The PA announcer can be heard saying "A message for Joy Stockwell, Joy Stockwell. Austin will arrive at any minute." Joy was Dean's wife and Austin, his son, was born during production of this film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Travis and Hunter are following the red Chevrolet from a downtown bank, they merge onto US HWY 59 northbound, just south of interstate 45 and north of the HWY 288 interchange with US HWY 59. After a few moments pass the next shot shows them approaching the HWY 59 and HWY 288 interchange (going northbound on HWY 59). This interchange is located about 1/2 mile south of the onramp they took in the previous shot so there is no way they would have been able to approach this interchange going north on HWY 59 had they taken the northbound onramp in the previous shot.

Quotes:

Walt: I thought you were afraid of heights.
Travis: I'm not afraid of heights. I'm afraid of fallin'.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Wanderlust (2006) (TV)

Excellent and potent tale of loss

Paris, Texas is my first ever taste of acclaimed director Wim Wenders, and while the film isn't exactly sweet; it's certainly not bitter enough to steer itself away from the realms of the masterpiece. Paris, Texas is very much a character driven story and it follows the account of a man that wanders out of the hot desert sun with an acute case of amnesia. When his brother, Walt, finds him, he helps him to remember his life, and we then watch as our protagonist rekindles his former relationships first with son, and then with the mother of his child. Wim Wenders handles this story with the utmost skill, and it works thanks to the tentative way that he portrays the characters to the audience. Just like the town of it's title; Paris, Texas is basically a film about being lost. I (and I'm sure many other people) didn't even realise that there was a place called Paris in the middle of Texas, and this little place is symbolic of the substance that is at the core of this movie.

The film doesn't benefit from any big name actors, but the actors in the movie do give it their all and ensure that it doesn't fall down on the acting side. Harry Dean Stanton takes the lead role, and does a good job in, at first, portraying a man consumed with amnesia; and then consumed with the time he has lost. Nastassja Kinski is the only member of the cast that has a really notable list of film credits other than this movie, but ironically she has the least screen time of the five leads. Every minute she is on screen is a delight, however, and she lights up the screen with both of her talents; looks and acting ability. The young Hunter Carson gives a rare child performance; i.e. one that isn't incredibly annoying, but strangely he didn't appear in very many movies after this one. The climax to the tale is more than satisfying, and is easily one of the most haunting and potent I've ever seen in a film. Wenders shows his talent with both the execution and the implications of it, and it's a satisfying end to a very satisfying movie. Recommended.