Mala Noche (Bad Night)

Shot on location in Portland, Oregon's Skid-Row in 1985, and first released in Germany in 1987; Gus Van Sant's first film, "Mala Noche," has been re-released nationwide on June 1st, 2007, twenty years after its first release; twenty years to witness the evolution of Gus Van Sant's career from gritty to somewhat glamorous. This film was made with a shoe string budget of $25,000.00, and shot mostly on black-and-white 16mm. The film is based on an autobiographical novel by Oregon poet Walt Curtis.

Walt (Tim Streeter), a young homosexual store clerk, mainly deals with patrons that buy hits of nitrous, and ask for store credit. Despite the obvious poverty, lack of jobs, and communal drug addiction, Walt clearly feels at home here. Johnny (Doug Cooeyate), a teenage Mexican who's new in town, saunters into the store, and Walt is immediately taken by him. After work, Walt hangs out with Johnny nearby, but things are cut short when Johnny realizes Walt wants to be more than friends.

In a bar, Walt tenderly speaks of Johnny to his friend Betty (Nyla McCarthy). After reminding him that he's always in love, she decides that he should invite him to dinner over at her place. Seconds later, Walt and Betty idle down Skid-Row in search of Johnny. Walt spots him.

Johnny accepts under the condition that Roberto "Pepper" (Ray Monge), his friend, also comes. They have dinner. They get drunk. They dance. It is the beginning of rocky friendships that provide endless torment mainly for Walt; but also for Roberto, and Johnny who aren't mature, or open enough to deal with their situation in a way that's very constructive. They get a kick out of pushing Walt around, and sometimes playing with guns.

Overall, the film is sincere in its tone, and ocassionally shot well. The beginning of the film suffers from a couple of scenes that are cut too short, but that goes away after the first few minutes. In terms of its narrative, "Mala Noche" chronically jumps from events without concluding the previous sequence very well. Also, the ending doesn't tie very much together; though you do get the feeling that Walt just isn't going to let go anytime soon, and this cyclical situation has him on the ropes. Despite some of its faults, "Mala Noche" will stick with you. Maybe it's the ocassionally insightful dialogue, or maybe it's the street feel; but I would say watch it while you can because this isn't a rentable re-release, and who knows what'll happen over the next twenty years.