Cobain's 'Last Days' inspire Van Sant movie

[Kire]

Cobain's 'Last Days' inspire Van Sant movie

By Sheri Linden Sat Jul 23,11:52 AM ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Director Gus Van Sant's new film may be dedicated to and inspired by Kurt Cobain, but moviegoers hoping for a sensationalistic look at the suicide of the Nirvana rocker won't find it in "Last Days."

The film, which stars Michael Pitt ("The Dreamers") as a musician hiding out in his enormous stone house from his career, his family and his parasitic hangers-on, opened in New York and Los Angeles on Friday.

Contemplative rather than reportorial, "Last Days" eschews many of the conventions of mainstream narrative movies, although with "Good Will Hunting" to his credit, Van Sant is no stranger to more crowd-pleasing fare.

Like the director's previous two films, "Last Days" uses a real-life incident as a point of artistic departure. "Gerry" (2002) centered on two hikers stranded in the desert, and "Elephant," which won the top award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003, followed a group of high school students in the days before a shooting rampage similar to the one at Columbine.

Like those movies, Van Sant's imagining of Cobain's final descent in 1994 is interested less in answers than in suggestion and observation.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050723/us_nm/leisure_vansant_dc

[CanuckAmok]

1. I really like Van Sant, and they direction his films are taking.

"Elephant" is a masterpiece.

That reviewer hit it right on the head; Van Sant isn't interested in drawing lessons from his subjects; he's more of an observer. His movies are more like historical re-enactments than morailty plays.

[Kire]

3. I want to join his film crew for free.

:popcorn:

[Placebo]

2. I'm conflicted about the way his vision has turned...

On the one hand, I want to praise its raw realism, and on the other hand I can definitely understand the scores of people who just "don't get it" and if they wanted to see a 2-hour home movie, would just stay home. You've got to remember as a director that there is an audience and people have got to want to see this film, it's not just mental masturbation on the director's part.

I won't dispute that Van Sant's artistic talent, I just hope his best work isn't behind him.

[Kire]

5. "people have got to want to see this film"?

or what? it loses it's street credibility?

did you even see 'Elephant'? Through to the end? it appears like you are commenting on only what you've heard from the marketing campaigns.

Like Clint Eastwood, Van Sant has entered the highest level of his craft.

Listen, don't be conflicted. Don't praise. Don't scorn. Just be curious, and wait for a miracle. It will come.

[aaronbees]

4. Looking forward to it....

Van Sant is one of the most interesting directors around, though he's had some misses. He at least has an intriguing vision of the world and this subject matter is right up his alley, I think. Drugstore Cowboy is still one of my favorite films ever. Haven't been able to see his recent films, so can't speak to that. Hope this one is good ... sure looks like a good cast.

[Kire]

6. kick