Last Days (film)

Last Days (2005) is a film by director Gus Van Sant, a fictionalized account of the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. It was released to theaters in the United States on July 22, 2005, produced by HBO. The film stars Michael Pitt as the character Blake, based on Kurt Cobain. Kim Gordon, Lukas Haas, and Asia Argento also star in the film. Author and friend of Gus's Harmony Korine appears in a brief club scene as well, playing a character ironically similar to one in Larry Clark's movie, Kids.

Related Topics:
2005 - Film - Gus Van Sant - Nirvana - Kurt Cobain - July 22 - HBO - Michael Pitt - Kim Gordon - Lukas Haas - Asia Argento - Harmony Korine - Larry Clark - Kids

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Van Sant said he has been thinking about the project for nearly a decade. At one stage, he wanted to do a Cobain biopic, but decided against the idea out of fear of being sued by Cobain's widow, Courtney Love. He isn't sure how Cobain's fans and family will react to the film. He has spoken to Love several times over the years about his project and has recently expressed his concern, as it may be painful for her to see the film. Asia Argento, who plays a dead-beat character in the film, has recently stated, "It's been written that I play Courtney Love, and it's not true. I'm so upset. I don't know why people say that. I feel very sorry for her. She's been demonised and I feel sorry for anybody that's lost like that. But no, I play a character that's very dorky."

Related Topics:
Courtney Love - Dork

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Similar to Van Sant's previous two films, Gerry and Elephant, the dialogue and narration are minimal, and not linearly connected. The technique is especially similar to Elephant, where scenes are revisited from new angles, starting at differing points in time, without a signal that the clock was turned back at some point. As in Gerry, the camera's attention is frequently diverted from the drama, by attachment to some situational detail. Some film reviewers compare these three films as though they form a "trilogy". All three films are resistant to easy explanation, but they share the theme of (among other things) extreme isolation (in Gerry it is physical, in Elephant it is social, and in Last Days it is mental).

Related Topics:
Gerry - Elephant

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The movie also features an original track by the lead actor Michael Pitt, titled "Death to Birth.", and a piece, "Untitled", by Lukas Haas.

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