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Gus Van Sant Quotes

I think over the course of 14 films, I’m returning to a place that I know to tell a story... the same way Spielberg returned to fantasy, Lucas returned to the ‘Star Wars’ saga, or John Ford returned to the western Picture Quote #1

The area of teenage life is not necessarily rarefied; we’ve all gone through that period. It’s not as rarefied as a western or a space adventure or a gangster film, but it has its own dynamic Picture Quote #1

A lot of times, you’re not necessarily off the page because you haven’t been able to take the time to prepare a character. It’s very easy to find even great actors reading it more like a reading. Things aren’t really coming alive yet, even though you know they will Picture Quote #1

Narcotics have been systematically scapegoated and demonized. The idea that anyone can use drugs and escape a horrible fate is ananathema to these idiots. I predict that in the near future, right wingers will use drug hysteria as a pretext to set up an international police apparatus Picture Quote #1

Yeah, Kubrick’s a big influence. In something like ‘A Clockwork Orange,’ he is trying to use the practical light - I mean, at least he says that in his interviews, like they’re not using traditionally Hollywood lights. In ‘Elephant’ we basically used no lights; we never really adjusted Picture Quote #1

When I grew up in the 60s, we were actually dominated by this, you know, sort of conforming 50s culture, even though we were like trying to express our own culture, like, the dominant culture was the thing that was forming us. And I think that that’s true today Picture Quote #1

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The reason I know about ‘Tomb Raider’ is from when I was researching ‘Elephant.’ It was 1999, and I was trying to research the Columbine-massacre kids, and they had played video games, and I, at the time, had never really seen one. It was a world I didn’t know Picture Quote #1

In rare cases, I’ve had music before I shot the movie. I think that for ‘Good Will Hunting’ I had an Elliot Smith record or a couple of them and I just somehow felt like the sound had something to it that reminded me of the story. So in that case there was music beforehand Picture Quote #1

The biopic also wasn’t a form that I necessarily believed in, because you can never really get it right, you know? It’s also a form that’s very popular - the straight-ahead biopic Picture Quote #1

You’re following your track, the story, your only plan, your map for the audience, and all the other stuff is, like, the fun stuff: the costumes, the locations, the set-dressing and the actors. They can all be variable as you like if you stick - however roughly - to the path Picture Quote #1

There’s a lot of films that have relatively rigid road maps because they have a script and others that are less rigid because they have less of a script, like ‘Elephant.’ The road map becomes more interpretive, maybe, than one with a detailed script. Editing-wise, they all have their problems Picture Quote #1

If you don’t have the story and the unfolding of the trajectory of the saga, it’s like getting in a car and not having any gas Picture Quote #1

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I don’t think American independent films have ever really been particularly experimental, except for the original guys from the 60s who were huge influences, like Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, and Stan van der Beek. They were the true independents Picture Quote #1

Wong Kar-Wai is a really great inspiration. He’s always referred to as the Jimi Hendrix of filmmaking Picture Quote #1

Modern-day cinema takes the form of a sermon. You don’t get to think, you only get to receive information Picture Quote #1

With ‘Good Will Hunting,’ Miramax made certain the recruited audience wasn’t expecting to laugh at Robin Williams like they normally do. From my limited experience, you can really blow test screenings by conducting them in the wrong way Picture Quote #1

My art teacher in junior high was a very out gay man and a mentor to me. He would tell us about Greenwich Village and show us the ‘Village Voice’ and describe his life, but it was all sort of subversive and below the radar Picture Quote #1

I’m thinking of remaking ‘Psycho’ again. Doing a third remake. The idea this time is to really change it - we’re talking about doing a punk rocker setting Picture Quote #1

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If I’m diagnosed with cancer I might become despondent, but someone young might not, and they might need connections with somebody outside their circle of family because their family is so despondent Picture Quote #1

Now the music industry is sort of like a Craigslist venture, right? Where you’re making your own records and selling them online Picture Quote #1

The dark comedies tend to be in a non-releasable area. There can be romantic comedies. There can be dramas. But there’s no ‘dark comedy’ inbox for the advertising Picture Quote #1

Gay marriage is the last bastion of, to me... as a legal, ceremonial, sentimental and religious side, it’s one of the last steps. Retaining your job being one of the earlier steps, like, not getting kicked out of your job because you’re gay Picture Quote #1

The media has gone through lots of things that make it a less foreign thing to have your lead character be gay Picture Quote #1

I think that in some cases, I’ve made films that have a sentimental quality, at least as part of the film Picture Quote #1

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My family moved a lot as a kid. We started in Colorado, where I lived for five years. We moved to Chicago for two years, to San Francisco for one year, Connecticut for seven, Oregon for a couple years, and then I went to school. So I was always moving, I’m still always moving Picture Quote #1

If I’m diagnosed with cancer I might become despondent, but someone young might not, and they might need connections with somebody outside their circle of family because their family is so despondent Picture Quote #1

Because I didn’t have brothers, I was always interested in the kids down the street that had four brothers in their family, so I became one of them - but it was not my family Picture Quote #1

Free time keeps me going. It’s just something that’s always been a part of my life. I was originally a painter, and I made films sort of as an extension of that, and then I started to try to make dramatic films because the early films were experimental films Picture Quote #1

I was originally a painter, and I made films sort of as an extension of that, and then I started to try to make dramatic films because the early films were experimental films Picture Quote #1

Even when you’re making a movie about life, death is a presence, and I guess it’s part of my dramatic viewpoint. I’m not sure why exactly. Maybe I’m drawn to it as a story element Picture Quote #1

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Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

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Text Quotes

I think over the course of 14 films, I’m returning to a place that I know to tell a story... the same way Spielberg returned to fantasy, Lucas returned to the ‘Star Wars’ saga, or John Ford returned to the western (Gus Van Sant Quotes) The area of teenage life is not necessarily rarefied; we’ve all gone through that period. It’s not as rarefied as a western or a space adventure or a gangster film, but it has its own dynamic. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) A lot of times, you’re not necessarily off the page because you haven’t been able to take the time to prepare a character. It’s very easy to find even great actors reading it more like a reading. Things aren’t really coming alive yet, even though you know they will (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Narcotics have been systematically scapegoated and demonized. The idea that anyone can use drugs and escape a horrible fate is ananathema to these idiots. I predict that in the near future, right wingers will use drug hysteria as a pretext to set up an international police apparatus (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Yeah, Kubrick’s a big influence. In something like ‘A Clockwork Orange,’ he is trying to use the practical light - I mean, at least he says that in his interviews, like they’re not using traditionally Hollywood lights. In ‘Elephant’ we basically used no lights; we never really adjusted (Gus Van Sant Quotes) When I grew up in the 60s, we were actually dominated by this, you know, sort of conforming 50s culture, even though we were like trying to express our own culture, like, the dominant culture was the thing that was forming us. And I think that that’s true today (Gus Van Sant Quotes) The reason I know about ‘Tomb Raider’ is from when I was researching ‘Elephant.’ It was 1999, and I was trying to research the Columbine-massacre kids, and they had played video games, and I, at the time, had never really seen one. It was a world I didn’t know (Gus Van Sant Quotes) In rare cases, I’ve had music before I shot the movie. I think that for ‘Good Will Hunting’ I had an Elliot Smith record or a couple of them and I just somehow felt like the sound had something to it that reminded me of the story. So in that case there was music beforehand (Gus Van Sant Quotes) The biopic also wasn’t a form that I necessarily believed in, because you can never really get it right, you know? It’s also a form that’s very popular - the straight-ahead biopic (Gus Van Sant Quotes) You’re following your track, the story, your only plan, your map for the audience, and all the other stuff is, like, the fun stuff: the costumes, the locations, the set-dressing and the actors. They can all be variable as you like if you stick - however roughly - to the path (Gus Van Sant Quotes) There’s a lot of films that have relatively rigid road maps because they have a script and others that are less rigid because they have less of a script, like ‘Elephant.’ The road map becomes more interpretive, maybe, than one with a detailed script. Editing-wise, they all have their problems (Gus Van Sant Quotes) If you don’t have the story and the unfolding of the trajectory of the saga, it’s like getting in a car and not having any gas. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) I don’t think American independent films have ever really been particularly experimental, except for the original guys from the 60s who were huge influences, like Stan Brakhage, Robert Breer, and Stan van der Beek. They were the true independents (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Wong Kar-Wai is a really great inspiration. He’s always referred to as the Jimi Hendrix of filmmaking (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Modern-day cinema takes the form of a sermon. You don’t get to think, you only get to receive information (Gus Van Sant Quotes) With ‘Good Will Hunting,’ Miramax made certain the recruited audience wasn’t expecting to laugh at Robin Williams like they normally do. From my limited experience, you can really blow test screenings by conducting them in the wrong way (Gus Van Sant Quotes) My art teacher in junior high was a very out gay man and a mentor to me. He would tell us about Greenwich Village and show us the ‘Village Voice’ and describe his life, but it was all sort of subversive and below the radar (Gus Van Sant Quotes) I’m thinking of remaking ‘Psycho’ again. Doing a third remake. The idea this time is to really change it - we’re talking about doing a punk rocker setting (Gus Van Sant Quotes) If I’m diagnosed with cancer I might become despondent, but someone young might not, and they might need connections with somebody outside their circle of family because their family is so despondent (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Now the music industry is sort of like a Craigslist venture, right? Where you’re making your own records and selling them online (Gus Van Sant Quotes) The dark comedies tend to be in a non-releasable area. There can be romantic comedies. There can be dramas. But there’s no ‘dark comedy’ inbox for the advertising (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Gay marriage is the last bastion of, to me... as a legal, ceremonial, sentimental and religious side, it’s one of the last steps. Retaining your job being one of the earlier steps, like, not getting kicked out of your job because you’re gay. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) The media has gone through lots of things that make it a less foreign thing to have your lead character be gay. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) I think that in some cases, I’ve made films that have a sentimental quality, at least as part of the film. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) My family moved a lot as a kid. We started in Colorado, where I lived for five years. We moved to Chicago for two years, to San Francisco for one year, Connecticut for seven, Oregon for a couple years, and then I went to school. So I was always moving, I’m still always moving. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) If I’m diagnosed with cancer I might become despondent, but someone young might not, and they might need connections with somebody outside their circle of family because their family is so despondent. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Because I didn’t have brothers, I was always interested in the kids down the street that had four brothers in their family, so I became one of them - but it was not my family. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Free time keeps me going. It’s just something that’s always been a part of my life. I was originally a painter, and I made films sort of as an extension of that, and then I started to try to make dramatic films because the early films were experimental films. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) I was originally a painter, and I made films sort of as an extension of that, and then I started to try to make dramatic films because the early films were experimental films. (Gus Van Sant Quotes) Even when you’re making a movie about life, death is a presence, and I guess it’s part of my dramatic viewpoint. I’m not sure why exactly. Maybe I’m drawn to it as a story element. (Gus Van Sant Quotes)

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