Elephant (1988)

By curtis

Thursday December 15, 2005

Directed by Alan Clarke Gus Van Sant got the name and idea from here. Like Sant’s naturalisatic contemplation on the Columbine killings, this Elephant, offering no character or narrative development, depicts 18 actual Northern Ireland sectarian killings. In as many episodes, the camera follows seemingly normal and working class men as they execute other non-descript men ranging from a janitor to a guy on a stroll to another playing football with his mates. Originally made for television, the film waivers between a no-sided political film and an art piece, in both its cool, distant shots and the rigid structure it follows. A structure that doesn’t allow for tension or suspense, just the act of violence.