Raúl Ruiz’s first film made in the U.S. freely borrows from American police dramas and telenovelas in transforming downtown New York into a phantasmagorical labyrinth of noirish intrigues, inexplicable menace, and metaphysical quagmires, achieving a unique portrait of its particular time and place. A bloodthirsty assassin (Michael Kirby) joins up with a philosopher and a rock critic in pursuit of the Mexican soap star who has captured his heart, and along the way he encounters one bizarre character after another. Featuring memorable cameos from Kathy Acker, Jim Jarmusch, Barbet Schroeder, Annie Sprinkle, and Vito Acconci, and music by John Zorn, The Golden Boat must be seen to be believed.