Arizona Dream

Written and Directed by: Emir Kusturica

Year of Release: 1993

Country: USA/France

Runtime: 142 min.

This impressing film begins with the scene that a fish comes out of the water in the Arctic and travels all around the world, and passes even the desert under full moon because Axel(Johnny Depp) dreams about an Eskimo caughting fish. Axel's uncle Leo(Jerry Lewis) tries to persuade Axel retaining the family business, selling Cadillacs when Axel was indeed reluctant in this. Axel's father was dead and his uncle was therefore like a father to him. One day Axel meets Elaine(Faye Dunaway) and her stepdaughter Grace(Lili Taylor) and he immediately falls in love with Elaine. Grace was cultivating a great hate to her stepmother being jealous with her beauty and the ability to charm men. As an extraordinary character, Grace was dreaming to recarnated as a turtle, thus showing her turtle a greater interest. Soon, Axel begins to live with those two beautiful and interesting women. He builds a flying machine to his love Elaine who was dreaming to fly. Grace who is being jealous with this situation harms the machine and Axel rebuilds. After a bad flying accident Elaine becomes mad. Axel with the time passed also becomes depressive and mad. He knew he must make a decision between these two women and kill the other. He slowly grows an interest in Grace, but can't kill his ex-love either. He talks with Grace and professes his love to her. On a stormy night, on Elaine's birthday Grace gives her the present as everybody then frees her turtles, wears the white dress and a hat(wedding gown) and lets the flash of lightening kills her. Axel watches her death and feels very very miserable. At the end of the film he dreams that he and his uncle catch a fish as Eskimos, and then free it.

Arizona Dream was the first Emir Kusturica film I watched and the film that made me love his films. The soundtrack album of the film that was composed by Goran Bregovich and Iggy Pop, has been one of my favourite albums since my childhood. It won Silver Berlin Bear in Berlin Film Festival when nominated for Golden Berlin Bear, and Jury Special Prize, Golden Camera 300 in Brother's Manaki International Film Festival, and Audience Award in Warsaw International Film Festival.

An absolutely cult film. Don't miss it!