Night on Earthis a 1991 film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch .

It is a collection of five vignettes , which take place during the same evening, each concerning the temporary bond formed between taxi driver and passenger in five different cities around the world: Los Angeles , New York , Paris , Rome , and Helsinki . The movie begins with the Los Angeles based segment and moves from city to city as the clock turns during the late hours of the night. Jarmusch wrote the screenplay forNight on Earthin about eight days, and the decision to film in certain cities was largely based on the actors with whom he wanted to work at the time.The soundtrack ,Night on Earth, is by Tom Waits .