Mavric Auteurs: The Films of Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant Jr. is an American filmmaker, painter, screenwriter, photographer, and musician known for directing a diverse range of films, from independent and art-house successes to commercially acclaimed features. Born on July 24, 1952, in Louisville, Kentucky, Van Sant's family moved frequently during his childhood due to his father's career as a clothing manufacturer and traveling salesman. He developed an early interest in visual arts, particularly painting and Super-8 filmmaking, which led him to study cinema at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1970. Van Sant's work often explores themes of marginalized subcultures and is characterized by a unique filming style that emphasizes long shots and depictions of mundane aspects of life, a style heavily influenced by Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr. He is considered one of the most prominent auteurs of the "new queer cinema" movement.

Mala Noche (1985) Official Trailer

Van Sant's feature-length directorial debut was Mala Noche (1985), a black-and-white film financed by $20,000 he saved while working at an advertising agency in New York. The film, adapted from a novella by Portland street writer Walt Curtis, tells a story of "doomed love between a gay liquor store clerk and a Mexican immigrant". Mala Noche earned Van Sant immediate critical acclaim on the festival circuit, with the Los Angeles Times naming it the year's best independent film. This early work showcased his signature elements: an "unfulfilled romanticism, a dry sense of the absurd," and a refusal to sensationalize homosexuality, which would become a hallmark of his filmmaking.

Van Sant's work often explores themes of marginalized subcultures and is characterized by a unique filming style that emphasizes long shots and depictions of mundane aspects of life.

Following Mala Noche, Van Sant continued to build his reputation in independent cinema with films like Drugstore Cowboy (1989). This crime drama, starring Matt Dillon, focuses on four drug addicts robbing pharmacies to support their habit in the early 1970s Pacific Northwest. The film received significant critical success and helped revive Matt Dillon's career. Critics praised its authenticity, documentary-like look, and unglamorous portrayal of drug use, with Gus Van Sant employing a "leisurely pace" that allowed characters to exist authentically on screen. The narrative delves into how the main character, Bob Hughes, uses self-invented stories and superstitions to justify his lifestyle and cope with reality, showing how personal narratives can be both constructive and destructive.

Drugstore Cowboy (1989) Official Trailer

My Own Private Idaho (1991) continued Van Sant's exploration of characters on the fringes of society, focusing on two male hustlers played by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves. This film, which Van Sant had difficulty getting funded before Drugstore Cowboy's success, delves into themes of "unrequited love, alienation and the concept of family". Van Sant's distinct artistic vision for My Own Private Idaho included a script that "looked so odd and was 70 pages," and a willingness to integrate non-professional actors with established stars. The film also uniquely blended "the real and stylized," incorporating Shakespearean language and documentary elements, with its campfire scene often cited as a tender and revolutionary depiction of gay men discussing their feelings.

My Own Private Idaho (1991) Official Trailer

Van Sant's career also saw significant mainstream success, notably with Good Will Hunting (1997). Written by and starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, the film tells the story of a troubled mathematical genius from a working-class background. Good Will Hunting was a major critical and commercial hit, earning nine Academy Award nominations and winning two, including Best Screenplay for Damon and Affleck and Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams, who praised Van Sant's subtle direction. This film cemented Van Sant's ability to direct compelling narratives within a more traditional Hollywood framework while still maintaining a unique perspective.

Good Will Hunting (1997) Official Trailer

In 2003, Van Sant returned to a more experimental, art-house style with Elephant. Inspired by the Columbine High School massacre, the film uniquely portrays the hours leading up to a school shooting, using long, unedited takes and non-professional teenage actors from Portland. Elephant avoids sensationalizing violence by minimizing gore and focusing on the victims as human beings, rather than targets, and presenting the violence in a "mundane fashion". The film received the Palme d'Or and Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival, marking it as a significant artistic achievement. Elephant is the second installment in Van Sant's "Death Trilogy," which also includes Gerry (2002) and Last Days (2005).

Elephant (2003) Official Trailer

Continuing his focus on marginalized figures and real-life events, Van Sant directed Milk (2008), a biographical film about openly gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. Sean Penn's portrayal of Milk earned him a Best Actor Oscar, and the film also won Best Original Screenplay. Van Sant himself was nominated for Best Director. The film showcased his "fascination with people at society's fringes" and his commitment to exposing audiences to "that other world" to foster understanding and remove "scariness" associated with it.

Milk (2008) Official Trailer

Most recently, Gus Van Sant directed Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018), a biopic about cartoonist John Callahan. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Callahan, a quadriplegic artist known for his "darkly comedic cartoons". Van Sant's ongoing collaboration with composer Danny Elfman on this film, as with many of his other projects including Good Will Hunting and Milk, highlights his collaborative approach to filmmaking, allowing for experimentation in scoring and tone. Gus Van Sant remains a director who defies expectations, consistently pursuing his artistic vision whether in large-scale commercial productions or intimate independent films, making him a unique and influential voice in contemporary cinema.

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018) Official Trailer