DVD Notes: Elephant

I recently rented Gus Van Sant’s latest film, Elephant. It’s a movie inspired by the high school shooting incidents that took place in the late 90s, and the Columbine shooting in particular. I think it’s the best Van Sant movie since Drugstore Cowboy. The story of the shooting is presented in a series of different points of view from several different characters, and some of the stories overlap. It has a documentary-like feel since it doesn’t unfold in a conventional narrative pattern. There’s no real back-story as to why this has happened, but there are echoes to as why it happened. The actors are all very convincing as well. I like the fact that he cast real unknown teenagers, rather than professional actors playing teenagers. The result is that the dialogue, clothes, and behavior feel realistic and true to life. The cinematography is excellent as well. Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” is effective as the musical motif for the film. It is haunting, true to life, disturbing, and fascinating all at once.