The Big Picture · Interview

What Inspires Gus Van Sant? | The Big Picture (Ep. 76)

July 13, 2018/ 19 min/ Sean Fennessey

Sean Fennessey talks to Gus Van Sant about Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot and reuniting with Joaquin Phoenix. They also get into the outsider streak running through his filmography.

10 films across 1 segment.

AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.

Gus Van Sant on 'Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot'

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot poster

Gus Van Sant on

Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot 2018

Van Sant's 17th film, adapting cartoonist John Callahan's memoir with Joaquin Phoenix as the alcoholic left quadriplegic at 21. Robin Williams optioned the book and brought Van Sant on to write it in the '90s; after Williams died, Sony called to see if he was still interested, and he wrote a new spec draft that ended up going elsewhere. Jonah Hill plays Donnie, the AA sponsor built out from a few pages in the book plus Callahan's own stories about him.

Gus Van Sant on

Drugstore Cowboy 1989

One of the run of outsider films, alongside Mala Noche and My Own Private Idaho, that first got him typed as a director of fringe characters.

Gus Van Sant on

My Own Private Idaho 1991

The third in that early run before he deliberately changed things up with Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.

Gus Van Sant on

Good Will Hunting 1997

The mainstream breakthrough that also gave him his working relationship with Robin Williams, who'd go on to option the Callahan book.

Gus Van Sant on

Milk 2008

One of his mainstream successes. The intro sums up his career as 17 movies, 33 years, and two Oscar nominations.

Gus Van Sant on

To Die For 1995

Where a 20-year-old Joaquin Phoenix got his start with Van Sant; the two hadn't worked together again until this film.

Gus Van Sant on

Mala Noche 1987

The first of his outsider films, the one he says the fringe-character pattern started with.

Gus Van Sant on

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues 1994

The deliberate break from the fringe streak, a story set outside that world, and less acclaimed than the films before it.

Gus Van Sant on

The Sea of Trees 2016

Brought up alongside Even Cowgirls Get the Blues as one of the films that didn't land with critics.

Gus Van Sant on

Brokeback Mountain 2005

The one he says he regrets walking away from. He calls it his own fault and says his version probably wouldn't have turned out as well.

Also mentioned raised along the way

Mentioned in the outro Step Brothers

Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads

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