ELEPHANT
US, 2003, 81 minutes, Colour.
Alex Frost, Eric Deulen, John Robinson, Elias Mc Connell, Jordan Taylor, Carrie Finkley, Nicole George, Brittany Mountain, Kristen Hicks, Nathan Tyson, Timothy Bottoms, Matt Molloy.
Directed by Gus van Sant.
Unexpected winner of the Cannes Palme D'Or, 2003. Gus Van Sant quotes the title of a British film of the late 80s by Alan Clarke, Elephant, as the inspiration for his title: the challenge to notice social problems which are as large as an elephant in the living room. He also alludes to a Buddhist saying about identifying the parts and limbs of an elephant and assuming that one has, therefore, understood the whole. This is a useful comment to offer to many critics who have complained that the film gives little or no insight into the characters and motivations of students who carry out campus shootings. If Michael Moore had too many answers in Bowling for Columbine, Van Sant seems to have too few.
What he seems to be doing (and the film was made for an American television audience who watch Home Box Office), is to lure us into an ordinary day at a Portland, Oregon, high school, make us literally follow a number of students around (lots of tracking shots which are very long), see them in action, even if only in passing, just as we might do if we had occasion to visit the school for the first time. We notice some students, not others. We see the principal, a science class, a group discussion about sexual orientation, the playing fields, the cafeteria. We can identify a couple of students and know a little about them.
And then comes the Columbine-like massacre. Of course, we want answers. Of course, we want to understand motivations. We find it hard to believe that the killers can be so calculating and cold, proud of their body count. Yes, they watch Hitler footage, have neo-Nazi sympathies and have a sexual encounter in the shower before they go to school. One plays Beethoven on the piano. No, this does not explain what they do. The indications seem quite banal. But, Van Sant seems to want us to note the banalities and leave us with the questions that we need to pursue after the film. It is no good giving answers in a film if that means we satisfy a need for dramatic completion. The elephantine issues of American youth and alienation, gun-culture and violence are to be understood and solved after the movie.
1. The significance of the title: the problem of noticing an elephant in a living room? Looking at the limbs of an elephant, thinking one has an understanding of the whole by simply looking at one or other part? The problem of American society, violence?
2. The picture of the campus, ordinary, lacking security, its lifestyle, the students? The student actors and their performances?
3. The structure of the film: the day, the same time-frame, the reference point with Eli taking John's photo and its being repeated? The focus on Alex and Eric, at home, arriving, the aftermath?
4. The visual style of the film, colour photography, the beauty of the surroundings, the spread of the campus? The constant use of tracking shots in front of and behind the characters? The audience following the characters, through their environment, having time to contemplate the atmosphere?
5. The campus, the young people, their hopes education, finding their place in the world? An easier campus than many urban campuses in the US? Yet disaster striking?
6. An ordinary day, the autumn trees and leaves, John and his father in the car, the students playing football, the other students and the various sports on the fields? The meetings, the science class, friends, discussions, the cafeteria? The contrast with Alex and Eric at home, the preparation for their spree?
7. The overall effect of seeing all the students, a collage of the day?
8. John and his father, his father's drinking, talking of war memories, unreliable? John ringing his brother, leaving the keys? In trouble with the principal? Eli and his taking a photograph of John? John and his going out, seeing the two boys, warning the people not to go into the school, taking his father away?
9. Eli, photographer, his discussions with the couple in the park, taking their photos, going down the corridor, taking John's photo, working in the darkroom?
10. Nathan and the football team, his long walk through the grounds, the corridors? Meeting Carrie? Their being caught at the end - and the audiences uncertain as to whether they were killed?
11. The cafeteria, the meals, the girls discussing their families and their mothers' strictness?
12. Michelle, on the sports field, her gawky appearance, the teacher wanting her to have shorts, her going to work in the library?
13. The girl going to the meeting of the gay/straight students? The uses of sexuality, appearances? The gunning down of members of the group?
14. Benny, the black tall boy, wandering the corridors, confronting and being shot?
15. The science class, the serious discussion about electrons?
16. The members of the staff, the principal, Eric confronting him, having him down on the ground, rebuking him for not taking young people seriously, letting him off, then turning and shooting him? His boasting to Alex about having killed the principal?
17. How much characterisation were Alex and Eric given? Their preparation for the day, the target practice and shooting in the garage, the magazines, playing Beethoven, watching the Neo- Nazi videos, their relationship, the shower, the sexual encounter? The plans, A and B, arriving, passing John? Their discussions, the execution of the students? Their cold attitude? Calculated? The summaries of what they had done - Eric's death? The attitude towards their fellow students? Motivations?
18. American society, adults and young people? In a secure state like Oregon compared with other states? The gun culture? The parallels with the massacre at Columbine?
