Elephant (2003)

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writer (WGA):

Gus Van Sant (written by)

Release Date:

3 October 2003 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

An ordinary high school day. Except that it's not.

Plot:

Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent.

Plot Keywords:

Eeny Meeny Miny Moe | Shot To Death | Für Elise | Shot In The Chest | Part Of Trilogy

Awards:

5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Alex Frost	...	Alex
Eric Deulen	...	Eric
John Robinson	...	John McFarland
Elias McConnell	...	Elias
Jordan Taylor	...	Jordan
Carrie Finklea	...	Carrie
Nicole George	...	Nicole
Brittany Mountain	...	Brittany
Alicia Miles	...	Acadia
Kristen Hicks	...	Michelle
Bennie Dixon	...	Benny
Nathan Tyson	...	Nathan
Timothy Bottoms	...	Mr. McFarland
Matt Malloy	...	Mr. Luce
Ellis Williams	...	GSA Teacher (as Ellis E. Williams)

MPAA:

Rated R for disturbing violent content, language, brief sexuality and drug use - all involving teens.

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

France:-12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Japan:R-15 | Iceland:16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Brazil:16 | Netherlands:12 | Hungary:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #40167)

Filming Locations:

Portland, Oregon, USA

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

When we see Alex and Eric sleeping, we can see the cover of the book Eric has been reading: US Army Technical Manual #31-201-1, which covers the making and use of Incendiary devices.

Goofs:

Continuity: The shirt that Nate is wearing when he is shot is not the shirt he is wearing when the GSA is having a discussion.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mr. McFarland: What? Hey! Where are you going? Come here.
John McFarland: Oh, my God, Dad.
Mr. McFarland: Get in the car. You're gonna be late for school. Come on.
John McFarland: Mom's gonna kill you.

Movie Connections:

References Gerry (2002)

Soundtrack:

Beneath the Forest Floor

Elegantly Disturbing and Shallow

I've never been a believer in Gus Van Sant the auteur. "Drugstore Cowboy" was a quasi-entertaining and promising first feature most notable for its pretty North Western scenery and the even prettier Heather Graham in her film debut, but nothing too special ever followed, and the "Pscyho" remake was an abomination on every level. Van Sant's mainstream films were successful for reasons beyond his artistic input. "To Die For" heralded Nicole Kidman's first tour de force, and "Good Will Hunting" launched the careers of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for better and for worse.

Here, with "Elephant" Van Sant returns to the same pretty North Western scenery (just an in "Drugstore Cowboy" the movie was filmed on location in Portland, Oregon) and populates it with even prettier young men and women sleepwalking through an "interpretation" of the events of the Columbine Massacre. There's an elegant listlessness to the camera-work as Van Sant lulls us into a beautifully mundane day in the life of some random high school students. There's a creepy undercurrent, not only in the voyeuristic way in which he films his young charges, but also in the long lingering single shots of students walking through hallways and sidewalks from behind. Suddenly, as the plot of two alienated young men comes to fruition, you realize that the camera-work is meant to copy the "killer's-eye-view" of the violent and sadistic video games the young men play before making it a reality at their school. There's a rising tension that few film-makers have been able to craft, and for that Van Sant deserves accolades.

For all the artificial prettiness, this is without a doubt a highly disturbing viewing experience. In the end, some of it seemed too random (what was the point of the "Benny" character or the kiss in the shower?), and it culminates ambiguously with all the loose ends untethered. A more capable story-teller would have offered a conclusion, but all Van Sant leaves us is with some haunting classical music and beautiful shot of a cloud covered North Western sky.