What in God's name has happend to Gus Van Sant's talent?

[thedudeman69]

The fact of the matter is that Sant has lost his talent of direction. I mean, sure in his most recent films, he has some slightly original shots and ideas for shots, but his acting directions are fucking shitty. In his last three films, he basically tells someone to walk, drive or do something for ten minutes then he introduces diologue to the movie. I mean, That is absurd. Some people might like that, but after watching the film for a second or third time, I felt that the movies were just pointless things that Sant felt that he was obligated to do or something. I miss the days where he was doing films like Drugstore Cowboy, or Good Will Hunting or My Own Private Idaho. Those were his good films. His remake of Pyscho is the shittiest thing I have ever seen and is clearly plagerized by the shot by shot remake of the movie. He all the sudden got lazy.

He is now making a movie where Starbucks and Tom Hanks are in the same frame. I have no clue what to say to that.

[Kevin Lockard]

Elephant and Last Days were...........urgh. Good concept (especially Elephant) but I dispise the whole "110% realistic documentary" approach both films take. I hate that approach. And don't get me started on the Psycho remake, though I heard he made that exactly shot by shot like the original so that no one else would come around and remake it into somehting that completely dissed Hitchcock's original. And whoever's idea it was to have Normal Bates masturbate in that movie needs to be kicked in the balls....

He was never really one of my favorites. He's definitely a good director but I don't see why so many people love him so much, so this new movie really doesn't mean much to me.


PS Btw, I heard that when the kids are playing video games in Elephant, it was supposed to be an Anti-Violent Video Game messgae, meaning he was alluding to the fact that violent video games DO inspire real life violence in some way.

[ThirdOuting]

His filmography astonishes me. From Drugstore Cowboy to Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - the diversity is crazy. However, I've only seen Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho and (christ) Psycho. Now I don't know if this applies to all of his work, but it seems to me that his films raise a topic/issue, then a lot of stuff happens which has no real significance, and then finish nicely, but without a restored equilibrium. This gives his work an empty feeling. Even so, there's something so hypnotic and strangely intriguing with My Own Private Idaho, it really wins me over.

I did stick Last Days on not too long back, but it was too sluggish for my liking. I need to sit through it some day though.

[ilovemovies]

The only movies I've seen from Van Sant are Finding Forrester, Psycho, Good Will Hunting and To Die For.

Psycho wasn't very good but I loved the rest. So he's cool with me. I do want to see Elephant and Gerry.

Last Days doesn't really interest me though.

[APzombie]

I love Van Sant, esspecially Elephant. He's one of the most visionary talents around and I think he still has plenty to show for it.

It doesn't suprise me that hes doing a film with Hanks. Hanks said recently his top five films included Elephant, 2001 and Boogie Nights.

[echo_bravo]

I hated Elephant soooo much. Last Days was interesting though.

[Tayzlor]

Originally posted by APzombie
It doesn't suprise me that hes doing a film with Hanks. Hanks said recently his top five films included Elephant, 2001 and Boogie Nights.

What were the other two movies?

[Brando @$$ Fat]

The man's a huge talent, but I hate him forever for the Psycho remake. Wow that was terrible, even as far as remakes go.

[APzombie]

Originally posted by Tayzlor
What were the other two movies?

The Godfather & Fargo. I couldn't remember the these eariler.

[Mr. Fred Krueger]

I actually really liked Elephant. We watched it in my film class this quarter and it did what it set out to do: I was disturbed for the rest of the day. I saw it at FYE today and yanked it up in a flash.

As far as Van Sant goes, the only other film of his I've seen was the Psycho remake, which was a complete and utter turd.

[Tyler_Durden_208]

I dunno if it's just me, but I never though he had talent to begin with.
I've sat through several of his films and always the first words out of my mouth are "What the fuck?" and not in a "I don't get it" way. More in a "why?" way.

[Buck Turgidson]

Originally posted by APzombie
The Godfather & Fargo. I couldn't remember the these eariler.

80%...he has surprisingly good taste.

[LedZeppelin1114]

I actually really liked Elephant, and actually own the film. Last Days had plenty of problems, but not terrible. I think Psycho is his only truly colossal career blunder.

[Boner X-Ray]

I may be the only one to think this way, but I think Gerry is really fucking good, and is one of the more interesting movies I've seen in awhile.

[therealjohng]

Van Sant is one of the few directors I have respect for. That guy makes movies he wants to make, not movies people want him to make.



That and To Die For is one of the greatest black comedies I've ever seen.

[someguy]

Gerry, Elephant and Last Days were part of a 'trilogy' involving films that ended up in death, but also had that documentary/realistic feel to it. Now that his trilogy is done, he'll go back to making more mainstream type films probably. I have to agree with john though, he makes the movies he wants to make and I gotta give him respect for not caring about what others will think.

[SkyNet]

just watched ELEPHANT the other day... wanted to see it because i have written a school shooting script, and i wanted to watch this flick to see if i could get any inspiration, or see if anything we both had were very similar...

having watched it.. i thought it sucked so much. I get the whole "Day In The Life..." aspect of it.. BUT it was just boring as hell, until the end... they set up the characters for nothing... i felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters.. so if they died.. i truly didnt care.. the only characters i felt were semi developed were the killers, and even they needed way more for me to give a shit about them!

[The Postmaster General]

Drugstore Cowboy is his favorite film of mine. I wish more people who discuss his work had seen it. The film holds up so well over time and repeated viewings.

I've yet to see his long tracking shot trilogy, but am not disinterested in seeing them.

[therealjohng]

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is one of the best "so bad they're good movies". That movie has to be seen. It is so bizarre.