The movie with a lot of buzz is “Milk” directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Sean Penn as Harvey Milk. I’ve not had the chance to see this film yet and wanted take a look back at some of the work of Gus Van Sant. This photo of Van Sant is reportedly a mug shot and unlike most celebrity mug photos there is nothing menacing in this face. There is the complexity and hint of thoughtfulness. This guy knows a lot about human beings.
Until now I had not looked back at his body of work. With the films that I’ve seen
maybe with one exception of “Hunting” there is hint of delirium in his characters. The delirium show as self focused and self gratification and I wonder if this is really how we are? That our conversation with ourselves and others about how generous and caring we are is the act we use to suppress our own self infatuation.
“Milk” looks to be about a flawed transformational hero. Someone who was not at his end only fascinated with his own reflection in the mirror.