Gus Van Sant financed Mala Noche himself. He produced it himself, edited it himself, wrote the screenplay, and did most of the lighting. Adapted from an (at the time) unpublished novella by Portland poet, Walt Curtis, Mala Noche is about Skid Row grocery clerk’s unrequited love for a Mexican teenager.
Taking a page from Will Vinton, Van Sant cobbled together his first feature from strictly local ingredients. Using his own money, John Campbell’s cinematography, Tim Streeter’s acting, Walt Curtis’ novella, and the talents of two first time actors, Doug Cooeyate and Ray Monge, Gus Van Sant launched an international career without leaving town.
Cinema 21 will be screening Mala Noche on July 6, 2010 as part of a Birthday Benefit for Walt Curtis, a performing arts marathon produced by Mark Woolley and David Milholland.
I hereby claim Mala Noche as an Oregon film.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Thelma and Louise (1991) | Oregon Movies, A to Z // Mar 17, 2010 at 9:35 am
[...] Me, You And Everyone We Know ( 2005) was written in Portland. I am guessing that Gus Van Sant wrote Mala Noche (1985), Drugstore Cowboy (1989) and My Own Private Idaho (1991) in [...]
2 Scorecard: Who Came Here? | Oregon Movies, A to Z // Apr 26, 2010 at 3:39 pm
[...] years later, her sound man, Gus Van Sant, had made Mala Noche, and Oregon film history no longer was confined to showcasing our strengths as the world’s [...]
3 Happy Birthday, Walt | Oregon Movies, A to Z // Jul 4, 2010 at 8:24 pm
[...] a horrified note from him reminding me that I should have asked five dollars for copies of hisbook, Mala Noche, which I sold my class in preparation for his visit. That’s one third of the price the publisher [...]
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