Jim has done that since “Stranger Than Paradise,” which began with a series of improvs from the three actors. Obviously the script was totally original, but enough dialogue was taken that John Lurie complained to me at the time that he had “written the script,” which I thought was hilarious.

I have no knowledge of this, but I’d be surprised if there weren’t some things in “Down by Law,” that didn’t come from Jim’s close friendship with Benigni. Benigni’s comedic persona is the same as that guy, and Benigni himself is not that much different either.

Jim also takes ideas liberally from other movies, for example, the gunshot through the sink in “Ghost Dog,” which comes from “Branded to Kill.” But he credited the film as a big influence to “Ghost Dog,” so it could be seen as a shout-out as much as an homage.

I’ve always seen Jim as being like Dylan, who every now and then pulls bits of things here from other people’s work but he always turns it into something 100% original.