277 My Own Private Idaho

[ptmd]

My Own Private Idaho



River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves star in Gus Van Sant's haunting tale of two young street hustlers: Mike Waters, a sensitive narcoleptic who dreams of the mother who abandoned him, and Scott Favor, the wayward son of the mayor of Portland and object of Mike's desire. Navigating a volatile world of junkies, thieves, and johns, Mike takes Scott on a quest from the grungy streets to the open highways of the Pacific Northwest, in search of an elusive place called home. Visually dazzling and groundbreaking, My Own Private Idaho is a deeply moving look at unrequited love and life at society's margins.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED EDITION:
• New, restored 4K digital transfer, approved by director Gus Van Sant, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Alternate Dolby Digital 5.1 surround soundtrack
• Illustrated 2005 audio conversation between Van Sant and filmmaker Todd Haynes
• The Making of "“My Own Private Idaho," a 2005 documentary featuring cast and crew
• Kings of the Road, a 2005 interview with film scholar Paul Arthur on Van Sant's adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV and Orson Welles's Chimes at Midnight
• Conversation from 2005 between producer Laurie Parker and actor River Phoenix's sister Rain
• Audio conversation from 2005 between writer JT Leroy and filmmaker Jonathan Caouette
• Deleted scenes
• Trailer
• PLUS: A book featuring essays by film critic Amy Taubin and Leroy; a 1991 article by Lance Loud; and reprinted interviews with Van Sant, Phoenix, and actor Keanu Reeves


Criterionforum.org user rating averages

Feature currently disabled

[Andre Jurieu]

Saw this on Frameworks (an avant/garde experimental film mailing list) today.

Question: I am editing a making of piece on My Own Private Idaho for Criterion Collection. Wondering if you might be able to help figure out a reference? Many people including Gus have mentioned appropriating the technique of using stills in the sex scenes from a famous gay filmmaker from the 1960's. No one can remember his name and if we don't have an illustration of the point than we can't really use it. Anyway thought you might have a clue to who this could be. In case you have forgotten the sex scenes in Idaho are shot as stills in real time. Thanks a bunch

Tara Young

Sweet! Nice to have another independent source confirm my original news.

[foofighters7]

This is one ive been wanting for a long time. Ive had a hunch CC would get it eventually. It is SO Criterion bait.

Awesome stuff.
Wasnt MOPI a Fox property? Perhaps Im thinking of something else.

[Andre Jurieu]

It's part of the New Line/Image deal.

[foofighters7]

Yeah ok, I knew it was New Line, I dont know what I was thinking.

And remember it has the first appearance of Jesus in this film.
or if you cant bring yourselves to calling him Jesus, its Jim Caviezel.
Great story about how he got that role, which was his first.

I think its still the best Van Sant has did. except for maybe Gerry. but I still like Idaho more , i think.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Yeah ok, I knew it was New Line, I dont know what I was thinking.

And remember it has the first appearance of Jesus in this film.
or if you cant bring yourselves to calling him Jesus, its Jim Caviezel.
Great story about how he got that role, which was his first.

I think its still the best Van Sant has did. except for maybe Gerry. but I still like Idaho more , i think.

Agreed. Idaho is my favourite Van Sant film as well. There is a grittiness mixed with a dreamy romanticism that is fantastic. Definitely Van Sant at the height of his powers. In fact, the whole Portland trilogy is excellent.

Although, I do find Even Cowgirls Get the Blues a fascinating mess of a movie.

[Jun-Dai]

That poor woman won't be working for Criterion long if she keeps blabbing like that.

Do you think they're gonna whack her?

[cdnchris]

Excellent. That makes it now 4 movies in the collection with Udo Kier.

I saw this one after seeing To Die For and really liked it. Looks like I'll finally be adding it to my collection. Hope it's coming out this year.

[Anonymous]

If this is true, I will dance in the streets and bake JM a cake, a really really good cake!!!

Oh God, please let this happen soon!

[Anonymous]

part the second: who do you think was being refered to? Anger? The guy who did Pink Narcissus or the beefcake shorts by Bob Mizer at the AMG?

[Matt]

I'm pretty sure it's Curt McDowell.

[Anonymous]

...or Curt McDowell

[Matt]

You never know who will turn up on the ol' CF.

Wonder who the hell it is then. It ain't Anger. It ain't Jack Smith. It ain't McDowell. It ain't Warhol. It ain't James Bidgood. Couldn't possibly be Pat Rocco or Andy Milligan.

James Broughton, maybe? Or, and this is a wild stab in the dark, Michael Wallin?

[Anonymous]

but what about Mizer? the postcardy still aspect of the sex scenes (which as so deliciouslly good and brilliant) remind me of the still photo almost postcard like quality of Mizer's stuff at AMG...

why do you not think its Anger or Wharhol Charlie Brown?

Lucy Van Pelt

[Fellini-Hexed]

Tara, et al: Could Wakefield Poole be the name you're searching for? Toronto's infamous Regg Hartt is showing Boys in the Sand (1972) soon, and the description sounds apt enough. He describes it as "explicit queer sex raised to the level of high art", or something like that. I paraphrase.

[Matt]

I've seen Boys in the Sand and it doesn't really fit that description or the description supplied by Van Sant. I don't think it's Anger or Warhol simply because they never filmed sex scenes using stills.

Oh, and get this. I just got reprimanded at work for sending an email to the Association of Moving Image Archivists list-serv in response to the same message that was copied in the first post of this thread. I happened to express the opinion that I thought Anger's Kustom Kar Kommandos was more erotic than his Scorpio Rising. That's what I get for working in the South, I guess.

[Anonymous]

you're probably right now that i think about the non stills asepct of Anger and Warhol, but I still think I'm onto something with Bob Mizer....

and we ALL live in the South now since last tues/wed....(bitter sigh)

[Anonymous]

maybe it could be Wallin....hmm....I still think the whole retro feel of those sex scenes w/ Udo and the early scene where the pretty boys are giving their opinions from out of the covers of porno mags is very reminiscent of Mizer and the AMG.....

...rewatched Beefcake this wknd and it made me think of My Own Private Idaho even more so thats my big hunch.

What do you think Charlie Brown?

Tara, have you asked GVS if it could be Wallin or Mizer?

[Matt]

I think Wallin might be a good bet. Mizer's films just seem so naive. Too naive to use anything that might be considered an avant-garde technique. I haven't seen a ton of his stuff, but nothing I have seen would lead me to believe that Mizer is our man.

[Anonymous]

so did Tara ever say who "our man" was/is?

[igor s.]

just up:

A wide-ranging new audio conversation between director Gus Van Sant and acclaimed filmmaker Todd Haynes (Safe, Velvet Goldmine, Far From Heaven) and will be included on Criterion’s upcoming release of My Own Private Idaho. Also included on this special edition two-disc set will be a new documentary on the making of the film, featuring interviews with key crew members, and many additional supplemental features. Look for My Own Private Idaho in early 2005.

the film now has been officially anounced, with outstanding supplements.

most excellent,

-igor s.

[foofighters7]

good times. I havent seen what additional extras will be with it yet, other than what was mentioned on criterions home page.

Is there a link to show what else is going to be included?

I checked and didnt see anything mentioned.

Nice release

[Andre Jurieu]

good times. I havent seen what additional extras will be with it yet, other than what was mentioned on criterions home page.

Is there a link to show what else is going to be included?

I checked and didnt see anything mentioned.

Nice release

It's just a news item confirming that they will release the film on DVD. They have yet to make the official announcement or post details as to what features the disc will include. Wait till they announce their releases for March, or April, or May, or...

[foofighters7]

Yeah I know it was just on CC home page, Igor said something about having good extras. Thats what I was referring to, thought he found a spot which said what was on it. I suspose he was just referring to the conversation they mention.

Im sure whatever will be on it should be good nonetheless. at least its a 2discer.

[What A Disgrace]

And what a wonderful confirmation it is. A must-buy for sure. The New Line deal is already proving to be as productive and better-stacked than the Fox deal. So many confirmed, and so many possibilities!