Gus Van Sant, a director with a distinctive style who has consistently explored the language of cinema, is not interested in flashy techniques but rather in extending the length of his shots to capture the states of characters and scenes, using the camera to capture time.
Just last year, Gus, along with Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, spent ten days filming an experimental movie called "Gerry"—
The entire movie contains only fifty shots, making it exceptionally concise compared to other films that might have thousands of shots. From start to finish, it's just Matt and Casey walking through the desert, chatting as they walk, engaging in self-exploration and analysis in a minimalist way.
The film was released earlier this year and was undoubtedly a unique attempt.
From such a project, one can see Gus's dedication to cinematic exploration; in the realm of American independent film, Gus is undoubtedly a prominent figure.
As early as 1989, "Drugstore Cowboy" brought Gus into the spotlight; in 1991, his collaboration with River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves on "My Own Private Idaho" cemented his place in the film industry, showcasing his unique directorial charm.
In 1997, "Good Will Hunting," and in 2008, "Milk" earned Gus Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, marking the peak of his career.
Overall, Gus is a director who believes in and is passionate about the camera. He especially loves using the camera to capture the interactions between actors and characters, which often results in captivating performances from the actors, whose charisma can sometimes overshadow the film itself.
However, Gus has a strong air of detachment from the mainstream and a lack of interest in fame. He has never directed a commercial film, and the success of "Good Will Hunting" at the box office seemed more like a beautiful accident. Most of the time, he is focused on writing scripts and studying films, making him a director that the general public might not be familiar with.
When people think of "My Own Private Idaho," they remember River Phoenix; when they think of "Good Will Hunting," they think of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. But unless you're a film enthusiast, you might not remember Gus.
So, Darren asked.
"Do you know a director named Gus Van Sant?"
Anson's smile widened, "Of course. Earlier this year, I watched 'Gerry' in the cinema and fell asleep right in the theater. I almost caught a cold; how could I forget?"
At first, Darren thought Anson was about to praise Gus, and he was surprised. But halfway through the sentence, the tone shifted to an unexpected area, and Darren couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Haha, you might want to discuss it with Gus. Honestly, I haven't seen that movie myself. My God, what were Casey and Matt thinking?"
Casey Affleck, Ben Affleck's brother, is also Gus's neighbor, and along with Matt Damon, they all hang out together regularly—
The "Gerry" project was inspired by Gus after he admired Béla Tarr's seven-and-a-half-hour masterpiece "Sátántangó" and discussed it with his neighbor Casey.
"How boys turn into men," Anson answered Darren's question with a serious face.
Darren: ??? "Huh?"
A beat later, Darren realized what was happening and couldn't help but laugh, "Kid, you and Gus would get along great."
After speaking, Darren burst out laughing.
"That's a good thing."
"Here's the deal, do you remember the year before last—no, the year before that—wow, 1999 was that long ago? Time flies. Anyway, do you remember the Columbine incident in 1999?"
Remember? How could anyone forget?
Even though Anson's soul had traveled from another world, he'd heard of this news from across the Pacific—a school shooting that shocked the world.
On April 20, 1999, a school shooting occurred at Columbine High School in the Denver suburbs of Colorado.
Two teenage students armed with guns and explosives entered the campus. After failing to detonate their bombs, they opened fire, killing twelve students and a teacher, injuring another twenty-five, before committing suicide.
This event was considered the bloodiest and most violent school shooting in North American history, until the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007.
The incident led to a moral panic across society, sparking widespread attention to issues such as social outcasts, school violence, teenage depression, violent movies and video games, religious beliefs, and more.
Even in 2002, discussions around the event hadn't died down.
More precisely, not long ago, a documentary called "Bowling for Columbine" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, garnering widespread attention again. After winning the 55th Anniversary Prize, it was released in North America to wide acclaim.
Discussions about violence and the value of life should never be ignored.
Wait a minute, Columbine High School, Gus Van Sant?
The keywords collided in Anson's mind, and he immediately thought of a movie—
The Palme d'Or winner at the 56th Cannes Film Festival, "Elephant."
"Elephant" is a very special work, another exploration of film language by Gus. The film, in a pseudo-documentary style, records an ordinary high school's daily routine, an utterly normal, simple, peaceful day, and then, in the last twenty minutes, everything is violently destroyed by gun violence.
In the film, Gus's directorial perspective is calm, almost detached. He doesn't analyze, take a stand, or condemn; instead, he presents the undercurrents beneath the calm in an almost cold-blooded manner, yet vividly showcases the tension, agitation, and madness between the characters and their environment, creating a chilling impact.
In the first half, Gus uses a detailed and fragmentary approach to create ordinary and vivid student characters, treating them as real people. In the final part, he mercilessly crushes everyone, displaying an icy and brutal disregard for human life. The contrast and impact perfectly express the cruelty and bloodiness flowing through the imagery.
Undoubtedly a masterpiece.
People's impressions of Gus often stay with the loneliness and confusion in "My Own Private Idaho" or the warmth and inspiration in "Good Will Hunting," but Gus casually threw out "Elephant," completely shattering all expectations.
But if Anson remembers correctly, Gus shot this movie using an entirely amateur cast; all the characters in the movie weren't actors but just regular students—
Otherwise, if Gus needed actors, Matt Damon or the Affleck brothers could easily do it with just one word. He wouldn't need to worry about the cast at all.
He definitely wouldn't need Darren's help.
Could Anson have guessed wrong? Was the project Darren was discussing not "Elephant"?
Anson didn't rush to conclusions and remained patient, following Darren's lead. "Of course, so is Gus planning to shoot a movie about Columbine?"
Darren didn't keep him in suspense and got straight to the point.
"Yes."
So, it is indeed "Elephant"?