Despite some captivating moments, elephant ultimately comes across as a pointless, aimless exercise, because it declines to take a strong stand on anything. The movie is a fairly standard commentary on school shootings, but if thats what youre looking for, just watch bowling for columbine. The first documentary on the massacre may have been the tlc documentary lost boys in 2000. A movie that teaches the possibilities and the aftermaths of a school shooting. Comparing the film elephant, and the columbine massacre. How columbine changed the way police respond to mass. By clicking on continue you confirm that you are 18 years and over. The undead of columbine william david sanders a search for the victims of the 1999 columbine massacre in official records yields some shocking results. The shooting is shown through the viewpoint of security cameras very similar to columbine high school massacre s view. It was one of the deadliest school shooting incidents in american history.
The 2003 gus van sant film elephant depicts a fictional school shooting, but is based in part on the columbine massacre. I thought it was aesthetically pleasing and innovating, but a bit too slow for my taste. Columbine high school massacre, eric harris and dylan klebold, gus van sant pages. Apr 14, 2009 i believe it is loosely based on the columbine shootings. Despite their differences, the tragedy left both with the same desire to. The film began as a television film that van sant had intended to make about the columbine high school massacre. The columbine massacre still echoes through cinema. I had high expectation going into the movie elephant and was extremely disappointed. How do people feel towards the elephant in shooting an. Columbine survivors reflect on school shootings debate.
Andre kriegman based on eric harris and calvin gabriel based on dylan klebold announce their intention to attack their school. When it comes to public mass shootings, regardless of whether they take place in or out of schools, the 1999 shooting at columbine high school has become the archetypal case to which all other. Why has there never been a legit movie based on columbine. It takes place in the fictional watt high school, in the suburbs of portland, oregon, and chronicles the events. Those looking for answers, or even insights, are certain to be disappointed by. Gus van sants elephant is a record of a day at a high school like columbine, on the day of a massacre much like the one that left dead. Comparing the film elephant, and the columbine massacre essay. It was commissioned by rachel scotts family to honor their daughter, who was the first victim of columbine. Sharing gerrys long, hypnotic tracking shots, sparse dialogue and meditation on morality, elephant applies the creative lessons learned on that film to more deliberately provocative subject matter. The following weapons were used in the film elephant. I believe it is loosely based on the columbine shootings. Dont say elephant or we need to talk about kevin im talking about a legit movie based on columbine. A tale about high school violence that unfolds on an ordinary school day, inside an american high school, filled with schoolwork, football, gossip and socializing.
The two students responsible for this incident were eric harris and dylan klebold. Directed by the guy who directed good will hunting and put out by new line cinema, its probably the highestbudget film of its genre. The dialogue is heard via the cellphone of a student who is shot and killed. It takes the audience through the high school and some of its students, basically their day to day activities following up to the shootings. Please note that while this film may be base on actual. Set in fictional watt high school, it is based in part on the columbine massacre. This movie is also not a dramatization of columbine and borrows from wellknown myths such as one shooter killing another eric and dylan both committed suicide or the shooters having a gay relationship another myth. Michael moores documentary bowling for columbine and elephant is a quasisatirical revolving around gun crime culture in america and aggression. I decided to buy this movie to get a better insight on the columbine school shooting. On april 20th 1999, eric harris and dylan klebold shot and killed people and then turned the guns on themselves. Jul 24, 2011 elephant trailer gus van sant 2003 cannes palme dor. Its a decent movie,edgy and a bit arty,reminds me of a clockwork orange in some ways,totally different type. These killings revealed extreme forms of aggression prevalent in an industrialized society.
Elephant is a 2003 film directed by gus van sant that depicts a day in the life of high school students, two of whom later go on a shooting rampage. The film began as a documentary that van sant initially intended to make about columbine. Apr, 2020 columbine high school shootings, massacre that occurred on april 20, 1999, at columbine high school in littleton, colorado, leaving 15 dead, including the two students responsible for the attack. These two senior students were responsible for killing twelve students and one teacher. Columbine high school massacre on tuesday, april 20 1999, columbine high school located in columbine colorado an unfortunate massacre happened and many teens lost their lives. Thats how the april 1999 massacre at columbine high school where two young men killed people shaped the. It offers no explanation for the tragedy, no insights into the psyches of the killers, no theories about teenagers or society or guns or psychopathic behavior. The carbine high massacre a lowbudget parody of the columbine shooting which was the first film to be made about the massacre. This movie is a look in the day of a school shooting, much like columbine. The film follows every character and shows their daily routines. Shooting at anyone they see, andre and cal kill eleven students, one.
Watching this as though it was a depiction of the event, i did not feel that it acted as a recount. Yes, this film is slow paced and oddly edited, but i think it is all done for a reason. Columbine high school massacre in popular culture wikipedia. Andre kriegman based on eric harris and calvin gabriel based on dylan klebold announce their intention to attack their school, iroquois high. Rachel joy scott august 5, 1981 april 20, 1999 was an american student and the first victim of the columbine high school massacre, in which 11 other students and a teacher were also murdered by eric harris and dylan klebold, who then committed suicide. Michael moores documentary bowling for columbine and. Elephant, the winner at the 2003 cannes film festival, is an experimental movie based on the deadly school shootings at columbine high school in colorado. It made me cry and it made my heart jump like very little movies. Zero day though,when you consider the budget they usedit was an indie film was brilliant,believable characters and plot,and almost a documentary feel to it. Is there a movie based on the columbine high school massacre. As a school shooting survivor, films like elephant and polytechnique have a special resonance for me. More so a movie about the lives of eric and dylan leading up to the day. With masey mclain, ben davies, cameron mckendry, terri minton. It was inspired by the 1999 columbine high school massacre.
It takes place in the fictional watt high school, in the suburbs of portland, oregon, and chronicles the events surrounding a school shooting, based in part on the 1999 columbine high school massacre. The shooting at columbine high school nearly two decades ago led two survivors to opposite sides of the gun control debate. In shooting an elephant, the colonial officers are concerned about the elephant. Columbine and westside middle school shooting march 24, 1998 craighead county, arkansas westside middle school shootings.
I have seen people describe this film as pointless, though, which is something that i definitely do not agree with. The movie s title is a reference to a 1989 bbc movie, also called elephant, about political violence in northern ireland. With elias mcconnell, alex frost, eric deulen, john robinson. Unlike michael moores film bowling for columbine which used the columbine massacre as the starting point for an expose of americas laughable attitude towards firearms, elephant makes little call for tighter gun control, elephant has no agenda, no real message beyond the truth itself, it merely hopes to say this happens. It is obvious, however, that van sant spent a lot of time researching the columbine high school massacre, although i wouldnt box this in with movies about columbine. The story is about a student taking fellow students hostage with a handgun. The subinspector who calls orwell, for example, says the elephant is ravaging the area and he wants action to. Columbine high school shootings, massacre that occurred on april 20, 1999, at columbine high school in littleton, colorado, leaving 15 dead, including the two students responsible for the attack. Planning stages of the school shooting from gus van sants 2003 film, elephant. The film is based in part on the tragic events surrounding the 1999 columbine shooting. Set on one of those sterile suburban high school campuses, the film recounts a typical day in the life of a school typical that is until it ends in a columbinetype massacre. That fact alone makes gus van sants brilliant 2003 film elephant, which was loosely based on the columbine massacre, even more harrowing now than when it was first released.
Basing the story on the events of the 1999 columbine massacre, van sant has made perhaps the contemporary high school movie. With david morrissey, eric harris, dylan klebold, brooks brown. While theres no doubt that the film was inspired by the tragedy, director gus van sant meant for the film to be more of a reflection on the nature of violence and the. According to him, columbine had carpet at the time of the shooting. Elephant internet movie firearms database guns in movies. No causes, no solutions, no moral or intellectual perspective, none of the facile politicking that immediately followed in the incidents wake. Elephant is a 2003 american drama film written, directed, and edited by gus van sant. Analysis the film elephant, by gus van sant is often compared to the events of the columbine massacre, however not directed connected, van sant has admitted it to be the topic behind it. With long takes, minimal dialogue, and a focus on composition, elephant does little to engage the audience, or make you feel invested in any character or event. The film begins a short time before the shooting occurs, following the lives of several characters both in and. Elephant is a 2003 drama film edited, written, and directed by gus van sant. The movies title is a reference to a 1989 bbc movie, also called elephant, about political violence in northern ireland. Elephant is gus van sants brilliant and mindblowing distillation of teenage alienation and angst. I can definitely understand why some people would consider this film boring because, at times, it is.
It simply looks at the day as it unfolds, and that is a brave and radical act. The 2003 ben coccio film zero day was also based on the massacre. Nov 07, 2012 comparing the film elephant, and the columbine massacre topics. Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent. Brooks brown has used that handle on the internet for years. Aug 02, 2010 this film is loosely based on the events that took place on april 20, 1999 at columbine high school. This movie isnt about a school shooting but if you watch it you can see clearly that that columbine shooters saw this movie probably a lot. Despite some captivating moments, elephant ultimately comes across as a pointless, aimless exercise, because it. Another fictionalized movie depicting a school massacre inspired by columbine is elephant, which contains this shooting scene. A day in the lives of a group of average teenage high school students. Elephant trailer gus van sant 2003 cannes palme dor. Jul 05, 2018 sharing gerrys long, hypnotic tracking shots, sparse dialogue and meditation on morality, elephant applies the creative lessons learned on that film to more deliberately provocative subject matter.
Elephant is a film where it shows the story of two male students who attended the colombine high school and on july 20th, 1999, everything changed, when they go. Parents need to know that elephant is gus van sants palme dorwinning drama, which is loosely based on the infamous 1999 columbine high school shootings. The true story of rachel joy scott the first student killed in the columbine high school shooting on april 20, 1999. This film is loosely based on the events that took place on april 20, 1999 at columbine high school.
Dec 24, 2019 elephant is a 2003 american drama film written, directed, and edited by gus van sant. Gus van sants elephant, though a rapturous and terrifying memorial to the columbine massacre, brings nothing to the discussion on highschool violence. Zero day is a 2003 american film directed by ben coccio and starring andre keuck and cal robertson. Apr 22, 2011 planning stages of the school shooting from gus van sants 2003 film, elephant. Its a decent movie,edgy and a bit arty,reminds me of a clockwork orange in some ways,totally different type of thing i know but it kind of has that feel to it. Of course i dont mean a movie showing horrible details about the shooting. Elephant is not obvious either in content or pace, and is an extremely subtle exercise in the mysterious reality of the most awful things. I watched elephant before researching columbine because im a massive gus van sant fan and watch all his movies. The columbine high school massacre was a school shooting and attempted bombing that occurred on april 20, 1999, at columbine high school in columbine, colorado, united states.
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