The American Cinematheque will honor Gus Van Sant with a career retrospective beginning on December 4th through December 13th with screenings held at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and Los Feliz 3 Theatres in Los Angeles. This master filmmaker of independent and mainstream cinema will have screened some of his best known and critically acclaimed works made early in his extraordinary career. The fest will end with an advance screening of his newest film, "Dead Man's Wire", a crime caper based on a true story set in the '70's involving a disgruntled customer who kidnaps his bank mortgager, then demands hostage money and an apology. Van Sant and screenwriter Austin Kolodney will be in person for a Q&A at the Aero, followed by a screening of the director's acclaimed 1989 dark comedy, "Drugstore Cowboy" that starred Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch.
With an interest in the visual arts as a young man, Van Sant attended the Rhode Island School of Design where he studied various avant-garde directors and began making Super-8 short films. Moving to Los Angeles in 1976, Van Sant found work as a production assistant while trying to break into the film business. During this period, he began to observe the colorful denizens living in the rougher sections of Hollywood.
After moving to Portland, this experience helped inspire him to adapt Walt Curtis' autobiographical novel, "Mala Noche" as his feature film debut in 1986. Shot in 16mm black & white film and a budget of $25,000, the story follows the relationship between Walt, a gay store clerk, and two younger Mexican boys. "Mala Noche" was well received in the film festival circuit, helping to kick off the new queer cinema movement, and Hollywood took interest in the young filmmaker. But the studios were not receptive to his non-mainstream ideas, so Van Sant went back to develop his own indie projects. "Drugstore Cowboy" became a critical hit and would be followed by "My Own Private Idaho", loosely based on Shakespeare's "Henry V" that featured stars, River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, receiving wide praise, awards and moderate financial success.
Now the studios were more interested in what Van Sant had to offer. But his next film, a 1993 adaptation of Tom Robbins' "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" was considered a flop but his follow-up, the 1995 black comedy, "To Die For" was received as a great achievement and was the first film to properly showcase what Nicole Kidman, a rising performer at the time, could really do as an actor.
Now the studios were more interested in what Van Sant had to offer. But his next film, a 1993 adaptation of Tom Robbins' "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" was considered a flop but his follow-up, the 1995 black comedy, "To Die For" was received as a great achievement and was the first film to properly showcase what Nicole Kidman, a rising performer at the time, could really do as an actor.
Van Sant would continue on making films his way, encountering major triumphs ("Good Will Hunting", "Milk". "Elephant", "Last Days") or less than stellar receptions ("Gerry", "Restless", "The Sea of Trees" and the still puzzling shot-for-shot remake of "Psycho") in the process.
Please click below for additional information and to purchase tickets:
Gus Van Sant: An American Cinematheque Retrospective
Please click below for additional information and to purchase tickets:
Gus Van Sant: An American Cinematheque Retrospective
