THE LARAMIE PROJECT
US, 2002, 97 minutes, Colour. Laura Linney, Cristina Ritchie, Joshua Jackson, Peter Fonda, Steve Buscemi, Jeremy Davies, Ben Foster, Margo Martindale, Kathleen Chalfant, Nestor Carbonell, Cameron Mannheim, Clea Du Vall, Andy Paris, Francis Sternhagen, Michael Emerson, Janeane Garofalo, Tom Bowers, Mark Weber, Lois Smith, Garrett Neergaard, Amy Madigan, Clancy Brown, Dylan Baker, Stephen Belber, Noah Fleiss, Summer Phoenix, Bill Irwin, Richard Riehle, Terry Kinney, Jack Nance,
Directed by Moises Kaufmann.
The Laramie Project began its life in the theatre. Director Moises Kaufmann gathered a group to go to Laramie and interview as many people in the town as possible concerning the death of gay man, Matthew Shepard.
The death occurred in 1998, with two young men of the city of Laramie drinking at a bar, picking up Matthew Shepard, alleging that they were to rob him, but brutally beating him and leaving to him to hang on a fence. He was rescued but after some days died in hospital.
What the interviewers did was to make copies of the interviews, shape them into dramatic pieces so that they form the screenplay for this cinema project. A variety of actors portray the actors interviewing as well in the interviewees.
There is a very strong cast of people in the city, some cautious about the situation and homosexuality, dramatised by Laura Linney. There are many in support, dramatised by Margo Martindale and Cristina Ritchie. Peter Fonda is the local doctor. Joshua Jackson is the bartender where the two men picked up Matthew Shepard. Ben Foster is the young man who found the body. Jeremy Davies is an aspiring actor, with scenes from Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. Amy Madigan is the police chief. Clancy Brown is the chief detective. Dylan Baker is the local hospital official.
There are performances by Garrett Neergaard and Mark Weber as the two accused. At the end of the film, there is a very powerful speech by Matthew Shepard’s father, played by Terry Kinney, who is angry at his son’s brutal death and grieving with his wife, but asks the court not to impose the death sentence.
The film is about middle American, symbolised by the state of Wyoming and the city of Laramie, the wariness of homosexuality and gay men and women, no clubs and their having to go to Colorado. The killing is a hate crime and a challenge then to homophobia, the status and rights of homosexual men and women, an examination of conscience for the United States.
Moises Kaufmann has directed the film version of the project.
Religious bodies were directed to television film, The Matthew Sheppard Story, in 2002 with Shane Meier as Matthew Shepard and Stockard Channing and Sam Waterston as his parents.
1. The film based on experimental theatre and performance? Transition to the screen? The background of interviews, transcripts, dramatisation, editing? The role of witnesses?
2. 1998, Wyoming, the city of Laramie, its image, the Midwest and its values? Ethics, the churches, gay issues? The young, universities? Hate and homophobia?
3. The story of Matthew Shepard, his death? Audience knowledge? News, films and treatment? In his family, bright, premature and small, intelligent, gay, open, involved in campaigns, studying? His being in the bar, accosted by the two young men, their accusations against him, the abduction, allegedly stealing from him, torturing him, hanging him on the fence, beating him? In the hospital, his death?
4. The repercussions for Laramie, emphasising hate and hate crimes, homophobia? Support and tolerance? The narrow attitudes in Wyoming, no gay bars, homosexuals travelling to Colorado?
5. The arrest of the two men, the charges, the separate cases, the sentencing?
6. Moises Kaufmann, his team, coming from New York City, arriving in Laramie, the contact with the theatre director, her giving permission and names for interviews? The performing of the set-up, the picturing of the interviews? Outsiders, men and women, the gay men and women? Interviewees and their reactions?
7. The strong cast, extensive? Their texts, real words, then dramatising and enacting them? The role of witnesses, pro and con, hesitations? The persuasiveness of the performances?
8. The theatre, the director, the contacts, the other performers? The perspective?
9. Laura Linney as the neighbour, the interviews, open, yet fearful, no direct knowledge, concern and hesitations?
10. The garage owner, Steve Buscemi, at work, friendship with Matthew, the bars, talk, supporting him?
11. Clancy Brown, the role of the police, the arrest, the interrogations, his attitudes, presence in the court?
12. Amy Madigan, police work, her forthright mother, the family, her husband and children? The flashbacks to her work, the arrests, the investigation, the discovery of the body, the descriptions, the blood, her immediately acting without hesitation, the risk of AIDS contamination by the blood, fears, the presence in court, the safety, health? The party of celebration?
13. Margo Martindale and Cristina Ritchie as the sisters, their friendships, testimony, shock, participation in the protests? The criticisms?
14. Peter Fonda as the doctor, at work, caring for Matthew Shepard, his observations about the injuries? His also caring for Russell Henderson, objectivity as doctor?
15. The ranching couple, their observations, being open?
16. The farmer, his land, a love for the land, homophobia, his having to go to Colorado for social meetings? His testimony?
17. Bill Irwin as the gay man, the interviews, his testimony, presence in the court?
18. Ben Foster as the young man, the perspective of a young man, his knowledge of Matthew Shepard, the fact that he found him, his behaviour when finding him, notification of the authorities?
19. Jeremy Davies as the actor, frank interviews, his audition and the scene from Angels in America, his parents and their objections, homophobia, his determination to be in the play, studying, University, auditioning again, getting the part, performance? The role of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America?
20. The court cases, the judges in each case, the juries? Those attending in court? The trial for Russell Henderson, for Aaron Mc Kinney? Their stories, Mc Kinney and his girlfriend, the child? Testimony in their favour? Their friends, interviews about them? The story, the bar, the drinking, their motivations? The behaviour, alleged robbery? The torture, hating gays, the bashing, leaving Matthew Shepard to die?
21. Each of the cases, the audience listening, the different pleas, Henderson and his apology, not accepted by the judge? The guardian and her speech of plea? The severity of the judges?
22. Joshua Jackson as the man at the bar, willingness to talk, the flashbacks to his work, with Matthew Shepard, explaining reset, the other two men and their visuals on him,
their approach, Matthew leaving with them? The effect of being a witness, shaken?
23. The visit to the school, lesbians, coming out? Participating in the investigation?
24. The final court scene, Matthew Shepard’s father, sitting with his wife, sad, his impassioned speech, his anger, wanting justice, but not demanding the execution? The consequences for the accused? An emotional speech?
25. The interviewers going to the church, the gathering, the minister and his literal interpretation of Genesis, creationism? The Word of God being sufficient or not? Meeting in the street? His comments about Matthew Shepard having time while he was in agony to think about his homosexuality and repent? The stunned reaction of the interviewer? The contrast with the interviews with the Catholic priest?
26. The role of the Catholic priest? The meeting with the interviewers? Their going to the rectory, their remark about two queers and a Catholic priest? The priests emphasis on Matthew Shepard serving the community well, the priest being scared but vocal, emphasising what is correct, that there was violence at the time (and indicating when the interviewers are called fag, lez or dyke), asking whether they realise that this was violence, and these names were the seeds of violence? He tells the interviewers that he would resent anyone using anything he said to cultivate that type of violence and advises them just to deal with what is true? The later meeting with interviewers? His indicating that the two accused were the best teachers in Laramie society? Indicating that the judge, in addition to passing sentence, should ask them to tell their story? His later sitting on the steps of the church, indicating that he was counselling McKinney? about capital punishment, that the man could not conceptualise the gravity of capital punishment? That he was praying like the dickens that Laramie did not have to go through that phase about capital punishment, urging them to pray: Lord, I lift him up to you – and his asking the interviewers “just do that for me�?
