Paris, Texas

1984 2 hr 25 min

R

2025 Oscar Nominations

2025 Oscar Winners

This profoundly moving film is both a character study and a road movie, which follows a mute drifter who emerges from the desert after an extended absence as he tries to reconnect with his young son and search for his lost wife. Crafted by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard and directed by renowned German auteur Wim Wenders. PARIS, TEXAS showcases stunning cinematography and offers a meticulously crafted visual examination of the disintegrating ideal of the American family.

About the Score. Composed by Ry Cooder, a renowned American musician celebrated for his expertise in slide guitar, the PARIS, TEXAS score is noted for encapsulating the film's existential odyssey. Cooder drew inspiration for this soundtrack and its titular song, "Paris, Texas," from Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)," which he regarded as "the most soulful, transcendent piece in all American music." The score defies strict categorization, blending elements that are neither purely blues, bluegrass, nor ambient. Cooder incorporated a variety of sounds, discovering that tuning to the key of E-flat effectively mimicked the ambient noise of wind sweeping across the American desert. His score has received acclaim for its haunting, evocative, and melancholic qualities, while also possessing whimsical and humorous undertones. Regarded as one of the most underrated film scores of the 1980s, musician Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Nirvana has expressed that the score for PARIS, TEXAS ranks among his favorite albums.

Director Wim Wenders

Cast Harry Dean Stanton, Natassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell

Country USA

Language English

Aspect 1.85

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