Fishing With John - Criterion Collection

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Originally produced for the Independent Film Channel, John Lurie's idiosyncratic take on the classical fishing program places the genre in entirely alien terrain--and that doesn't just refer to the strange and exotic locations. Best known to filmgoers for roles in Stranger Than Paradise and The Last Temptation of Christ, Lurie is also a composer, a saxophonist, the leader of the jazz group the Lounge Lizards, and a painter. Fisherman, however, is nowhere to be seen on his résumé, so this city-bred hipster's foray into rod and reel country is obviously another kettle of fish. Reeling in buddies Tom Waits, Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Dennis Hopper, and director Jim Jarmusch to join him on his fishing trips to such faraway locales as Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Thailand, Lurie takes his show completely out of the "how to" realm: imagine a talk show defined by its contemplative silences. Fishing with John teaches nothing about fishing. Instead, John simply enjoys the company of his buddies as they venture out into unfamiliar territory and drop a line in the water, tossing in a current of absurdist commentary (dryly intoned by Roy Webb) and surreal speculation for good measure. This is the ultimate fishing show for people who could not care less about fishing. --Sean Axmaker

Description

John Lurie knows absolutely nothing about fishing, but that doesn't stop him from undertaking the adventure of a lifetime on Fishing With John. Traveling with his special guests to the most exotic and dangerous places on earth, John Lurie battles sharks with Jim Jarmusch off the tip of Long Island, goes ice fishing with Willem Dafoe at Maine's northernmost point, braves the Costa Rican jungle with Matt Dillon, takes Tom Waits to Jamaica, and searches for the elusive giant squid with Dennis Hopper in Thailand.

Customer Reviews:

What a treat!.......2007-03-04

Was just surfin' around looking for Tom Waits tunes & lo & behold here was the simply fabulous "Fishing with John" show on DVD. Loved the episodes muchly; missed them now for several years. Low key wit, lots of silence (sometimes, deliciously strained,) celebs out of their element, mostly; no scripts, fighting the weather in out of the way places. In my top-10 TV shows of all time. As soon as I finish up here, I'm ordering the DVD!

Good Catch!.......2007-02-03

Certainly not for everyone's taste, but amusing none the less. It was intended as a parody and it very much succeeds. The narration works to this point, and the participants seem to relish the experience!

Nothing About Fishing.......2007-01-20

This movie should come with a warning label that indicates it has NOTHING to do with fishing. Both the host of the show and the stars know absolutly nothing about the topic in the title...that of fishing. They do everything else but fish. The voice over throughout the movie is done in a monotone and flat voice that is supposed to be funny but is more annoying than anything else. If you are a fisherman or are thinking of this as a gift for a fisherman DO NOT buy this movie!!

When you least expect it, expect it!.......2006-11-03

Good for fishing folk, good for Lounge Lizard fans, good for those who enjoy the random and surreal. Bad for anyone who wants high production value or an identifiable plot.

A rare treat . . ........2006-06-22

. . . that is both stupid as hell and screamingly funny. The Dennis Hopper episodes are the best.

In actual fact, whether or not Fishing With John is really funny at all, life is beautiful.

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