Year of the Horse

Since indie maestro Jarmusch made imaginative use of Young's soundtrack for Dead Man, it's fitting that he should have shot this documentary of the veteran band in concert on their 1996 tour, interspersed with interviews (some stoned, some illuminating) and footage from tours in the '70s and '80s. In contrast with the Young/Shakey-directed Rust Never Sleeps, Jarmusch uses film and video, colour and b/w to emphasise the music's rawness and immediacy, and by shooting mostly in medium and long shot, he catches the feel of actually being at a gig. Incidentally, the director also provides the film's funniest moment as he enlightens Young about God's mysterious ways.