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Thursday, 08 July 2004 |
  My greatest fear is that, as with films such as Irreversible, there are people who will find Elephant enjoyable. Not only is it not enjoyable, I'm inclined to believe anyone who thinks it is needs to seek help as soon as possible. It is an interesting study and an incredible film, but not one I plan on revisiting any time soon.
There are a couple interesting aspects to the Elephant DVD. It contains the original theatrical aspect ratio of 4:3 (yes, that's right) as well as a modified 16:9 anamorphic version. In the name of creative intent, I viewed the 4:3 version, but I am inclined to say there is no real problem with the 16:9 presentation. I know this will have some readers up in arms, but rest assured, there is no greater believer in creative intent than myself. Those who genuinely understand the creative process understand there can sometimes be more than one solution, and I tend to believe this is a very rare case where two different aspect ratios may very well be equally acceptable. It is a shame that Elephant, which was shot for television, was not also composed strictly for 16:9, thus eliminating any argument. The other odd aspect about this disc is that it contains both a Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS soundtrack. I tend to believe the DTS track is a waste of space in this case. With two versions of the movie, totaling 160 minutes, both DD and DTS and only 7.54 GB of space used, I think the bandwidth could have been more wisely allocated.
Elephant begins, introducing a series of high school students. John has to take over the driving for his drunk father, who is taking him to school. Elias asks to photograph a Goth couple as he walks across a park. Nathan and Carrie walk across the school football field to the sounds of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. The introductions continue as the unavoidable questions arise. Who are the killers and who is going to die?
The first question is answered soon enough and the second is kind of beside the point, particularly when the film is based on true incidents. Elephant is Gus Van Sant's (To Die For) take on the 1999 events at Columbine High School. The film was made for broadcast on HBO, but also was presented at several film festivals and had a short, limited theatrical run. It is made in the Verité style, simply following several students as they pass the few hours before the murders, and basically offers no attempt at answers. It does take a few dramatic liberties and alters some details a bit.
What Van Sant has created is a completely intriguing, profoundly unsettling film. It is not gratuitous. In fact, the final minutes are not made to look realistic, but more like a student film. The effects as students are systematically murdered are cheap and curiously undramatic. There are no earth shattering explosions as the assault weapons are fired, only a much more realistic pop, as if from a small firecracker. This creates a surprisingly disturbing result, which I can only guess was Van Sant's intention. This is a fine film, but one I hesitate to recommend without great caution.
Starring: Eric Deulen, Alex Frost, John Robinson, Timothy Bottoms, Elias McConnell, Matt Malloy.
Director: Gus Van Sant
Studio: Fine Line Pictures
Rated: R
Running Time: 80 minutes
Release: 2003
Reviewer: John Rice |
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