407 Mala Noche

[sevenarts]

I'll probably end up getting this anyways, to see for myself, but, Drugstore Cowboy left me completely bored/unimpressed but Idaho completely wows me in every way (I even think that Reeves/Shakespeare completely works by creating a quirky feel to the entire film, as if you lived in a world of stilted Shakespearean actors, entirely artificial). Which side does Mala Noche lean on?

I would say that of Van Sant's first three films, Mala Noche is far and away the best. Drugstore Cowboy is a fine but rather conventional slacker drama, redeemed to a great degree by the appearance of Burroughs in the third act. My Own Private Idaho is extremely interesting, but something of a mess -- and it has Keanu Reeves, which is a big point against it, and worse yet it has Keanu Reeves mangling Shakespeare. But Mala Noche is pretty much perfect, a masterpiece of desire and lust, economically told with some gorgeous cinematography and a real grasp of potent images.

All three films are pretty different from each other, while at the same time clearly originating with the same creative mind. Nevertheless, I'd say Mala Noche is the clear predecessor of Van Sant's more recent films, starting with Gerry, and it has much more in common with the "death trilogy" than with anything in his other early films. Having seen this now, his career has taken on a very different shape for me. Before, I always thought of his first three films as a group, then the commercial period, and then a rebirth starting with Gerry. Now it looks more and more like everything between Mala Noche and Gerry represents a stylistic break, and the films he's making now are linking up with the aesthetic foundations he built in his first film.

[Cold Bishop]

My Own Private Idaho is extremely interesting, but something of a mess -- and it has Keanu Reeves, which is a big point against it, and worse yet it has Keanu Reeves mangling Shakespeare. But Mala Noche is pretty much perfect, a masterpiece of desire and lust, economically told with some gorgeous cinematography and a real grasp of potent images.

Sorry, but i will have to disagree and say that I find My Own Private Idaho to be his best film. I love the messiness of the film, and I actually feel Keanu works within the confines of the film. Mala Noche may be a masterpiece of desire and lust, but I find Idaho so much more moving and heartbreaking. But apples and oranges.

[nick]

David,

I saw this projected in Rocheter, NY last month; it was the new 35mm blowup and the color scenes you discuss were indeed shown in color.

[nick]

that would be my deduction as well. I haven't actually watched my criterion disc yet so I'm going to be rather dissapointed that those color sequences aren't there. But as you put it:

Gus is credited as having supervised the Criterion transfer

Did Gus change his mind about these segments? Criterion's website offers another piece of information:

Film Info
1985
78 minutes
Black and White/Color
1.33:1
Dolby Digital Mono 1.0
Not Anamorphic
English

David,

Does the criterion have the color sequence at the end? I couldn't tell by your post if that was rendered in black and white as well.

[Michael]

Nick, right after Walt says the last words to Johnny through his car window and his "girlfriend" applies on lipstick, pondering about moving to Alaska to strip at bars, the film switches to colors and the closing credits sweep through. No where else before this is in colors.

[domino harvey]

repressing announcement

[LightBulbFilm]

repressing announcement

So I should wait till January to send the disc back?

[Rupert Pupkin]

hi there,
I've just read this post and the news about the b&w photos in Mala Noche (instead of colour) in their DVD...
Since I've never seen this movie, I didn't know about the 5 secs of color in this movie.
I bought this on dvdpacific (I live in France)- should I replace it via dvdpacific or should I deal directly with Criterion to get a replacement disc ? (I remember having contacted them 2 years ago for a missing booklet in Clean/Shaven...)

oops I've just read this on criterion blog web site :

"Be sure to include a mailing address in the U.S. or Canada for the replacement as we cannot ship outside of North America. Please also include your email address in the package and we'll send your gift certificate by email once we've mailed you replacement DVD(s)."

what can do customers outside US/Canada to get a replacement DVD ?

[Cold Bishop]

what can do customers outside US/Canada to get a replacement DVD ?

I believe if you have a US address they can send it to, they'll do it... So unless you know someone in the US who will help, you should try dvdpacific.

[Rupert Pupkin]

As far as Criterion is concerned you can get fucked.

ok, but since DVDPacific is a US retailer- since Criterion has put in place a replacement for the Mala Noche DVD according to their blog, perhaps there is something due to the forbidden export of DVD zone 1 and if I give an addy from a friend in US or Canada, that should work according to their web site ????

They did send me the missing booklet of Clean/Shaven in France.

[Argonaut69]

I don't think anyone has commented on the most obvious difference between the Criterion DVD of Mala Noche and the French import from Mk2. Over the credits on the Mk2 disc is the same acoustic Spanish guitar track that has always been on any print of this film I have seen while the Criterion disc has a loud indie rock song. I'll take the Criterion disc as the definitive version (since Van Sant appears to have been consulted for it's production) but I wonder at the official reasoning behind the change.

[Rupert Pupkin]

I don't think anyone has commented on the most obvious difference between the Criterion DVD of Mala Noche and the French import from Mk2. Over the credits on the Mk2 disc is the same acoustic Spanish guitar track that has always been on any print of this film I have seen while the Criterion disc has a loud indie rock song. I'll take the Criterion disc as the definitive version (since Van Sant appears to have been consulted for it's production) but I wonder at the official reasoning behind the change.

yeah me too, altough I'm live in France I did prefer the Criterion because of the Gus Van Sant approved edition and didnt buy the MK2....
But like you, I don't know and like to know - perhaps new (c) issues with the song ?

[denti alligator]

Got this for Xmas. How can I quickly check if I need to send mine in for a replacement?

[Nuno]

Since it's seem Mk2 is his new producer, I think we can trust Mk2 dvd editions of his films. I bought Mk2 editions of Gerry, Elephant, Last Days and Mala noche and I am happy with it.

[denti alligator]

Got this for Xmas. How can I quickly check if I need to send mine in for a replacement?

Anyone? Is there a scene I can jump to to test it?

[Lemmy Caution]

Got this for Xmas. How can I quickly check if I need to send mine in for a replacement?

Anyone? Is there a scene I can jump to to test it?

Are you in too much of a panic to read through this thread? Check out the last few posts on Page 2 and the link at the top of this page to the Criterion announcement re the error.

From davidhare's post on Page 2:

At approx 21' 15" during the scene in which the boys have found a discarded movie camera and are fooling around with it, filming each other and a black labrador etc Gus includes three quick shots in color, which he doesn't return to until the final credits. The color shots are intact on the MK2 but are rendered in B&W on the Criterion.

Criterion blog says:

Mala Noche is mostly in black and white, but about twenty-three minutes in, there are three color shots that total ten seconds and twenty-two frames. In our version, they appear in black and white.

This seems like a really minor issue to me.
And not worth the trouble of correcting (for me, not for Criterion as a producer).
I can't imagine the quick hits of color really affecting much, or linking up with the end credits in any significant manner.
That being said, of course I would prefer to see it the way it was intended. Don't know why Criterion doesn't just load that scene on to their website or Youtube so folks could see the brief shots in color.
That would satisfy my curiosity/feeling of missing something.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Got this for Xmas. How can I quickly check if I need to send mine in for a replacement?

Anyone? Is there a scene I can jump to to test it?

Are you in too much of a panic to read through this thread? Check out the last few posts on Page 2 and the link at the top of this page to the Criterion announcement re the error.

From davidhare's post on Page 2:

At approx 21' 15" during the scene in which the boys have found a discarded movie camera and are fooling around with it, filming each other and a black labrador etc Gus includes three quick shots in color, which he doesn't return to until the final credits. The color shots are intact on the MK2 but are rendered in B&W on the Criterion.

Criterion blog says:

Mala Noche is mostly in black and white, but about twenty-three minutes in, there are three color shots that total ten seconds and twenty-two frames. In our version, they appear in black and white.

This seems like a really minor issue to me.
And not worth the trouble of correcting (for me, not for Criterion as a producer).
I can't imagine the quick hits of color really affecting much, or linking up with the end credits in any significant manner.
That being said, of course I would prefer to see it the way it was intended. Don't know why Criterion doesn't just load that scene on to their website or Youtube so folks could see the brief shots in color.
That would satisfy my curiosity/feeling of missing something.

I bought all mk2 releases of Gus Van Sant (Elephant 2 CD set (I was hoping that Criterion released it at that time; Last Days... I'm waiting for Paranoid Park now (btw, is there a DVD zone 1 already announced), but for Mala Noche, I wanted the Criterion version because it was approved by Gus Van Sant himself, include many extras (some of them not on the mk 2 release).

As a Director approved transfer, it can't be considered as a minor issue.
this is Gus Van Sant's movie, and I understand that I can keep my DVD until a replacement, but a replacement is required because the transfer is not okay, altough as you said the colour diapos are only just a few seconds.
But it's like if they had put on DVD Rumble Fish all in b&w without the very short color segments...

[Morbii]

As a Director approved transfer, it can't be considered as a minor issue.
this is Gus Van Sant's movie, and I understand that I can keep my DVD until a replacement, but a replacement is required because the transfer is not okay, altough as you said the colour diapos are only just a few seconds.
But it's like if they had put on DVD Rumble Fish all in b&w without the very short color segments...

Except that since it's director approved, it almost seems like he didn't care enough to actually watch it and make sure :O

[nick]

Out of curiosity: has anyone received a copy of the corrected disc yet? I'm still waiting on mine.

[Napier]

I was wondering the same thing.I've been holding off on buying this until it is corrected.

[jorencain]

As of a few days ago, they hadn't gotten the corrected discs in yet (according to an email I got). If I get any notification that it's on it's way, I'll post something.

[Morbii]

I think I'm going to keep my fucked up copy. Maybe it will be worth money one day!

[Lino]

Just had a chance to watch this one on the big screen last week (and for the first time ever, too) and loved every minute of it. What a breezy movie, full of good vibes and sincere feelings, it's no wonder Michael loves it.

The thing I love the most about it is how it so closely adheres to the short story format. It almost feels like you're watching a short feature and when you notice, almost an hour and a half has just flew by.

[LightBulbFilm]

I will be sending for my replacement tomorrow... Anyone receive their's back yet?

[mogwai]

I received an email from Tamara on Jan. 23rd saying they didn't have the replacement discs yet, but would send them out as soon as they arrived.