Elephant (2003)

On Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at columbine gamy School come Denver, Colorado, two senior students embarked on a massacre, killing twelve students, whiz teacher, and injuring over twenty more students. The two troubled students then act suicide. It is the fourth deadliest school massacre in United States history. The phrase elephant in the room is used as a metaphor to describe an diaphanous truth that goes unaddressed, or simply ignored. Everyone knows it is there, but no one allow for say what needs to be said, or acknowledge the problem that is in front of them.Gus wagon train Sants, Elephant, is a cinematic response to the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. vanguard Sants open-ended treatment of the Columbine incident is one example of how his notional strategy is able to focus the hearty complexity behind the incident, and stimulate curiosity from the listening. This style of word picture step far past the traditional boundaries to the point, demonstrating that th is is only scratching the surface, suggesting that there is practically more depth than what is shown in plain view.Elephant refuses to adjust to conventional views of possess and effect, and instead weaves an inescapable spell on its audience with its distinctive wide takes, diegetic and non-diegetic sounds, and an interweaving, lifelike narrative social organisation, all contributing to its remarkable visual musical harmony and an everlasting emotional affect on those who witness it. One creative strategy that Van Sant employs throughout the movies entirety is its distinctive, but unique farsighted takes. This unconventional way of filming helps determine the automated teller machine of the film as a whole.Van Sant takes the audience on a confused journey as the camera follows each character around the school. The activity is moved a dogged by the continual course of the camera trailing behind different students as they navigate the school halls, cafeteria, library, and football field. During these long takes, the audience is given the perspective of a passive witness to the implement as it extends unavoidably. As a result, it becomes a check-moving film with a snowballing and powerful impact. As Van Sant puts it, No cutting is better than cutting.A fictitious story isnt as good as something thats more organic(Van Sant). These long scenes argon repeated, but through the eyes of different characters each reveal a new perspective of the scene, which increases the sympathy for these students who have no mind what is coming, but was already revealed to the audience. With these distinctive and earthy long takes, the scenes become preserve in the audiences memory due to what searchs like a first dig experience of the traumatic event.Another key component to this movies inescapable spell that it places on its viewers is the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. Throughout the movie there is always a constant sound, whether it is the echoes of voices in the hallways and locker room, or the sound of Beethoven contend beneath the diegetic sounds. The use of these diegetic sounds help urinate a more realistic perspective for the audiences. As they follow behind each character closely, Van Sant makes sure to add every diminished detail he advise to ensure that the audience gets as raw and as authentic of a view as possible.For example, the group of young girls in the cafeteria or in the locker room, there are no sound affects added, what you see is what you hear, creating a naturalistic atmosphere. As another way to increase the tension, Van Sant strategically places the non-diegetic sound of a piano play classical music to create an ominous mood in the selected scenes. There are only a few scenes at which the piano is played, and it easily goes unnoticed. The sounds of classical music playing beneath the diegetic sounds places the audiences in a dreamlike state, as all they brush off do is sit back and watch as the st ory unfolds.The interweaving and realistic narrative structure of this film helps show the ninefold points of views of this tragedy, giving the audience the ability to become the ideal imaginary observer and feel as close to the real thing as possible. After reviewing the film, Manohla Dargis of the LA time states, Every so often, Van Sant repeats a scene from another perspective, as if he were winding back time, and decelerates the bustling to put the film into slow motion so we screwing pay witness to this heartbreaking animation, to the sprightliness of these children.I think this is why Van Sant made Elephant he wants to honor the lives of the Columbine dead, to remember all the kids in their radiant, burning life. (Dargis). The same scenes are replayed multiple times from different perspectives to show the magnitude of the situation, and just how powerful what is taking place really is. Instead of casting big name actors, Van Sant casts regular high school teenagers, who improvise their dialogue to make it seem as realistic as he could.By keeping this narrative structure away from the glamour and artificiality of classic Hollywood films, Van Sant allows the story to unfold naturally and is able to preserve the films true meaning, which is to focus on the traumatic event that is right in plain view, but yet no one wants to address. Throughout the film, the audience is given an in depth tint at what took place that tragic day. As far as authenticity, this film is as realistic of an interpretation as there can be without dipping into the glamour of Hollywood, and distortion for the sake of a better script.This film is as real as it gets, and it is because of the creative, non-traditional style that Van Sant employs throughout it. There are several different elements that go into creating this film, such as an interweaving narrative structure, or the use of creative and unique shots that help make it extremely impactful. near elements can be seen with the naked eye others require a little bit more intellect. Regardless of whether or not the audience can see why this film is more creative and spell bounding than the next, they at least know something is there like the elephant in the room.