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| Elephant |
Van Sant drew inspiration for his key protagonists in
Elephant from the real-life Columbine High School tragedy. However, his highly stylised evocation of a day in the life of a 'normal' American high school conveys a surface ordinariness that in its very universality taps into an undercurrent of unease beyond the specifics of that notorious event.
Long, rhythmic takes and tracking shots of students going about their day in the typical high school subliminally map a topography of the school in the viewer's mind that is later chillingly revisited by the student killers.
"Gripping and superbly made. An outstanding film"
The Guardian
Winner of the Palme d'Or and Best Director Awards, 2003 Cannes Film Festival.
