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Post by PrickleyPorcupine on Jun 21, 2004 19:56:46 GMT
I apologise in advance if anyone likes this film, but I just watched the shittest film in a long time & am bitterly disappointed.
Elephant. Anyone seen it? Its based on the true story of those American kids that set bombs off in their school & went around shooting people. I'd heard it was excellent, quite arty. So I attempted to watch it with an open mind & it was so so so boring I actually fast forwarded most bits, hoping that something would happen & the story would go somewhere. There were like 5 different occassion where they filmed the sky for 2 minutes. I kept dozing off.
DO NOT WATCH!!
Anyone else got an opinion on this film?
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Post by nosugarmama on Jun 21, 2004 21:16:43 GMT
Art my ass. It could have easily been called 'The day of Columbine' or something to that effect.
It totally infuriated me when I saw it but for some reason I sat there until the end of the movie. Some friends of mine walked out... smart move.
If Gus van Sant didn't create it then I doubt it would have got as wide a release. I just kept thinking during the movie how hard it must be for the families that lost their loved ones in such a senseless tragedy and how in this movie being made it's shoved back into their faces.
I hope people put a big bag of burning dogshit on his doorstep.
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Post by chipsilver on Jun 22, 2004 8:24:43 GMT
Hmm, I feel i've got little choice but to stand up and defend this film, even though you're all gonna laugh at me for it. I saw this on the cinema, and have to admit that I found it hard to form a definate opinion on it as soon as I walked out. All I knew was the film had seemed quietly beautiful, and horribly cold at one and the same time. I loved the experience of watching it, I felt I was engaged in the process without being manipulated - something thats very refreshing in mainstream film. Its a credit to Gus Van Sant that he allows us to merely observe and form our own judgements, that a certain reaction is not easily suggested. This does have the unnerving and disorientating effect of leaving us no safety net, no hero to hope for or resolution to expect. I think that to treat this subject with those false concerns for the audiences comfort would be disrespectful to the reality - something that we are fiercely reminded of with the introduction (and subsequent sudden death) of a hero character towards the end of the picture. I dont know, I could go on about this film more - im still kind of thinking about it now - but at the end of the day Gus Van Sant has chosen a more expressionistic and experimental style in which to portray the subject. The pace is luxurious (or slow, depending on your patience) and the meanings hidden - it was never going to please everyone, and is not really aimed at a mainstream audience. I understand complete the desire to fast forward, but if you felt that urge, you'd have been better to press stop i think. It seemed to me, the pleasure and meaning of the movie was in these long glances and the portaiture of the mundane, possibly in order to later present the killings in the same way (the violence was anything but glorified) and demonstrate the numbness of the killers and of us as an audience/society. This was an extension of style from an earlier (and even more wonderful) picture, Gerry, and is a journey that the director is taking for his own enjoyment. I think he treated the tragedy (not specifically Columbine) with great respect, and surely anyone involved with columbine wouldn't watch this film anyway? Sorry for getting on my high horse, I just really respect the form and ambition thats been put into this.  |
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Post by nosugarmama on Jun 22, 2004 8:41:54 GMT
Only pompous pricks would enjoy this movie and saying Van Sant treated the tragedy (Columbine) with respect is the biggest bullshit I've heard all day.
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Post by erica on Jun 22, 2004 10:02:54 GMT
i agree with chipsilver!
I think its a good movie, altough its more a documentary of the tragedy of columbine... but you know, different people, different opinions
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Post by chipsilver on Jun 22, 2004 13:10:07 GMT
Only pompous pricks would enjoy this movie and saying Van Sant treated the tragedy (Columbine) with respect is the biggest bullshit I've heard all day. I appreciate your zeal for lively, intelligent debate - but could you elaborate on why it makes me a pompous prick to appreciate the artistry in a film that you dont like, and why you think Van Sant is disrespectful in his handling of the subject of high school killings (again, not specifically Columbine)? |
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