including Paris, Texas. His concept usually involves a man, disassociated with civilization, who takes to the road looking for ôa meaningful existence or at the very least proof of his existenceö (Barnes). The latter is the case with Travis (Harry Dean Stanton), a man suffering from amnesia and a self-imposed exile who turns up in a small desert town. The image of Travis walking through the barren landscape along the Texas/Mexico border conveys the sense of alienation characteristic of postmodern characters. The same sense of alienation is felt by the two male characters in Stranger Than Paradise. Willie (John Lurie) and his buddy Eddie (Richard Edson) lead dull, meaningless lives in New York City, mainly gambling, smoking and watching television. Their lives take on some spark when WillieÆs teenaged cousin Eva (Eszter Balint) arrives in New York on her way to visit her aunt in Cleveland, but overall the little more than a week the three spend together is boring.
Paris, Texas and Stranger Than Paradise involve two road trips each. TravisÆ first trip is with his brother Walt (Dean
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