Morgan BellREVIEW: Last Days
April 1st 2008 14:40
Directed & Written: Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho, To Die For, Good Will Hunting, Psycho)
Starring: Michael Pitt (Hedwig, Murder By Numbers), Asia Argento (xXx, Marie Antoinette), Lukas Haas (Witness, Leap Of Faith, Brick), Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth
It is rare that i am totally engrossed in a film to the point where i will rewind it and play it again and again, four or five times in a row, fawning over every detail, completely drawn into the story. "Last Days" is one of those films. It is the fictional account of the last days before Kurt Cobains suicide, and despite being almost completely void of dialogue, it is a stunning piece of art and mesmerising in every way. The Cobain-esque character, Blake, is played by Michael Pitt, and you have to shake yourself to remember that you're not watching the real Cobain. Blake has shaggy bleached blond shoulder length hair tucked behind his ears, three-day growth beard, grungy over-sized winter clothes and is rake thin and sinewy . . . it in uncanny how much the usually clean-cut Pitt looks the part of a mentally strung out heroin addict . . . i had the disturbing feeling he was actually wearing articles of clothing from Cobains 90s wardrobe . . . it was like watching a ghost, a pained genius in the devastating throws of his last days, the lead up to an inevitable unthinkable conclusion.
"Last Days" is an indie/art-house film which is layered with subtle symbolism. There are many long scenes but it is meditative not tedius. Van Sant uses the camera to follow Blake but then allows him to walk out of shot with the camera pausing on some bushes for a moments silence. It is frustrating, but suicide is frustrating, and this is an amazing moment of realisation where you are left to think and the penny drops . . . you understand that the media pursuit of Cobain as a celebrity was what pushed him to the edge, Blake is running away from us, the audience, as much as he is running from the other characters in the film . . . the demands that his committments have placed on him are weighing him down and he cant get any peace . . . maybe such a complex man is drowning in the media spotlight as he no longer has his moments silence to think?
Dialogue is used sparingly but every muffled awkward conversation Blake has shows the cumulative effect of him not being able to relate to the people around him anymore. The entire film is set at a large cold derelict house on a vast estate surrounded by woods and nature. We enter the film with Blake literally lost in the woods and we become voyeurs into his wanderings, mumblings, his writing in his journal, and his musical release. Blake represents an icon you wish you could reach into the screen and save.
This is one of Gus Vant Sants artier films and from what i have read it isnt always well received, but if you have patience and some time by yourself to appreciate it this is one of the most unique and beautiful film experiences you are likely to have. Features original Cobain-esque music written and performed by Pitt and a cameo by Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth. Blake/Cobain is a tormented soul that we will never fully understand but this film is about as close as you can get . . . being a fly on the wall to this tragedy is addictive as heroin yet watching the demise of a man is an agonising emotional journey . . . a beautiful treatment of a difficult story.
Starring: Michael Pitt (Hedwig, Murder By Numbers), Asia Argento (xXx, Marie Antoinette), Lukas Haas (Witness, Leap Of Faith, Brick), Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth
It is rare that i am totally engrossed in a film to the point where i will rewind it and play it again and again, four or five times in a row, fawning over every detail, completely drawn into the story. "Last Days" is one of those films. It is the fictional account of the last days before Kurt Cobains suicide, and despite being almost completely void of dialogue, it is a stunning piece of art and mesmerising in every way. The Cobain-esque character, Blake, is played by Michael Pitt, and you have to shake yourself to remember that you're not watching the real Cobain. Blake has shaggy bleached blond shoulder length hair tucked behind his ears, three-day growth beard, grungy over-sized winter clothes and is rake thin and sinewy . . . it in uncanny how much the usually clean-cut Pitt looks the part of a mentally strung out heroin addict . . . i had the disturbing feeling he was actually wearing articles of clothing from Cobains 90s wardrobe . . . it was like watching a ghost, a pained genius in the devastating throws of his last days, the lead up to an inevitable unthinkable conclusion.
"Last Days" is an indie/art-house film which is layered with subtle symbolism. There are many long scenes but it is meditative not tedius. Van Sant uses the camera to follow Blake but then allows him to walk out of shot with the camera pausing on some bushes for a moments silence. It is frustrating, but suicide is frustrating, and this is an amazing moment of realisation where you are left to think and the penny drops . . . you understand that the media pursuit of Cobain as a celebrity was what pushed him to the edge, Blake is running away from us, the audience, as much as he is running from the other characters in the film . . . the demands that his committments have placed on him are weighing him down and he cant get any peace . . . maybe such a complex man is drowning in the media spotlight as he no longer has his moments silence to think?
Dialogue is used sparingly but every muffled awkward conversation Blake has shows the cumulative effect of him not being able to relate to the people around him anymore. The entire film is set at a large cold derelict house on a vast estate surrounded by woods and nature. We enter the film with Blake literally lost in the woods and we become voyeurs into his wanderings, mumblings, his writing in his journal, and his musical release. Blake represents an icon you wish you could reach into the screen and save.
This is one of Gus Vant Sants artier films and from what i have read it isnt always well received, but if you have patience and some time by yourself to appreciate it this is one of the most unique and beautiful film experiences you are likely to have. Features original Cobain-esque music written and performed by Pitt and a cameo by Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth. Blake/Cobain is a tormented soul that we will never fully understand but this film is about as close as you can get . . . being a fly on the wall to this tragedy is addictive as heroin yet watching the demise of a man is an agonising emotional journey . . . a beautiful treatment of a difficult story.
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I'm definitely going to check this one out!
Kylie
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thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
i find Cobain fascinating, i will have to track down the book you recommended . . . i was so upset when he died and its always interesting to learn about all the myriad of medical problems he had and where he grew up
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If you're interested, Gus has a five minute segment in 'Paris Je T'aime' in which a French guy starts talking to an English-speaking guy that he's attracted to in French, and one of the topics is Kurt Cobain. The English speaker can't understand what he's saying, but is intrigued enough to seek him out and try to make a connection.
It would appear the director has KC on his mind a lot!
I enjoyed Last Days, particularly the loud wails of music sandwiching all that silence. I though the use of the Boyz II Men video clip was excellent, contrasting the stylised expression of love with its purple background and the main character's slumping figure and unfocused gaze. He simply cannot get it together, while the rest of the world is off being efficient and making money.
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thanks for the info on paris je taime . . . apparently gus wanted to make a film tribute to cobain for the 10 years after his death and sought permission off courtney love and intended to make a documentary but after letting it marinate for a while decided on this, "Last Days" . . . i think he really loves cobain and has spent alot of time trying to figure out what went on in his head
you are so right about the Boyz II Men film-clip of On Bended Knee, it contrasted Cobains music and personality perfectly, and it captured in real-time that "zoning out" that i do myself where you stop for a moment and really focus on something and you suddenly piece the puzzle together about other things
it is really effective how the lyric "wont somebody tell me how to get things back the way they used to be . . ." from On Bended Knee is playing while Blake is literally crawling along on hands and kness and then the camera zooms in to the tv sceen (opposed to zooming out from Blake when we watch him playing music and [as you said] wailing through the window)
i could dissect thins film all day haha but ill stop now . . .
theres so much to learn from this film, im glad someone else has seen it and enjoyed it!
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haha i can totally understand this is not everyones cup of tea, but i found with a couple of viewings you can really appreciate how very special this film is . . . the candid nature of the filming made me feel honoured to be an observer . . . i think it helps if Cobain meant something to you, the portrayal of depression and despair is so realistic it is humbling
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how strange, i dont remember him in that at all . . . although i think i got tired of that series after the first couple of years!
Michael Pitt it amazingly talented, he stole the show in Murder By Numbers and was perfectly cast as Tommy Gnosis in Hedwig . . . i cant imagine any other actor pulling off each role . . . he brings real naive intelligence to everything hes in!
geez what ARE the cast of Dawsons Creek doing these days? haha
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And you can watch it again and again?!? ... Amazing. Please don't tell me you love The Fifth Element. I'll have to delete you from my Orble friends if you do ... !!
Just kidding.
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Bryn,
i can understand how people could loath this film, i actually bought it for $3.99 at a reject store lol . . . admittedly this film is very quiet and sombre and theres no "action" and only very minimal plot BUT i continue to be amazed by actors (like michael pitt) who can get human emotion so right . . . they could take this film to a psychology training conference and say THIS is what depression looks like, this is what detachment looks like . . . im just amazed and astounded at the performance and i think van sant has created the perfect framework to let pitt really shine . . . its the film equivalent of a piece of antique lace, to some it might look like a dirty lump of threads but to others its a delicately crafted classic that should be cherished . . . and yes i really do watch it over and over
i would probably compare Last Days to Lost In Translation, The Virgin Suicides, Broken Flowers, The Woodsman, The Pledge (or even Monster or Boys Dont Cry) for capturing a mood and exposing the decision-making of a complex person
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This is ultimately what makes film so interesting, is that what one person appreciates as "art" another sees as "trash" and vice versa. There's bound to be a movie that I adore that you'd loathe ... For the record, I enjoyed Lost in Translation much more than The Virgin Suicides, which I thought was over-rated, I found Broken Flowers disappointing (when compared to Jarmusch's other movies, of which three I think are utterly brilliant - Down By Law, Mystery Train and Dead Man), I thought The Woodsman very good (I've always rated Keven Bacon highly, apart from Hollow Man), The Pledge is my favourite Sean Penn directed movie (how amazing and sad was Mickey Rourke's cameo!), and Monster's Ball and Boys Don't Cry are both superb and emotionally-wrenching made films.
As for The Fifth Element, I've used that pet-hate movie as a barometer for years ... I have a love/hate relationship with Luc Besson's movies ... I love the camerawork and mise-en-scene of his movies in particular Subway, The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita and Leon: The Professional, but often his style of story-telling, characterisations and the relationships really annoy, frustrate and grate on me.
Curiously, a vitriolic review I wrote of The Fifth Element when it first came out - "Space Junk" was the heading if I remember - ended up being studied in the English exams of School Certificate in New Zealand!
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im going to have to go find your 5th Element review now!
i enjoy scathing reviews just as much (probably more haha) than gushing reviews . . . i myself have a strange hatred for nancy meyers films like The Holiday or Something's Gotta Give (CLICKHERE for more . . .)
mickey rourkes cameo in The Pledge (CLICKHERE for more . . . ) is really moving, it showed me hes a much better actor than ive ever previously given him credit for (i just think of him in Harley Davidson & The Malboro Man lol)
im curious about all these Luc Besson and Jarmusch films you rate highly, im making mental notes to keep an eye out for them if i see the titles around anywhere
dont worry im not some kind of obnoxious movie snob, and im not a film student, i just try to explain why certain films appeal to me . . . but plenty dont appeal to me at all, i can like complete trash and then find No Country For Old Men unsatisfying
ps: i was referring to Monster with Charlize Theron where she put on weight to play the role of the prostitute serial killer . . . i actually thought Monsters Ball was over-hyped haha
Comment by Bryn
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I strongly doubt you'll be able to find my review for The Fifth Element as it was originally published in a newspaper before the whole www took off, so we weren't online. Try your luck though ...