The sea of trees is a 2015 american drama mystery film directed by gus van sant and written by chris sparling. Gus van sants last days was bound to be be misunderstood from the get go. Gus van sant already has carved his own place in film history, but theres one aspect of his distinguished career that no other feature film director can claim. Gus van sant, my favorite director, couldnt pull off this novel. Beloved, controversial, influential, the creator of such fascinating and awardwinning films as my own private idaho, good will hunting, elephant, and milk, gus van sant stands among the great international directors, equally at home in hollywood and the avantgarde. Ben affleck, quentin tarantino and 4 other oscar contenders. Emanuel levy through intimate encounters with the life and work of five contemporary gay male directors, this book develops a framework for interpreting what it means to make a gay film or adopt a gay point of. She becomes a model in advertising, and her new york agent, the countess sir john hurt, sends her to his ranch in california to shoot a commercial, set against the background of. Gus van sant s last days was bound to be be misunderstood from the get go. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. While the film is directly influenced by the death of kurt cobain, last days is a fictional story. It was published in 1997 on the nan talese imprint of doubleday summary. Gus van sant, joaquin phoenix reunite with dont worry, he. Jul 12, 2018 joaquin phoenix stars in his second specialty release in the last few months with gus van sants dont worry he wont get far on foot, with jonah hill and rooney mara.
Gus van sant is the man responsible for such enduring films as mala noche. See more ideas about portrait, minnie driver and actor. Gus van sant interview about elephant part 12 youtube. The story follows two friends, mike and scott, played by river phoenix and keanu reeves respectively, as they embark on a journey of personal discovery that takes them from portland, oregon to mikes. Joaquin phoenix stars in his second specialty release in the last few months with gus van sants dont worry he wont get far on foot, with jonah hill and rooney mara.
Pink by gus van sant, gus van sant, paperback barnes. Elephant is a 2003 american drama film written and directed by gus van sant. With uma thurman, lorraine bracco, pat morita, angie dickinson. We gaze at the sky as it allows clouds to drift fluffily through it, and appears entirely empty of portents. It was released to theaters in the united states on july 22, 2005 and was produced by hbo. The film stars michael pitt as the character blake, based on kurt cobain.
The story is set in saquatch, oregon, united states, and details the life of spunky davis, a middleaged maker of infomercials who is trying to find his next assignment and finish the sciencefiction screenplay that he hopes will bring him hollywood glory. Aug 07, 2017 it tanked at the box office, is regarded as one of the worst book tofilm adaptations of all time, and is easily gus van sants worst movie. Gus van sants 1989 indie is filled with rich detail and insight into the life of a drug addict, brought to life by a careerdefining matt dillon performance published. Uma thurman, lorraine bracco, pat morita, angie dickinson, john hurt, rain phoenix, keanu reeves, carol kane, sean young, crispin glover, grace zabriskie, heather graham, udo kier. Movie talk favorite gus van sant film im going to have to choose paranoid park. Oct 31, 2016 gus van sant is the man responsible for such enduring films as mala noche, drugstore cowboy, andmy own private idaho, among many others both independent and studiofinanced. A radical left turn from the two studio films, good will hunting and finding forrester, that preceded it, gerry mixed together movie stars matt damon and casey. His films typically deal with themes of marginalized subcultures, in particular homosexuality. Gus van sant illustration by joao fazenda most every tuesday, a crew of cartoonists face the harrowing task of presenting their weekly batches of gags to this magazine for judgment.
When i first interviewed gus van sant, he had just finished editing his feature gerry and was preparing to launch it at the sundance film festival. Even cowgirls get the blues 1993 directed by gus van sant. Even cowgirls get the blues 1993 directed by gus van. Directors favorite actorsactresses 94 person items. Conversations with gus van sant often turn on the subject of luck, roll of chance in artistic career. The film stars matthew mcconaughey, ken watanabe, naomi watts, katie aselton and jordan gavaris the film is about an american man who attempts suicide in mount fujis suicide forest where he meets a japanese man who is there for the same reason. She becomes a model in advertising, and her new york agent, the countess sir john hurt, sends her to his ranch in california to shoot a commercial, set against the. He continues, gus van sant has his polaroids the book is a gold mine of images, artwork, essays, portraits, sketches, interviews, and firstperson accounts, that offer insight into the. It tanked at the box office, is regarded as one of the worst book tofilm adaptations of all time, and is easily gus van sants worst movie. May 28, 2009 elephant is a 2003 american drama film written and directed by gus van sant. As a fan of gus van sant, river phoenix, and kurt cobain, who all feature in this book under pseudonyms spunky, felix, blake respectively, this was mandatory reading. Its clear hes a visual personartist not just because he drew some of the scenes and people in the book, but the descriptions, too, are vibrant with great visual detail.
Nick allen 20171129 110 independent films have been announced to premiere at. There are a couple films like that when i lived off of hollywood boulevard in the 70s, 75 to 81, and i think that came out in 78 or. Sissy hankshaw uma thurman is born with enormous thumbs that help her hitchhiking through the u. I also experienced making a film at 14 with my sister you know, your brothers and sisters, theyre not exactly with you, and they dont really want to be doing it in the first. Last days is a 2005 american drama film directed, produced and written by gus van sant. The consensus states, dull, maudlin, and fundamentally empty, the sea of trees extinguishes the contributions of a talented cast and marks a depressing low point in director gus van sant s career. What were some of your favorite movies when you were making mala noche. Gus van sant has the camera pointing upwards as his latest movie begins. At one point uma thurman masturbates while imagining keanu reeves face in the sky but then her giant thumbs get in the way. All 16 gus van sant movies ranked from worst to best. He began making amateur films in high school, and he later studied film at the rhode island school of design b.
Jul 17, 2018 gus van sant already has carved his own place in film history, but theres one aspect of his distinguished career that no other feature film director can claim. The cinematography takes you on a waltz throughout a seemingly typical day at an unnamed high school, stopping through the journey to focus on the stereotypes of school. Joaquin phoenix teams with gus van sant specialty b. Here, a tribute to the book that created young adult fiction as we know it today. Van sant was born and raised in louisville, kentucky, the son of betty nee seay and gus green van sant sr. Gerry 2002 van sants work is often characterized by its deliberate pacing, where he sets a meditative tone filled with long shots of characters and settings. Jeanmarc lalanne retour sur loeuvre du realisateur gus van sant. He has created some incredibly compelling stories and some of my personal favorite films. My arguement was that since everyone and, quite literally, their mother, is going to see this hollywood drivel, they. Jan 01, 1997 as a fan of gus van sant, river phoenix, and kurt cobain, who all feature in this book under pseudonyms spunky, felix, blake respectively, this was mandatory reading. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the. Jun 28, 2016 he continues, gus van sant has his polaroids the book is a gold mine of images, artwork, essays, portraits, sketches, interviews, and firstperson accounts, that offer insight into the. It takes place in the fictional watt high school, in the city of portland, oregon, and chronicles the events surrounding a school shooting, based in part on the 1999 columbine high school massacre. This really isnt what you think is his best, or most accomplished film, but.
Gus van sants 1989 indie is filled with rich detail and insight into the life of a drug addict, brought to life by a careerdefining matt dillon performance. A report from the berlin film festival on three new projects, including the latest from gus van sant. Upgrade to a letterboxd pro account to add your favorite services to this listincluding any service and country pair listed on justwatchand to enable oneclick filtering by all your favorites powered by justwatch. In the town of sasquatch, oregon, spunky davis, middleaged maker of infomercials, is trying to find his next. Gus van sant, american film director and writer whose films frequently focused on marginalized and isolated characters. My own private idaho is a 1991 american independent adventure drama film written and directed by gus van sant, loosely based on shakespeares henry iv, part 1, henry iv, part 2, and henry v. The following interview was originally published in our fall, 2003 print edition.
It is a fictionalized account of the last days of a musician, loosely based on kurt cobain. The narrative is a bit of a mess but it is still entertaining and beautiful in parts, particularly in the moments in which spunky is mourning the loss of felix. Examining his films thematically, this book finds consistency of vision in van sants unique approach to cinema, which deploys. Upgrade to a letterboxd pro account to add your favorite services to this listincluding any service and country pair listed on justwatchand to enable oneclick filtering by all your favorites. Pedro almodovar, terence davies, todd haynes, gus van sant, john waters. View a custom newsfeed of your favorite artists and models. Ranging from gus van sants first feature mala noche to keisuke kinoshitas rarely seen snow flurry, these intense dramas penetrate the soul and illuminate the hardships of love. Join facebook to connect with tony van sant and others you may know. Gus van sant has led a storied career that spans decades. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Dont worry, he wont get far on foot by gus van sant gus. Gus van sant, joaquin phoenix reunite with dont worry. A young writing prodigy finds a mentor in a reclusive author. Get acquianted with these rare and stunning films and decide whom youd like to break your heart tonight.
All 16 gus van sant movies ranked from worst to best taste. The enduring spell of the outsiders the new york times. If you are wandering one day, lonely and lost, and happen upon the sea of trees, the latest from oscarnominated director gus van sant, chop it to the ground starring matthew mcconaughey and. Gus van sant is a portlandbased author, musician, photographer, and film director. In the same way i used to suggest that david lynch direct the final installment of the twilight franchise, perhaps its not the worst thing in the world that a director like gus van sant is throwing his hat in the ring to direct the cinematic adaptation of fifty shades of grey. Hintons 1967 comingofage novel credited teenagers with a rich interior life. Guss father was a clothing manufacturer and traveling salesman, who rapidly worked his way into middle class prosperity, holding executive marketing positions that included being president of the white stag manufacturing companys apparel operation. Gus van sant goes from auteur to author in an brilliant, inventive, and endlessly entertaining first novel that reads like a warholian mix of kurt vonnegut and tom robbins. It was a really hard decision, as i think most everything hes done is wonderful save for a few midlate 90s films, and im not including good will hunting.
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