As promised months ago, here is my dissertation. It can be downloaded as a pdf from this link :

http://rapidshare.com/files/216640482/Love__Death__Elvis-_the_films_of_Lynch__Jarmusch_and.pdf.html

I wrote it about three years ago. I just read it through. It’s not great but it was completed with a certain pride. I was going through a breakup and I had a lack of confidence in essay writing after previously dropping out from one degree over not doing my dissertation. I came to the conclusion once that I shouldn’t write essays about the things I love. Examining them so intensely and having to critique them spoilt their enjoyment. With Johnny Suede I couldn’t resist though and I’m pleased that the experience hasn’t lessened my passion for the film. If you have the time I would be really honoured if you’d give it a read through.

Cheers Tom,

Tim

First, sorry to hear the ex was not so nice. Second, I’m massively stoked Never Girl is getting played somewhere. I wrote the lyrics to all the songs in the film and the foolish imbecility of that particular song always keeps it close to my heart.

It is only slightly less banal than Mama’s Boy, the song Freak Storm sings. Nick Cave felt it was not appropriate for him to sing it as written. I authorized him to write his own lyrics. He sent me a tape that was, shall we say, extremely dour and mournful, followed by him speaking these words, “Tom, my lyrics are even more stupid than yours; let’s stick with the original.”

I never felt prouder.

Your observations about Johnny echo my own. He is a complex character underneath his simple facade. Most people never saw past the facade which was bewildering to me. I went far out of my way (and Brad assisted) to make it clear Johnny was a fool, not Cool. I happen to love fools. But most people today would never recognize a fool, let alone recognize the fool in themselves.

And your ex was right about the shoes. My idea there is that we all are constantly looking for some EXTERIOR flash for our identity; something to embellish or exaggerate what we feel is missing on the INTERIOR–which is where the real gold is anyway.

And like I said above, I was particularly fascinated with the rockabilly/punk scene in NYC in the early ’70’s. Even just on a visual level it was mind-blowing.

I’m really glad you noticed those details. And, I’m honored you tattooed that heart on yer person. My production designer showed me a book of photographs early on called Juke Joints. It was all these incredible, sweaty, gorgeously saturated color photos inside tiny blues clubs in the American deep south. The dagger-pierced heart was copied exactly from the book as were many others.

I copied all the sweat stains, peeled paint and broken plaster for Johnny’s apartment. Again, I agree with you–for all its disrepair I wouldn’t mind living there at all.

So, Tim. Thanks for writing. This was my first film. I put everything I had into it. It’s the first child. It comes out a little wobbly, a little red-faced and knobby-kneed–but you never love another like you do the first.

My sincere best to you.
Tom

I was really interested to read about Scott’s love for the film (above post) how immersed he was in the rockabilly scene at the time of its release and how it was a wake up call to him . I’m half aware of a rumour that at least one British rockabilly band had a song at the time declaring Johnny Suede ‘the coolest cat on the movie screen’ (which is missing the point some what, where as clearly Scott didn’t) .
The 80s/90s rockabilly scene I was too young for is my fascination, my favourite films the ones that have the shadow of the 1950s cast over them but are fiercely contemporary to when they were made. I’ve only ever considered myself on the periphery of today’s rockabilly scene which I feel in it’s present incarnation is bland and contrived. Johnny is this brilliantly singular character and in his world it is actually impossible to imagine that there is a scene Johnny could be part of. Even Freak Storm, who is similarly dressed represents the present in the film while Johnny ‘has his head in the clouds and his feet in the past’. I think perhaps what I’m trying to say is that it’s interesting how Johnny Suede has a fan base still within today’s rockabilly community when I don’t think his character represents it at all now.

Above everything in the film it is the set designs, details and backdrops of a beautifully tattered and decaying Brooklyn, that I love. My ex was American and we were to go to Brooklyn in Johnny’s footsteps, but I’m glad we didn’t. One thing is destroying the illusion of a movie by visiting where it was filmed. it’s quite another to find out that those buildings have gone. Apart from turning out to be a not very nice person my ex was quite insightful into the meaning of Johnny’s heaven sent shoes, something which I’ve never seen written about. That is Johnny becomes a bit of an arse when he finds the shoes. He appears to name himself “Suede” after contemplating them, and when he loses one in the finale he is remorseful and back to his humbler well meaning self. They do change his character to an extent. maybe this is incredibly obvious. I thought it was insightfully cool though.
As for the set design if I ever own my own place I will trash it to look like Johnny’s room. My crummy little band cover “Never Girl” at our gigs but what really gets me are the incredible details in the flick. The Lady Love heart and dagger drawn on the wall at the start of the film is the most perfectly beautiful little drawing I’ve seen and I’m partly ashamed to admit to you that I have it tattooed on my left arm. One carefully placed tattoo, that’s it. But I really want to know more about these stylistics and what inspired them, the naively drawn girl in leopard print we see on a card in the phone box and the ‘blue boy’ graffiti in the bathroom looking as though Jean Cocteau had drawn Popeye (I’m an illustrator by profession which is why I find this so interesting).

I apologise for this rambling mess of a post and hope I haven’t appeared like some dribbling sycophant (as I once did when I met Morrissey) but yes I do find the banality of life in the 2000s depressing and the visuals in Johnny Suede are something I wish I could wake up to sometimes. Thanking you in advance for taking the time to read this Tom
Best Regards
Tim Daddio

Congratz on the Johnny Suede DVD and losing the voice-over. I’ve never seen the movie and now look forward to catching up with it.

Look forward to seeing you in Portland later this week?

You clearly got the intent of what I spent so much time on in the mix and the production design. The sound mixer looked at me like I was crazy when I said, “No, I want the sounds of birds chirping in Darlette’s apartment. It is part of her theme, part of what makes Johnny so infatuated with her.”

The finger snaps too were carefully worked out. One of my greatest influences in terms of film scores is Ennio Morricone, especially all his spaghetti western films. Nobody was doing what he was doing; whistling, guys chanting, bells ringing. To this day I am constantly going back to his scores for inspiration.

I hope you enjoy the DVD. Thanks so much for your support and enthusiasm. It really means a lot to me.

best,
Tom

For years, I have anxiously awaited “Johnny Suede,” on dvd. My old vhs copy is nearly spent, though I love it so. This movie is so magical in every way. I never tire of it. The subtle bird chirps in the background, the snaps, Johnny’s expressions, Darlette’s bedroom…it is all so understated and clever. Makes me wish that I had a hand in the whole process. You have my full attention.

Emily