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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2000)
december 15.2000 • * “ *■■*125 A rare moment— Van bant doesn’t like to smile in front of other people’s cameras *o t»A ir *O O A K When Just Out asks about it, ■ . Van Sant explains that the com- ' j wy . ^ ; ■ \ W f 3 fl ■ 0m ment was picked up out ot cotv ill X.y./ ■ \ S k T * . .< .yJÍSP f * Üüak ?*$ i 7 l l / A €' B ï Jr/ , text from a three-hour inter- z view—and that Connery’s g answer meant that his cross to £ B B b b B H m hear is all the endless decon- « S t met ion ot his films, hunting Z tor gav content, not hv scxuali- o H B H «O O A * ty itself. And for the record, the * famously macho Ginnery had no problem with his directors sexual orientation. So has Van Sant experienced homophobia in Hollywood? “Fifty percent of the people working in show business are gay.... I think they’d like nothing better than to make gay were true it would’ve been even more fun,” he films, but people are always analyzing what will says enigmatically. make money,” he explains. “There’s a new gay According to Van Sant, his residence was also film on a contained budget coming out every used for editing and the production office, but month now, whereas that wouldn’t happen 10, the ffat house atmosphere “proved too chaotic,” 15 years ago. Parting G lances [1986] indicated so he actually moved out of his own home and that a modest gay story could be made. If it left it in the hands of his cast and crew. made the kind of money that action films Van Sant trusted his cast in other ways, make, they’d be making gay films.” Green recalls. “River had this idea that his And can we expect another gay-themed character should fall in love with Keanu’s char film from him? “Yes, but it comes down to get acter, so he wrote the dialogue himself for the ting them funded.” campfire scene.” Indeed, during shooting When asked it he was going , gf- iH Phoenix told his director in a story to make a documentary of ///§ y M ! , I the actor wrote for Interview: “One Phoenix’s life, Van Sant told w | 111 of the things that I really appreci- Salon in 1997: “Pink was it.... ^ J ate in working with you is that in This book is very much influ that collaborative stage you have enced by River. It’s a documen- |X , no fear ot your ego being stripped tary of my life and existence i or anything.” through him.” { We had to ask how he could At a reading of Pink Van U BM BM work so intimately with all these Sant was asked the question beautiful, charismatic men and not everyone wants the answer to: Who drove up and rescued the River Phoenix character at fall in love with them a little. “A ll the end of Idaho I Van Sant replied that he directors have to fall in love with intentionally left it ambiguous: “I was hoping their lead characters; the leading that the viewer would project themselves into character is the spokesm the film and decide for them- ■ ■ ™ universe you’re making Connery bonds with his director ***W*«wj selves who it was.” the film about,” Van KKAm t Sant says. “When we’re casting guys there is the extra con He does, however, offer a glimmer of hope flict of interest of falling in love with for better days ahead. “There’s a gay middle them, but I don’t allow that to hap class now, and if they demand that a $50 mil pen. In France, directors say they lion film be made starring Barbra Streisand, have to make love to their actors, then it’ll get made.” but they’re French. I’m more And what does he think has to happen for Calvinist,” he deadpans. actors to be openly gay in Hollywood? “Actors But what about his actors—does are hard to pinpoint—struggling actors are he think they fall in love with him what you want them to be—they become MY OWN a little? “Some have to,” he admits, whatever the role demands.” PRIVATE IDAHO adding that some actors require cer tain behavior from a director, even ne Gus Van Sant film that connects him tyrannical behavior. “I have to have viscerally with his years in Portland is My everything peaceful and nice; I Oum Private Idaho, the complex tale of two can’t stand angry people working." hustlers that he co-wrote with a guy named Shakespeare. (He did give the Bard screen credit for his Henry IV riffs.) At the tender age of 19, Scott Green lucked into a dream job on the film as assistant to the director; he also played two small roles and began to learn his craft as a still photographer on that set. “We all lived up there in Gus’ house during Idaho," he recalls fondly of the time spent with cast members River n *0 ) %g m it i w ês '2 Not satisfied with this response, the ques tioner asked: Who picked him up in your ver sion? “In my version, I pick him up.” he director followed Idaho with a disappoint ing rendition of Tom Robbins’ Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, which Van Sant wanted to do because he saw it as the story of a i-' JzdiJm female hero and a break from films I that often objectify women. In many critics’ eyes he redeemed himself with j - l — I his follow-up, the Nicole Kidman j j f iSa vehicle To Die For, although its suc- cess also was credited to another strong performance from a member of . the Phoenix family, this time Joaquin. Van Sant rode that wave to his ji biggest hit to date, Good Will Hunt- ing, complete with the big-time Oscar Experience. Buddy Scott Green was also along for that ride as the director’s assistant. He remembers the set as being typically laid back, except when star Robin Williams enter tained them between takes. “He’d start impro vising and have the crew peeing their pants.” T Continued on O "When we're casting guys there is the extra conflict of interest of falling in love with them, but I don't illow that to happen." —Gus Van Sant One of the many props Van Sant has kept is this sign from My O un P rivate Idaho: “Warning to tourists, do not laugh at the natives”
