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Elephant
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Elephant (2003) -- Theatrical Preview

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   30,758 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Gus Van Sant
Writer (WGA):
Gus Van Sant (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Elephant on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 October 2003 (Italy) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
An ordinary high school day. Except that it's not.
Plot:
Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
5 wins & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(18 articles)
Follow the Bouncing Ball - Teens At Risk
 (From CultureMagazine. 8 June 2009, 4:00 PM, PDT)

DVD Playhouse: April 2009
 (From The Hollywood Interview. 11 April 2009, 11:58 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
a simple and amazing film more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Alex Frost ... Alex
Eric Deulen ... Eric

John Robinson ... John McFarland
Elias McConnell ... Elias
Jordan Taylor ... Jordan

Carrie Finklea ... Carrie
Nicole George ... Nicole
Brittany Mountain ... Brittany
Alicia Miles ... Acadia
Kristen Hicks ... Michelle
Bennie Dixon ... Benny

Nathan Tyson ... Nathan

Timothy Bottoms ... Mr. McFarland
Matt Malloy ... Mr. Luce

Ellis Williams ... GSA Teacher (as Ellis E. Williams)
Chantelle Chriestenson Nelson ... Noelle (as Chantelle Chriestenson)
Kim Kenney ... Assistant Principal's Secretary
Marci Buntrock ... Assistant Secretary
Roman Ostrovsky ... Red Haired Kid
Vana O'Brien ... P.E. Instructor
Michael Paulsen ... Bully
Alfred Ono ... Mr. Fong
Marychris Mass ... Alex's Mom
Jim Steinpreis ... Alex's Dad
Jeremy Simpson ... Delivery Man

Sherilyn Lawson ... Teacher #1
Sarah Lucht ... Teacher #2

Larry Laverty ... Teacher #3
Dave Stippich ... Teacher #4
Jimmy Gomez ... Kid on Bike
Joe Cronin ... Science Teacher
Wolfgang Williams ... Punk Guy
Caroline Donovan Boyd ... Punk Girl
Travis Ferguson ... Science Student
Ernest Truly ... GSA Teacher
Mary Muldrew ... GSA Student
Sarah Bing ... GSA Student
Kether Hayden ... GSA Student
Natascha Snellman ... GSA Student

Ruben Bansie-Snellman ... GSA Student (as Ruben Bansie)
Joe Sackett ... GSA Student

Jason Seitz ... GSA Victim
Shanti Cho ... Student in Darkroom
Theara Sao ... Eli's Friend
Tiana Woods ... Eli's Classmate
Griffin Goins ... Football Player
Max Horner ... Football Player
Thomas Trullinger ... Football Player
Ty Schwoeffermann ... Football Player
Ray Monge ... Janitor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William S. Burroughs ... Voice (text excerpts) (voice) (archive sound) (uncredited)
Adolf Hitler ... Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Mahdad Rezaujan ... Student (uncredited)
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Directed by
Gus Van Sant 
 
Writing credits
(WGA)
Gus Van Sant (written by)

Produced by
Jay Hernandez .... associate producer
Diane Keaton .... executive producer
J.T. LeRoy .... associate producer (as JT Leroy)
Bill Robinson .... executive producer
Dany Wolf .... producer
 
Cinematography by
Harris Savides 
 
Film Editing by
Gus Van Sant 
 
Casting by
Mali Finn 
Danny Stoltz 
 
Art Direction by
Benjamin Hayden 
 
Costume Design by
Marychris Mass (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Jen Wall .... production supervisor
Dany Wolf .... unit production manager
Greg Spence .... post-production supervisor (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sally Sue Beisel .... second assistant director
Kathy Krause .... second second assistant director
Dany Wolf .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
Philip Blackburn .... set dresser (as Phil Blackburn)
Ken Erck .... lead scenic
Sean Fong .... assistant props
Greg McMickle .... props assistant
Robert Melchior .... leadman (as Rob Melchior)
John Pearson-Denning .... prop master
Teresa Tamiyasu .... set dresser (as Teresa J. Tamiyasu)
Daniel Rowland .... set dresser (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Felix Andrew .... sound mixer
David A. Cohen .... dialogue editor (as David Cohen)
Neil Riha .... boom operator
Leslie Shatz .... sound designer
Tanya Smith .... sound assistant
Concha Solano .... sound assistant
Frank Canonica .... supervising sound recordist (uncredited)
Samuel Cohen .... post-production sound (uncredited)
Michael 'Gonzo' Gandsey .... adr recordist (uncredited)
Michael 'Gonzo' Gandsey .... sound recordist (uncredited)
Martin Schloemer .... sound recordist (uncredited)
Austin Storms .... adr recordist (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Charles Cooley .... special effects assistant
Jor Van Kline .... special effects coordinator
A. Brent Carlson .... special effects assistant (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Collin Fowler .... visual effects coordinator: Illusion Arts (uncredited)
Mark Kenaston .... digital artist (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Thomas M. Ficke .... stunt coordinator (as Tom Ficke)
Danny Downey .... stunts (uncredited)
Casey Easlick .... utility stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Blauvelt .... first assistant camera (as Christopher Blauvelt)
Eric Alan Edwards .... time-lapse photographer (as Eric Edwards)
Bruce 'Sarge' Fleskes .... gaffer
Scott Patrick Green .... still photographer (as Scott Green)
Mike Hanauska .... grip
Brent Lawson .... best boy grip
Brian C. Lawson .... dolly grip (as Brian Lawson)
Bruce Lawson .... key grip
Stephen MacDougall .... loader (as Steve MacDougall)
Matías Mesa .... Steadicam operator (as Matias Mesa)
Steve Pape .... electrician
Steve Purcell .... electrician
Hector Rodriguez .... second assistant camera
Chris Steele .... electrician
Shawn Sundby .... grip
Scott Walters .... best boy electric
James Walton .... 24 frame playback operator: Cascade Video Systems
 
Casting Department
Sally Gates .... extras casting: Extras Only Casting
Jonathan Leeder .... casting associate (uncredited)
David Rapaport .... casting associate (uncredited)
Danny Stoltz .... extras casting (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marsha Barlett .... costumer
Tamy Cropper .... set costumer
Leslie Gilbertson .... costumer
Marychris Mass .... wardrobe supervisor
 
Editorial Department
Peter Appleton .... first assistant editor
John Dowdell .... video colorist
Kiersten Harter .... first assistant editor
Mato .... color timer
Veronica Vichit-Vadakan .... apprentice editor
Bruce Bolden .... colorist (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Wendy Arnold .... craft service assistant
Carolyn Barber .... assistant to producers
Ryan Brown .... production assistant
A. Brent Carlson .... production assistant (as Brent Carlson)
Erin Corzine .... assistant to producers
Patricia Donahue .... craft service assistant
Jeff Ettlin .... production assistant
Dara Etzel .... assistant production coordinator
Roger D. Faires .... location manager (as Roger Faires)
Jack Gibson .... production assistant
Mary Jasionowski .... accountant
Heather Jenkins .... extras coordinator
Michael D. Jones .... assistant production coordinator (as Michael Jones)
Kelsey Kline .... extras coordinator
Alicia Kreutzkampf .... craft service assistant
Eric Lahey .... production assistant
Chris Lawson .... production assistant
Corwin Light-Williams .... video game designer
Nick Monahan .... assistant accountant
Greg Moutran .... key set production assistant
Dawnn Pavlonnis .... extras coordinator
Deborah Ricketts .... video clip clearance
Taylor Saxon .... set medic
Leah Sinrich .... assistant to producers
Gabe Smith .... production assistant
Rebecca Thornell .... clearances
Don Williams .... assistant craft service
Patsy Williams .... key craft service
John C. Worsley .... video game designer
Amy Davies .... extras coordinator/pa (uncredited)
Stephen Finders .... location assistant (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Richard Francis .... special thanks
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Слон (Russia) [ru]
Elefantas (Greece) [el]
Elefante (Brazil) [pt]
Elefante (Argentina) [es]
Elephant (Germany) [de]
Elephant (Spain) [es]
Fil (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Spilo (Georgia) [ka]
more
MPAA:
Rated R for disturbing violent content, language, brief sexuality and drug use - all involving teens.
Runtime:
81 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | German
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Company:
HBO Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Gus Van Sant borrowed the title from Alan Clarke's film of the same name, and thought that it referred to the Chinese proverb about five blind men who were each led to a different part of an elephant. Each man thinks that it is a different thing. What Clarke's title actually referred to was the idea of the "elephant in the room." It's an idiom for an obvious truth that gets ignored, like an elephant in a room that no one will acknowledge is there. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: As Michelle is show pushing a trolley of books in the library over to a shelf just after the photographer walks in, you can see the yellow and white tape markings on the floor that indicate where she is supposed to stop the trolley and were she is to stand to stack the shelf. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Mr. McFarland: What? Hey! Where are you going? Come here.
John McFarland: Oh, my God, Dad.
Mr. McFarland: Get in the car. You're gonna be late for school. Come on.
John McFarland: Mom's gonna kill you.
more
Movie Connections:
References Sátántangó (1994) more
Soundtrack:
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Sharp Minor, No. 2 Moonlight - Adagio Sostenuto more

FAQ

Why did Alex and Eric kiss in the shower?
What happened at the end of the movie?
Who gets shot in the freezer at the end of the film?
more
9 out of 15 people found the following comment useful:-
a simple and amazing film, 25 September 2004
Author: Nutcase8 from Oak Park, California

A refreshing film that was so simple that all of the complicatedness of the motives was so simply explained, and it worked. Not to mention the cinematography and lengthy shots were amazing. Also, from a 52 year old man, I expected worse of high school student dialogue, but boy was I surprised. Being in high school myself, I completely was convinced of this being actual high school dialogue, perhaps because much of it was improvised. I just cannot describe my feelings after watching the movie, like when most finish great films. It was realistic and simple, yet went to levels of insanity.

p.s.--the sound design was absolutely fantastic

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Elephant (2003)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
SO we have films about Columbine, or based off of columbine... chokolat_kake
This would have been better as a 15 minute video. nickelsun88
The GAY Point of the Movie (Spoliers) - Comments Welcome calawoffice
why did alex shot eric ? sanitarium-sounds
eeny meeny miny moe (CONTAINS SPOILERS) citrus_tainted
Would anyone recomend this film? chokolat_kake
more

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