Last Days (2005)

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writer (WGA):

Gus Van Sant (written by)

Release Date:

13 May 2005 (France)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Rock and roll will never die.

Plot:

A Seattle-set rock & roll drama about a musician whose life and career is reminiscent of Kurt Cobain's.

Plot Keywords:

Song | Woods | House | Kurt Cobain | Musician

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Michael Pitt	...	Blake
Lukas Haas	...	Luke
Asia Argento	...	Asia
Scott Patrick Green	...	Scott (as Scott Green)
Nicole Vicius	...	Nicole
Ricky Jay	...	Detective
Ryan Orion	...	Donovan
Harmony Korine	...	Guy in Club
Rodrigo Lopresti	...	Band in Club (as The Hermitt)
Kim Gordon	...	Record Executive
Adam Friberg	...	Elder Friberg #1
Andy Friberg	...	Elder Friberg #2
Thadeus A. Thomas	...	Yellow Book Salesman
Chip Marks	...	Tree Trimmer
Kurt Loder	...	TV Voiceover (voice)
Michael Azerrad	...	TV Voiceover (voice)
Chris Monlux	...	Phone Voice (voice)
Jack Gibson	...	Phone Voice (voice)
Gus Van Sant	...	Phone Voice (voice)
Dawnn Pavlonnis	...	Phone Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Riley G. Matthews Jr.	...	Coroner's Attendant (uncredited)
Giovanni Morassutti	...	Band Fun (uncredited)
Ari Tomais	...	Detective (uncredited)

Directed by
Gus Van Sant

Writing credits (WGA)
Gus Van Sant		(written by)

Produced by
Jay Hernandez	....	associate producer
Dany Wolf	....	producer

Original Music by
Rodrigo Lopresti

Cinematography by
Harris Savides

Film Editing by
Gus Van Sant

Casting by
Mali Finn

Art Direction by
Tim Grimes

Set Decoration by
Sarah E. McMillan

Costume Design by
Michelle Matland

Makeup Department
Cassandra Saulter	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Greg Spence	....	post-production supervisor
Jen Wall	....	production supervisor
Dany Wolf	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jennifer Truelove	....	second assistant director
Dany Wolf	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Karen Cinorre	....	props
Leslie Salter	....	lead scenic (as Leslie Salter-Yacuk)
Greg Sullivan	....	scenic

Sound Department
Felix Andrew	....	sound mixer
Matt Dubin	....	mixing recordist
Marshall Garlington	....	sound re-recording mixer
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Laura Macias	....	foley artist
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Neil Riha	....	second sound mixer
Leslie Shatz	....	sound designer
Lisa Varetakis	....	supervising foley editor

Visual Effects by
Mitch Paulson	....	digital preview colorist

Stunts
Riley G. Matthews Jr.	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Blauvelt	....	assistant camera
James P. Dolan	....	gaffer (as James Dolan)
John Flanagan	....	electrician
Scott Patrick Green	....	still photographer
Thomas Jirgal	....	best boy grip
Patrick Lowry	....	grip
Stephen MacDougall	....	camera loader
Jason McCormick	....	second assistant camera
Peter McEntyre	....	best boy electric
Matías Mesa	....	Steadicam operator

Casting Department
Lori Eastside	....	additional casting
Jonathan Leeder	....	casting associate
David Rapaport	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ghilaine Bouadana	....	wardrobe production assistant
Amy Roth	....	costume supervisor
Jonathan Schwartz	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Bruce Bolden	....	colorist
John Dowdell	....	video colorist
Helen Hand	....	first assistant editor
Eric Hill	....	apprentice editor
Mato	....	color timer
Beatrice Sisul	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ray Espinola Jr.	....	music coordinator
Thurston Moore	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Kenny Gaskins	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Maxwell Anderson	....	production assistant
Kari A. Coleman	....	post-production office manager
Charlie Dibe	....	production assistant
Lindsay Feldman	....	assistant production office coordinator
Heather Gauntt	....	assistant location manager
Joe Guest	....	location manager
Randy Manion	....	location scout
Rachel Neave	....	story contributor
Ben Ruggiero	....	production assistant
Maurice Sessoms	....	additional production assistant
Beatrice Sisul	....	dailies
Michele Soddano	....	assistant accountant
Amy Teitter	....	production assistant
Rebecca Thornell	....	clearance
Derek Yip	....	post-production accountant
Derek Yip	....	production accountant

Thanks
Francesco Clemente	....	special thanks
Kurt Cobain	....	dedicatee
Roger D. Faires	....	special thanks
Kurt Loder	....	special thanks
Chip Marks	....	special thanks
Ann Roth	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• HBO Films
• Meno Film Company
• Picturehouse Entertainment
• Pie Films Inc.

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alamode Film (2007) (Germany) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• BIM Distribuzione (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Fine Line Features (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2005-2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• MK2 Diffusion (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Vértigo Films (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Newco
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Illusion Arts (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

97 min | Argentina:97 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Nova Scotia) | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 | Finland:K-7 | South Korea:15 | Singapore:M18 | Brazil:12 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Garrison, New York, USA

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

Last part of 'Gus van Sant''s 'Death' trilogy. The other two parts are Gerry (2002) and Elephant (2003).

Goofs:

Factual errors: One of the LDS missionaries that visits the house is wearing a light blue shirt. LDS missionaries are only permitted to wear non-decorative white shirts with dark pants/suits, and a conservative tie. The missionaries also carried no pamphlets, visual aids, appointment books, or their own complete sets of scriptures, which is highly unlikely for door-to-door proselytizing.

Quotes:

Record Executive: Do you say, "I'm sorry, that I'm a rock & roll cliche?"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of Gus Van Sant's 'Last Days' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

La Guerre

Rock star's last days, lost, desperate, & alone, beautifully filmed

Gus Van Sant, just as he had done in Gerry and in Elephant, has taken a real-life mystery, and filled in some of the trivial missing parts with his imagination. I haven't seen Gerry or Elephant, but this time he has created a masterpiece.

The movie follows Blake, an isolated young rebel, who is a "rock-and-roll cliché", during the last days of his life. We see him mumbling to himself, and he seems incoherent, unable to stay awake. He is constantly running away, pursued by everyone, but unable to face his obligations. He is dragging himself through life.

The atmosphere of the whole movie is determined by the characters' state of mind. Every single element conveys the despair and pointlessness of Blake's existence, and the blurry thoughts that might be going through his brain. But these ugly days are filmed with an unsympathetic, contemplative and poetic eye. Every shot has the rare beauty of a renaissance painting. All the other elements fit together in perfect harmony: the music, the sounds that have no apparent source but the inside of Blake's head, and Michael Pitt's song "From Death to Birth" sent shivers down my back. The song, and all the actors' performances are authentic, personal and uncompromising.

Another thing: it was a very pleasant surprise to see a movie about the death of a rock star that's not filled with trashy violence aimed to shock and move viewers.

Forget about who Kurt Cobain was, and about his legend, this movie is not about him. Forget about the critics and the Cannes Film Festival, it's not about them either. Last days is a sincere and personal movie by people who apparently respect Kurt's memory. At least enough to tell a touching and aesthetic story inspired by his ordeal.