Gus Van Sant

i really liked elephant, but last days was pretty bad, and gerry... fucking hell, that was the worst movie i've ever seen. and i have generally low standards.

This was the tread on which I was introduced to Morbz!

Mala Noche out at last.

These two consecutive comments:

I just remembered that my budding socialist college film-geek friend, who was openly disdainful of "mainstream culture," saw this when it came out and confessed to being moved to tears.
-- jaymc (jaymc), Monday, August 8, 2005

I vividly remember during the Titanic box office lockdown that Good Will and As Good As It Gets were the top two and three films for many weeks.
-- Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, August 8, 2005

... sent me straight back to that time period, when I was the only one in my group of college friends who preferred Titanic to Hunting and thought the latter was every bit as shameless a weepy as the former.

GVS is doing the Harvey Milk biopic, starring Sean Penn. Newly cast are Josh Brolin as his assassin, Emile Hirsch as a gay activist, James Franco as Milk's lover (very savvy hotness quotient).

http://www.towleroad.com/2007/12/emile-hirsch-jo.html

hmmmm - there was an open casting call for this in SF a few weeks ago

won't Dianne Feinstein be a character in this? was she Council prez?

She was Supervisor on the Board (equivalent to City Council) - this definitely catapulted her political career.

I sort of hate her these days.

Emile Hirsch as a gay activist

Who will figure into approximately 80 percent of the film's running time.

in painted-on denim.

in 1993 he was talking about casting Robin Williams. It'd make more sense now that Williams is more of a bear than ever.

way too old now, tho? Harvey was surely too lean to be bearish?

yeah Harvey was skinny (more like an otter - lolz)

Penn's a better choice than Williams I think.

The writer is a guy from "Big Love."

Time for SFists to grow big broom 'staches!

The Castro is set to receive a makeover next month – Hollywood style – as the creative team behind the biopic on the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to office in the U.S., recasts the gay neighborhood back to its 1970s glory days.

Longtime denizens are likely to find some old haunts return to Castro Street, like the fabled Toad Hall bar – now part of Walgreens – and Milk's old camera shop – now the home of gift store Given – as the filmmakers recreate the streetscape from the days when Milk reigned over the area as the "mayor" of Castro Street.

"We want to dress this neighborhood the best we can like the 1970s," said Jonathan Shedd, the film's location manager. "We hope to create a feel that works."

Cars from the era will be parked on the streets. Awnings and street signs of businesses postdating that time will be changed. Even the Castro Theatre will be swept up by the time warp.

The movie-house's marquee, damaged by a Muni bus that ran into it while PG&E crews were doing work out front this fall, will be repaired next month and repainted to match the color palette it sported four decades ago. In addition to the settlement they receive from Muni – expected to be finalized in early January – the theater owners plan to spend upwards of $12,000 on the project.

http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=2555

"I sort of hate her these days."

Sort of? THESE DAYS! I've hated her forever.

Not sure this movie won't be a little to close for enjoyment (unlike Zodiac I was alive for and remember the fallout from Milk's assassination much clearer.) Brolin might be a good choice for White, but I can't imagine Penn as Milk at all.

Finally (after 15 years or so) got to see Mala Noche and it was good (probably his second best film), but not a patch on Drugstore Cowboy obv.

not a patch on Idaho, either (but a test run).

When we were drinking for ian's birthday in Brooklyn, the bar was showing a Hitchcock/Van Sant mashup of the Psychos. It's scene-for-scene but NOT always shot-for-shot.

Drugstore Cowboy was good but come on, thread

I'm not a fan of Idaho actually. The best sequences are the ones where Van Sant is talking to the real kids.

I thought Elephant was one of the most beautiful Movies ever made. The scenes with that red hoodie were amazing.

I could not get through more than like 20 minutes of Last Days, despite having been thoroughly into Elephant.

I really want to see it. I love Kim Gordon.

I too loved Elephant. Moonlight Sonata, so perfect.

This may or may not have to do with the Nothing preceding a looming shooting in a crowded, complex social environment being WAY more interesting than the predictable aimless depression preceding a looming suicide

Moonlight Sonata, so perfect.

Thank you for reminding me of the scene where the camera pans all the way around the room so, so slowly.

I just think of it as a mood piece. The beautiful colours the narcotically woozy camera movements. Those shots of the sky are gorgeous.

My ex-boss is scouting for the Milk film and I walked into one of my locals the other day and was surprised to see him there. Apparently they're going to shoot some in the Haight, too.

Michael can you let me know when they have an open call for extras? My wife really wants to be shell-shocked lesbian #12 or possibly emotional marcher #657.

Alex, I'm not that dialed in anymore and don't care to, but you might want to to call the Film Commission and they can ususally tell you who's doing extras casting though it's early days right now so I don't know.

Cool beans. I'll let her know. I'm looking forward to them closing the Diesel store in honor of this movie.

SFists, GVS wants you to be a '70s queer.

http://milkmarch.com/

On Monday night, February 4th and Friday night, February 8th, the feature film MILK (directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Sean Penn as Harvey Milk) will be re-creating three 1970's marches through the Castro. We are looking for volunteers to appear in the these marches in the film. THERE ARE NO AUDITIONS. IF YOU SIGN-UP ON THIS SITE AND SHOW UP, YOU WILL BE USED.

And here's Josh Brolin as Dan White:

http://www.towleroad.com/2008/01/first-look-at-j.html

"I was under the impression that he’s agreed to direct an upcoming version of The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Tom Wolfe’s nonfiction account of the aforementioned Kesey’s LSD-fueled 1964 bus trip across the United States. As it turns out, Van Sant has yet to officially sign on to this project (he said he was still in the midst of negotiating the deal and writing the script).

from Chuck Klosterman's On the Road piece in the latest issue of The Believer.

can be found here

I don't know what Dargis & Hoberman are smoking, but Paranoid Park was barely better than Last Days. Plz don't put me in the head of a skateboarder for 84 minutes.

I was surprised to find myself fairly engrossed in "Paranoid Park" (but I think "Elephant" and "Last Days" are his two worst films).

Didn't mind being put in the head of skateboarder for 84 mins.

I still think the ENDLESS lingering shots of billowy-lipped, hairless, baby-faced skateboard boys can come at the expense of other concerns, though (GVS and Larry Clark in a battle to the finish).

Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park

I think Elephant was probably his best film, but barely got through Last Days. This one splits the difference. All are still preferable to Good Will Hunting.

Need to see Mala Noche.

Mala Noche is just Private Idaho w/out the greatness.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/starz-greenlights-drama-series-starring-kelsey-grammer-and-directed-by-gus-van-sant/

has anyone seen restless? i really want to go see but like I hear you're not meant to

i've sat through way too many gvs movies in order to realize i like the idea of this guy more than i like this guy's work.

Well, you just need to watch "To Die For" again

I like all his movies a lot - that is, after long reflection, my pretty uncomplicated take on gus van sant

nb I never saw good will hunting so I might not like that one.

if you also like all of robin williams' movies a lot then oh boy just you wait

restless trailer makes it look v bad

going to give this boss telly prog with which he's involved a go

aero do you like apples