Last Days (2005)

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writer (WGA):

Gus Van Sant (written by)

Release Date:

13 May 2005 (France)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Rock and roll will never die.

Plot:

A Seattle-set rock & roll drama about a musician whose life and career is reminiscent of Kurt Cobain's.

Plot Keywords:

House | Woods | Song | Kurt Cobain | Yellow Pages

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Michael Pitt	...	Blake
Lukas Haas	...	Luke
Asia Argento	...	Asia
Scott Patrick Green	...	Scott (as Scott Green)
Nicole Vicius	...	Nicole
Ricky Jay	...	Detective
Ryan Orion	...	Donovan
Harmony Korine	...	Guy in Club
Rodrigo Lopresti	...	Band in Club (as The Hermitt)
Kim Gordon	...	Record Executive
Adam Friberg	...	Elder Friberg #1
Andy Friberg	...	Elder Friberg #2
Thadeus A. Thomas	...	Yellow Book Salesman
Chip Marks	...	Tree Trimmer
Kurt Loder	...	TV Voiceover (voice)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

97 min | Argentina:97 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Nova Scotia) | Argentina:16 | Germany:12 | Finland:K-7 | South Korea:15 | Singapore:M18 | Brazil:12 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Garrison, New York, USA

Company:

HBO Films

Trivia:

The "long dolly shot" in which the camera slowly pulls away from the window while Blake plays inside took seven takes to successfully complete. As the crew only had three pieces of dolly track, crew members had to take track from the front and run it around to the back while the dolly moved backward.

Goofs:

Factual errors: One of the LDS missionaries that visits the house is wearing a light blue shirt. LDS missionaries are only permitted to wear non-decorative white shirts with dark pants/suits, and a conservative tie. The missionaries also carried no pamphlets, visual aids, appointment books, or their own complete sets of scriptures, which is highly unlikely for door-to-door proselytizing.

Quotes:

Record Executive: Do you say, "I'm sorry, that I'm a rock & roll cliche?"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09" (2008)

Soundtrack:

On Bended Knee

Brilliant and moving - give it a chance...

I'm here to defend this brilliant film from those who have labelled it a bad watch. It's true that last Days isn't a film for everyone, nirvana fans are best to stay well away as the sight of their icon in a dress might send a shiver down their spines, but those who are willing to simply be with the character of Blake, body and mind, for 90 mins are in for something special. I've never been a big fan of Gus Van Sant's and this looked like his most pretentious project yet, but beyond the events the films based on and all the conspiracy theories that come with it Van Sant has chosen to just tell a story of a lonely isolated man. As Blake, Michael Pitt is fantastic, with little or nothing to say he has to rely on his mannerisms and facial expressions throughout most of the film and he does so with ease and brilliance. The stand out moment has to be 'Death To Birth'. Pitt's great song fits so well into the film you would think he wrote it about Cobain, (and he probably did) it's a scene you'll wanna watch over and you'll find yourself singing the song when the movie's finished. So not for everyone but a spiritual journey none the less, make sure it's late and your alone, put it on, you know your right.