'Elephant' a strong film with a weak DVD
James Mack, Jr.
Issue date: 5/21/04 Section: Entertainment
To an extent, it is refreshing to see Hollywood produce something that isn't there for the greed machine of the studios. The movie Elephant is a dramatic look into the lives of teenagers for one day at a high school in the Pacific Northwest that would define "normal" until a tragic turn of events.
Recently released on DVD, this movie lacks any of the features of a Hollywood blockbuster DVD. It gives us a chance to see film making at its most believable level because, simply put, real people play themselves.
With actors and actresses who actually look like they belong in high school, director Gus Van Sant created an aura of believability about characters, an achievement considering most of the lines were improvised.
Even to attribute the term "actor" or "actress" with the cast would be a misnomer since virtually all of the characters were played by teenagers who were not professionals.
Van Sant's gamble in creativity paid off. It was as if the kids in the movie were being documented going about their daily lives. While not the best acting I have seen, I think it may be a positive thing. When you watch a documentary, you can tell that the people interviewed are, in some way, posturing for the camera. On the flip side, professionals tend to under or over-act. Elephant is a healthy, refreshing compromise.
The centerpieces around this movie separating it from other teen dramas are two major issues: an anachronistic story line and a climactic school shooting.
Think of the movie as Tarantino's Pulp Fiction with regard to its timeline. At first, you may be confused with its jumping from one character's story to another, but as each person's day starts to blend in with the overall plot, it comes nothing short of genius scripting. Van Sant creatively made seven or so separate environments seamlessly blend into one.
The one environment that was the eventuality of the film was a massive school shooting that took place, courtesy of two of the story's characters.
Recently released on DVD, this movie lacks any of the features of a Hollywood blockbuster DVD. It gives us a chance to see film making at its most believable level because, simply put, real people play themselves.
With actors and actresses who actually look like they belong in high school, director Gus Van Sant created an aura of believability about characters, an achievement considering most of the lines were improvised.
Even to attribute the term "actor" or "actress" with the cast would be a misnomer since virtually all of the characters were played by teenagers who were not professionals.
Van Sant's gamble in creativity paid off. It was as if the kids in the movie were being documented going about their daily lives. While not the best acting I have seen, I think it may be a positive thing. When you watch a documentary, you can tell that the people interviewed are, in some way, posturing for the camera. On the flip side, professionals tend to under or over-act. Elephant is a healthy, refreshing compromise.
The centerpieces around this movie separating it from other teen dramas are two major issues: an anachronistic story line and a climactic school shooting.
Think of the movie as Tarantino's Pulp Fiction with regard to its timeline. At first, you may be confused with its jumping from one character's story to another, but as each person's day starts to blend in with the overall plot, it comes nothing short of genius scripting. Van Sant creatively made seven or so separate environments seamlessly blend into one.
The one environment that was the eventuality of the film was a massive school shooting that took place, courtesy of two of the story's characters.
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stevezzzz
stevezzzz
posted 6/28/04 @ 3:21 PM EST
A good review of a great film.....
Stevie Z.
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