Home

Browse titles

How it works

Join Now

Sign in

Help


Genres

World Cinema

UK Premier

US Premier

Indie-Arthouse Cinema

Film Noir

UK Classics

US Classics

Australian

All genres


showcase

Now Available

Kino Hot Picks

Directors

Actors


collections

Kino All-time Top 100 rental titles

Christmas Movies

Blu-Ray High Definition

Featured Genre

Director's Cut

Actors' Studio

AACTA - AFI Winners . . . Best  Picture

Oscar Winners . . . Best  Picture

Cannes Classics

Members' Top 100 requested Titles


Service

Send a Gift

Contact Us



Titles

Free Trial

Mala Noche (1985)

<<back  


Director:

Gus Van Sant

Starring:

Doug Cooeyate, Sam Downey, Nyla McCarthy, Ray Monge, Tim Streeter

Genres:

Drama, Gay Interest, Indie-Arthouse Cinema

Origin:

USA

Languages:

English, Spanish

Running Time:

78 min

Mala Noche

synopsis


Made for $25,000, the debut film from Gus Van Sant, MALA NOCHE, tells the story of Walt, a convenience store worker at the bad end of town. Walt likes the Mexican boys, and meets Johnny, a sexy illegal migrant who speaks no English. Walt harbours not only sexual but romantic feelings for Johnny, but the immigrant distances himself from Walt's lustful advances. Dejected, Walt initiates a mutually beneficial relationship with Johnny's friend Roberto, swapping money for sex, while secretly longing for Johnny. As Walt tries to go about his daily activities, he finds himself drawn into the crime-filled lives of the Mexican boys.

member reviews

 
Van Sant's debut one of his finest achievements
David Heslin
04 December 2008
member rating

Why is it that directors' early works are so often superior to their subsequent output? Why is it that the debut film, often made with a tiny fraction of the budget, no famous actors and inexperienced crew, often proves to be the director's apex in terms of creativity and originality? For Aronofsky it was 'Pi'; for Lynch, 'Eraserhead'; for Resnais, 'Hiroshima Mon Amour'; and for Gus Van Sant, it was 'Mala Noche'. Like the directors listed above, Van Sant has made some very good films throughout his career: 'My Own Private Idaho', 'Elephant' and, most recently, 'Paranoid Park', have all been exceptional. However, 'Mala Noche' stands at least equal, if not superior to the rest, featuring some excellent black & white cinematography, a fine performance by the leads and, most importantly, a frank, sympathetic, while completely unpatronising look at homosexual desire. Like some of the best films, little happens in the story: Walt has a crush on an attractive Mexican boy, but finds his advances rejected, so has to make do with a kind of friendship (and, sometimes, sex) with the friend of his object of desire. To say this is a film about unrequited love does it injustice, because it is far superior to most films that deal with such an issue. This is nowhere near a Hollywood film where the boy chases the girl, instead replacing that 2D cliche with a 3-dimensional portrayal of real life. Highly recommended.

100% of members found this review helpful


 
 

Privacy

FAQs

Terms & Conditions

Plans & Prices

About Us

Facebook

© Copyright Kino 2024. All rights reserved.