OLDIES.com - Direct source of Collectables Records and Alpha Video Twitter Facebook
Cart Icon Shopping Cart Your Account Order Status Help


Stranger Than Paradise

Starring: John Lurie; Richard Edson & Eszter Balint Director: Jim Jarmusch  Rated: Restricted
McAfee Secure sites help keep you safe from identity theft, credit card fraud, spyware, spam, viruses and online scams
Stranger Than Paradise Boxart
List Price: $39.95
Your Price: $33.96
You Save: $5.99 (15%)
Available : Usually ships in 2-3 business days
Truck Free Shipping on orders of $75+ or
Free Faster Shipping on orders of $100+
(some restrictions apply)

Format: DVD

Average Customer Rating: Rating 4.0
Based on 51 ratings.

Item Number: CRRN 1695D
Safe Shopping Guarantee
Add to Cart
Purchase Later
Shipping Options
ORDER BY PHONE
1-800-336-4627
or 1-610-649-7565
Mon-Fri: 7am-10pm ET
Sat: 10am-9pm ET
Sun: 10am-8pm ET

DVD Features:

  • Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
  • Full Frame - 1.33
  • Audio:

 Dolby Digital Mono 1.0 - English
  • Additional Release Material:

 Behind the Scenes
 Featurette: "Kino '84: Jim Jarmusch"
 Trailers: Original U.S & Japanese Theatrical Trailers
 Short Film - PERMANENT VACATION (1980)
  • Text/Photo Galleries:

 Photos - On-Set

Entertainment Reviews:

New York Times - 09/29/1984

"...Something quite special....One of the most original, wonderfully oddball, independent American films..."

New York Times - 12/30/1984

Included in The New York Times "10 BEST FILMS OF 1984"

Variety - 05/23/1984

"...STRANGER THAN PARADISE is a bracingly original avant-garde black comedy..."

Entertainment Weekly - 05/23/2003

"...PARADISE's offbeat economy is inspiring; it's composed of only 67 single gorgeous black-and-white shots..."

Premiere - 06/01/2004

"[A] Beckettesque anomie prevails....Beautifully shot in black and white..."

New York Times - 09/07/2007

3 stars out of 4 -- "[T]his multiple award winner is droll, fabulously shot...and winningly captures an aimless lifestyle..."

Product Description:

From director Jim Jarmusch (GHOST DOG, DEAD MAN) comes the story of two New York City friends (John Lurie and Richard Edson) who find their lives turned upside down when the attractive 16-year-old Hungarian cousin (Eszter Balint) of one of them pays a visit. What follows is a road trip first to Cleveland and then to Florida during which the trio lose their money but find their true identities. STRANGER THAN PARADISE is an example of independent filmmaking at its most inspired, vaulting Jarmusch to the top of the indie totem pole.

Plot Synopsis:

Beginning in New York City and ending up in Florida, Jim Jarmusch's STRANGER THAN PARADISE is a highly original comedy that has greatly influenced a new generation of filmmakers (most notably, Kevin Smith and Finland's Aki Kourismaki). Willie (John Lurie) is annoyed to learn that his younger cousin, Eva (Eszter Balint), is flying in from Hungary and plans on staying with him for ten days. When she arrives, she and Willie waste their days doing nothing. Eventually, Eva gets bored and leaves New York in order to visit her Aunt Lotte in Cleveland. When Willie and his friend Eddie (Richard Edson) get into trouble while cheating in a poker game, they decide to hit the road and track down Eva. Cleveland is even less exciting than New York, so the trio decide to take the plunge and journey to Florida, where they dream of winning an enormous amount at the track. Unfortunately, the reverse occurs, forcing them to confront the gravity of their situation head-on. Jarmusch fuses his love of European cinema with a New York hipness to create one of the decade's most influential films. Photographed in a static black and white by Tom Di Cillo (director of JOHNNY SUEDE and LIVING IN OBLIVION), STRANGER THAN PARADISE features comically understated performances by its three leads--who are all professional musicians.

Plot Keywords:

Black Comedy | Buddies | Essential Cinema | Independent | Road Trips | Self-Discovery | Theatrical Release

Production Notes:

  • Additional Cast: Danny Rosen, Rammellzee.
  • Screened at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival.

Cast and Crew:

Starring John Lurie, Richard Edson & Eszter Balint
Directed by Jim Jarmusch
Screenwriting by Jim Jarmusch
Performer Cecilla Stark

Look For Similar Products By Category:

Movie Categories:

DVD Details:

  • Format: DVD
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Label: Criterion
  • Originally Released in: 1984
  • Number of Discs: 2
  • Rated: Restricted
  • Run Time: 1 hours, 29 minutes
  • Video: Black & White
  • Region: Region 1 encoding; USA & Canada.
  • Release Date: September 4, 2007
  • OLDIES.com Sales Rank: 76,902
  • Item Number: CRRN 1695D
  • UPC: 715515024020
  • Shipping Weight: 0.27/lbs (approx); Counts as 2 items for International Shipping.

Movie Lovers' Ratings & Reviews

Average Customer Rating: Rating 4.0
Based on 51 ratings.

Be the first Movie Lover to write an online review of this product!

Film Collectors & Archivists: Alpha Video is actively looking for rare and unusual pre-1943 motion pictures, in good condition, from Monogram, PRC, Tiffany, Chesterfield, and other independent studios for release on DVD. We are also interested in TV shows from the early 1950s. Share your passion for films with a large audience. Let us know what you have.
Bookmark and Share


Movies with some of the same Star(s) & Director(s):


Fishing with John - Complete Series (Criterion Collection) (DVD)
List: $29.95, Your Price: $25.46 (Save 15%)
Add to Cart


Top ranking titles in the Criterion Collection series:


The Burmese Harp (DVD)
List: $29.95, Your Price: $25.46 (Save 15%)
Add to Cart


To place an order or for customer service, call toll-free 1-800-336-4627 or outside the United States, call 1-610-649-7565
Open Monday - Friday: 7am-10pm, Saturday: 10am-9pm, Sunday: 10am-8pm (Eastern Time)