Mala Noche (1986) User Reviews

A Milestone In American "Gay" Cinema

[BandofInsiders · 7/10 · 29 October 2008]

As the stagnant state of films in the 1980's was still in its inevitable decline the emergence of a new breed of American independent directors saw this as a moment full of opportunity. Gus Van Sant decided to turn his camera on the outcasts of a small Portland neighborhood and create an intimate portrait of 3 young men at an important turning point in their lives. Not only is Mala Noche an influential example of 1980's independent cinema it also serves as a milestone for the New Queer Cinema that would become more prevalent in the 1990's. Gus Van Sant's stark debut would serve as a blueprint for many directors to come.

Mala Noche focuses on convenience store worker Walt's and his infatuation with a young immigrant Jonny who is fresh off riding the rails from Mexico with his friend Pepper. From the film's first scene its unabashed open "gayness" lets the viewer know what they are in for. Van Sant makes no attempt to justify his films openly gay stance instead he embraces it and explores the beauty and darkness that accompany it. Walt and Johnny coexist solely based on their parasitic relationship. Walt gushes romanticized convictions for a boy he knows little about, such as "I want to drink this Mexican boy" or "I have to show him that I'm gay for him." While Johnny uses Walt for a house to crash and the occasional joy ride in his car. At the same time both are uncomfortable with their personal situation but can't help to hold on to what they have left.

John Campbell's bleak camera work adds a lot to the look of the seedy underbelly of Portland almost as if it could have been shot as a documentary. Mala Noche is one the few films that benefits from working on such a small budget. It gives the viewer a sense that Van Sant was truly in touch on a deeper level with his subjects than just an "actor/director" level. Ultimately Mala Noche is a profound representation of America's emerging "gay" cinema and an important document of Portland in the mid 1980's. Gus Van Sant would go onto make stronger films but this fascinating debut will show he has shown a strong passion for his films and his subjects right from the beginning.

Gus van Sant's first feature film

[preppy-3 · 8/10 · 15 June 2002]

No budget film about a young man heavily attracted to some Mexican teenagers in Portland OR in 1977.

The film is in black & white, the sound is (at times) incomprehensible and some of the acting is pretty bad. Also it has more than it's share of boring moments and no real ending. Still, it sticks with you.

I originally saw the film in 1990 at a film festival. I was very impressed but it wasn't available in any form. A lot of the scenes were still fresh in my mind and the acting by Tim Streeter was superb. It was until this year (2002), that I was able to see it again and that's only because the director allowed his own private print to be shown.

I still liked it a lot, but I had forgotten how bad the actors playing Mexicans were, and that there was really no ending. Still, the direction is great (very impressive considering the lack of budget) and , when it worked, it was fascinating. However it is very bleak and the subject matter may bother some people. Well worth catching...if you can.

Early Traces of Gus Van Sant

[gradyharp · 8/10 · 4 December 2010]

MALA NOCHE is a low budget, grainy black and white film from 1986 by the estimable director Gus Van Sant and has been considered important enough to include in The Criterion Collection. While it is based on a true story by Portland writer Walt Curtis, Van Sant is responsible for the screen play as well as the direction and editing of this little film. It may not be a polished gem, but it has many of the ingredients and honesty that have subsequently made Gus Van Sant one of our more important film director (Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Finding Forrester, Milk, To Die For, Good Will Hunting, etc). It deserves its placement in the Criterion Collection.

The scenario is simple: Walt (Tim Streeter) is a convenience store worker who becomes infatuated with illegal immigrant Johnny (Doug Cooeyate) and his friend Pepper (Ray Monge) who have just arrived by rail in Portland. The setting is sensual and Walt manages to satisfy his desires with the emotionally needy and impecunious Johnny. It is a fit for them both, though Walt seeks to make the relationship go deeper than the superficial physical encounters. It is a push pull situation and the beauty of the film is the manner in which Van Sant manages to allow us to see both sides of the story. John J. Campbell provides the steamy, crackling photography and Creighton Lindsay heightens the mood with his musical score. It is early Van Sant but it is a solid little start.

Grady Harp

He who fools with the bull gets the horn!

[Gothick · 8 February 2000]

In the summary, the word "fools" should more accurately be another English word with four letters, but I doubt whether the regulations for this site will permit that. That is the subtitle for this movie and it does tell one side of the story. Another side involves the randomness of life in Portland, a city that's more like an overgrown small town with a big seamy underbelly and lots of folks eking out an existence on the margins. This movie shows with subtly limned images and snatches of wry, realistic dialogue just how vast and differentiated the landscape of "the margins" is in this town. And maybe, too, in that weird district of the Twilight Zone known as America.

Twilight is a state of mind that provides the true setting for this story that seems to be a fragment of a greater whole, but nevertheless has its own peculiar beauty. The black and white photography is stunning and seductive, and perfect for the film noir desperation (occasionally melodramatic but never posturing) with which these characters seem to run their lives. The director uses chiaroscuro, the play of light and shadow over the faces and bodies of his players, to hint at people's emotions or to suggest the cluelessness with which they get through the day. Despite the sense of general confusion, there are poignant and powerful emotions that surface here, thanks to the skillfully nuanced photography and the expressiveness of the actors.

The casting is perfect, but among the actors only Tim Streeter really seems to give a coherently thought-through performance. Streeter, to judge from his performance here, is an actor of brilliance and considerable sensitivity--it's sad that his only other credit is a 1987 appearance on 21 Jump Street. A lot of the shots in the movie are composed with great inventiveness, but the visual beauty that results never feels arty or contrived, mainly because of the gritty realities that encompass the characters' lives and passions.

Certain scenes in this movie made me think of images that surface in the songs of indie bard Elliott Smith, whose music was used in Gus van Sant's much glitzier mainstream movie, Good Will Hunting. Images of lonely people smoking late nights away over cheap beers in loud bars, waiting for their sense of woundedness to dull sufficiently so that they can go back out on the street and face some semblance of life again. The use of music is yet another element that gives Mala Noche a distinctive flavor--the music credits cover several screens at the end of the movie--as one would expect with a director who is also a composer and musician in his own right.

Poetic, frail, fragmentary and haunting, this is one of those movies where, even if you never quite get the story, certain images from it will nevertheless linger a long time in your memory after you have seen it.

The real minority report.

[doctorsmoothlove · 6/10 · 7 June 2008]

It has been more than twenty years since Gus Van Sant released his first full-length feature film. For a first film, Mala Noche avoids many of the pitfalls other first films usually exhibit. The screenplay is realistic and the camera work is impressive. So, despite its age, the film is still worth a viewing.

Mala Noche is a social realism-inspired drama about the life Walt Curtis. Curtis is a shopkeeper from Portland, Oregon and he falls in love with a Mexican immigrant named Johnny. The film covers Walt's effort to befriend Johnny, his brother Roberto, and his brothers. Walt is never able to sleep with Johnny as he wishes he could, but, ironically, has sex several times with Roberto.

The most striking feature of Mala Noche is the realism of its lead character and the main supporting cast. Walt exhibits the characteristics of a poor young man. He works in a remedial job and lives in a run-down apartment. His attraction to Johnny is not romantic but visceral. His voice-over narration describes his anguish as he fails in seducing Johnny. This adds a provocative flair to Walt's character. It allows us to sympathize with him because he is so frank about his problem that we wish for him to succeed. Similarly, Johnny and Roberto also act appropriately given their roles. Johnny uses his status as an immigrant and his knowledge of Walt's homosexuality to manipulate him into giving away products at his store. Roberto also manipulates Walt, but for sexual purposes. Perhaps the best example of the incredible realism of the film is Roberto's inability to admit to his affair with Walt. I cannot recall another film which portrays a secret homosexual relationship as earnestly as this one does. Most films, including those in support of homosexuality, display it in a sensationalized way. Mala Noche earns marks for originality by showing that homosexuality is just a part of life, even though it isn't public.

For a budget of $25,000, Van Sant has created a well-constructed film. The lighting is from practicals (or appears to be), but this adds to the film's realism. This may interfere with your ability to see the characters, but at least a portion of an actor's face is always visible. There are no special effects beyond the lighting. There are several shots of nature which appear beautiful despite the lack of color. Budget constraints prevented more elaborate effects, and Van Sant probably stretched his stipend out filming the few colored scenes. This doesn't affect the film's quality, and adds appropriateness to it.

All isn't perfect with this debut. With its paltry running time, the film isn't able to develop a real exposition. The first sequence is Walt narrating his attraction to Johnny. This is representative of a larger concern in the film's plot progression: the episodic nature of its events. However realistic it appears to a viewer, he may find it difficult to understand what is happening in subsequent sequences. It warrants another viewing. A noteworthy example is when Johnny temporarily steals Walt's car. We are given no plausible explanation for the specific reason why he wants to confiscate the car at that moment. Again, this is a byproduct of a 78-minute running time and not the direct fault of Van Sant.

Mala Noche has become a cult classic, especially in youth culture. While most cult films are exploitative, Mala Noche has achieved its status for the opposite reason. This is an optimistic film about the possibility of people to interact without bias for country of origin or sexual preference. While the film is highly reflective of the sexual anguish of the young, it is challenging to connect the disjointed sequences into a coherent film. The film has no direction and moves continuously forward like a Magical Realism novel, but lacks the characterization to keep the story afloat. Still, Mala Noche is worth watching for the purposeful lack of chemistry between its protagonist and his love interest. Walt cannot become Johnny's lover regardless of how much emasculating effort he makes. Despite their shared minority classification, they are still able to befriend one another. The film presents a faux relationship between two young men in a non-traditional way, and this makes it an excellent candidate for Netflix.

The newest DVD edition of the film is worth a purchase if you enjoy Van Sant's work. It features an interview with him and a trailer of the film. The subtitles are only sporadically placed when Spanish is spoken, and they remain on screen only briefly.

More than an exercise piece.

[adamshl · 7/10 · 9 December 2008]

During the twenty three years between "Mala Noche" and "Milk," Gus Van Sant made two other films that were quite above average; namely,"My Own Private Idaho" and "Good Will Hunting." His early effort, "Mala Noche," seems to play like a prequel to "Idaho," or at least an exercise piece, preparing for the main event. Both are set in Portland in the seedier side of town and both deal with assorted transients and street hustlers. "Idaho," however, has a rough Shakespearian basis, giving it more structural depth, while "Noche" drifts from one episode to the next without strong dramatic motivation.

Still, "Noche" is rich in black and white imagery, mood, and atmosphere. It's more of an artwork than other Van Sant films, and maintains its artistry throughout (still, the running time seemed to me much longer than 78 minutes).

The cast is serviceable without being outstanding, and the production design is thoughtful. The DVD release of the film offers a lengthy interview by the director, which provides interesting information for admirers of Van Sant.

mala noche

[mossgrymk · 6/10 · 17 July 2022]

Even by "Cut him some slack it's his first film" standards this movie falls short. I guess my big problem with Gus Van Sant's initial feature is that you simply don't give two hoots about the main character, a racist stalker given to making rather dull pronouncements about consumer culture and sexual obsession, among other topics. After forty minutes or so of the same stuff, namely Walt hanging around Johnny and Pepper and getting annoyed with them for their obvious dislike of his very annoying personality, you feel an overwhelming urge to pull the plug, an urge that is partially countered by the wonderful cinematography of John Campbell and Eric Edwards which makes you feel the cold and dirt and wet of down and out Portland before the Great Gentrification. C plus.

impressive first film

[jeanmichellavoie · 7/10 · 9 May 2019]

Considering that this is Van San first film... this is highly impressive. I love 16mm film and it was really well used in this film... many shot looks like beautiful photos from the late 1800s and early 1900s. However, I'm sure how the choice of 16mm is relevant for this specific movie... while I like the aesthetic, I'm not sure it was the most logical aesthetic choice for this specific movie. In my opinion, some aspects of this movie are also underdeveloped... probably because of a lack of budget. For instance, near the end of the film, there is a police chase where its very hard to figure out what is going on. Moreover, some of the dialogue and narration line feel flat and it is sometime hard to know what emotion the actor wishes to portray.

What I found interesting in this movie is its theme. Everything feels like a documentary... with no attempt to judge its characters or make them appear more sympathetic then they are. Moreover, their is no attempt to expose the character's psyche... only their actions are exposed. As such, it may be hard to figure out what motivates the characters and the impressions I got of their intent may be wrong. On my part, I felt like the mexican characters were only interested by their own survival and only hanged out with Walt so he'd give them money and food. Walt didn't feel like the hopeless romantic that he seems to view himself as... but as an actual sexual predator who use the fact that the mexicans need help to put them in a situation where they can't refuse his sexual advances. A scene where one of the mexican violently push him and tell him in spanish that he doesnt want to be molested anymore feels and where Walt say that he is just playing hard to get feels very similar to what we heard during the me too movement. As such, the relationship between the characters seemed based on need and power... which I actually found very interesting... and I wouldn't be surprise that this type of relationship between mexicans and americans were (are? :( ) quite common. Since the gays weren't free to seduce whoever the wished openly, it seems logical that some of them would turn to illegal immigrants. The fact that all this is delived in a quasi-documentary style makes this whole thing appear raw, hypocritical, desperate and clumsy. Like I said, I think it was very interesting.

I really loved this movie

[refined_cujo-1 · 10/10 · 23 June 2007]

I was fortunate enough to see this at the Sydney Film festival. I am a fan of Van Sants, having seen all his stuff and read his fiction- and I've always wondered if I would ever see this curiosity of a film. And what I expected to be nothing more than a real fledgeling of a film, with only a glimmer of the Van Sant that attracts many to his work- was in actuality a stunning, fully sustained episodic and tender Ka-pow! that was wonderfully made and full of all the visual tricks and flair that makes Van Sants movies so idiosyncratic and so ... well him. This was the biggest delight for me about it. I expected, simply because it is so hard to find and that it has no DVD release that it would be a mere trifle of a film. But it is anything but.

I was moved, all the acting was top-notch. The main character was likeably deluded, such a victim of his own desire it was funny and warming at the same time. The Black and White and evident grain in occasional sound inconsistencies actually work for it; it helps draw the detail out of the locale and its people in a manner very reminiscent of Van Sants Idaho and Drugstore Cowboy.

There are moments of confusion, of randomness, of erotica and tragedy. The music is wonderful, every camera angle delicately crafted, but never contrived or pretentious- full of humour and warmth.

What a joy this film was and to me, seriously one of Van Sants best. Maybe its because I'm a gay man and with the exclusion of his Paris Je Teme segment, and elements of My Own Private Idaho, this is his only overtly gay story. And it plays real, with an almost documentary like realism (for example the scenes of language barriers between the the main protagonist and Pepper)- but then again its almost as theatrical as opera, playing it broad and surreal.

I cant praise it highly enough. A real surprise, a delight. I hope it gets seen.

Stylish yet informal, sexually knowledgeable, but uninteresting...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 28 September 2011]

Director Gus Van Sant's first film, a 78-minute, independently-financed drama shot in high-contrast black-and-white, which Van Sant also produced, edited, and wrote (from a story by Walt Curtis, which happens to be the leading character's name). The plot--about a gay cashier in a liquor store who befriends two Mexican teenagers on the run from Immigration--is more sexually upfront than Van Sant's "My Own Private Idaho" from 1991, but this no-budget effort has even less meat on its bones (and less on its mind). Stylishly rendered with an artistic eye, but dramatically it doesn't hold together (the cashier, having been sternly rebuffed by the heterosexual boy he's "in love" with, keeps trying to win his affection, which doesn't make him seem desperate so much as deluded). The performances are uneven, and the action during a police raid is rendered nearly incoherent by Van Sant's sloppy compositions and editing; still, there's an atmosphere and an ambiance about the picture that stays with one, and the director's attentive eyes give hint of his burgeoning talent. *1/2 from ****

Short, sharp and sweet

[MOscarbradley · 9/10 · 11 March 2008]

Gus Van Sant's debut is like a dry-run for "My Own Private Idaho" made on a shoe-string in grainy monochrome on the streets and in the stores and apartments of Portland, Oregon. It's not about anything other than the passion felt by Walt, a store clerk played by Tim Streeter, for Johnny, a young Mexican tearaway with little or no English who acknowledges his feelings but doesn't reciprocate them. Its free-wheeling, unfettered sensibility has made it a seminal film for both Independent and New Queer Cinema and it's a lot more likable, (and perversely, more accessible), than most of Van Sant's later output. It also makes great use of Tex-Mex music and the 'non-performances' of the three boys who take centre stage have an off-the-wall quality that has nothing to do with 'acting' but feels nicely naturalistic. (All three boys are actually quite engaging in their disparate ways). Short, sharp and sweet.

Mala Noche is a MALA movie.

[findoutwho · 5/10 · 23 February 2008]

OK, granted: The movie was filmed in the early or mid 80's I think, and you might even claim that the latino talent pool was not as big back then as it is now. But C"MON! The guys who were cast as the young Mexican homeless boys were HORRIBLE! Spanish is my first language and I could tell that the actors who portrayed JOhny and Robert were not fluent at all in Spanish which for this film it is a MAJOR point since they re supposed not to speak English. I guess that explains the reason why when Johny had dialogue, the camera was not on him, and the times when he spoke and the camera was on him there was no sync. I am 100 percent sure that they used someone else's voice ( a bad actor's at that) to do the voice over for Johny. For someone who speaks Spanish it was PAINFUL to listen to the monotone, emotion-deprived delivery of the lines. I don't know under what circumstances these two horrible actors were cast but I am sure the director did not do a thorough audition process to get the best actors. The actor who played Robert was better at ATTEMPTING to sound better in Spanish. I still don't know if he was fluent in Spanish, which it sounds like he was. And if he was then he was just saying the grammatically incorrect lines given to him by the director without complaining about not being correct. One of the examples is when he is being harassed by the white guy. Roberto says:" Para. No me molesto". Translated that means: " Stop. It doesn't bother me".or " Stop. I don't get bothered". Im sure the intention of the writer was: " Stop. Don't bother me" which should've been: "Para. No me molestes". The only character that spoke good Spanish was the guy who was telling the story of how they crossed the border. And I could bet the reason that being is because probably he really went thru that and he was just being interviewed ( he did not NEED to act)I doubt that was scripted. That part when he's talking, it totally threw me out of the movie, because it had a documentary feel to it and then to go back into the bad acting was like, disconnected. Among other things,it was torture when they had the Spanish speakers dialogue on the background. They kept on repeating the same dialogue over and over and over again! same lines over and over! I guess it would work for non-Spanish speakers, because they just hear a foreign language and they have no idea whats being said. But when you understand the language you get so frustrated that you wanna throw a shoe at the TV and make it shut up. I really like Gus Van Sant's directing but I have no idea, and im very curious to know what pressed or forced Mr Gus Van Sant to cast these horrible actors. Was it pressure from the producers, or did he honestly think these guys were the BEST?

Mala Noche

[Benedict_Cumberbatch · 23 November 2007]

'Mala Noche': is it just me, or do these words sound beautiful together? As a native Portuguese speaker (English is my second language), it's funny for me to realize that those beautiful-sounding words mean, plainly, "bad night". I guess Gus Van Sant also thought they sounded much nicer in Spanish, and didn't call his debut film "Bad Night".

"Mala Noche" is based on an autobiographical novel by Walt Curtis (played by Tim Streeter), the young manager of a liquor store who falls in love with a Mexican lad (Doug Cooyeate), an illegal immigrant who doesn't speak English. Shot in black-and-white 16MM for only $25,000, the film lacks the wholesomeness of Van Sant's following movies, more notably his masterpiece, "My Own Private Idaho" (1991). The acting varies from mediocre (Streeter) to plain bad (Cooyeate and most of the supporting cast), but in spite of the below par actors and the extremely low budget, Van Sant managed to create some beautiful scenes, already demonstrating his raw sense of street-life poetry. Creighton Lindsay is responsible for a sensitive music score. In spite of its flaws, "Mala Noche" deserves to be seen by those who admire the work of one of the most influential and daring American indie filmmakers. 8/10.

American guy fawns over Mexican guy

[ksf-2 · 9/10 · 22 January 2008]

Mala Noche is kind of "a month in the life of" Walt, played by Tim Streeter, who is fawning over Johnny, (Doug Cooeyate) a Mexican who hangs around Walt's store. It's touching, sad, and frustrating to watch as Walt keeps throwing himself at Johnny, and is constantly rebuffed. Walt, who is the caregiver to just about everyone he meets, spouts life philosophy and seems to enjoy the thrill of the chase in the gritty side of town. At the same time, it's refreshing to see a film from 20 years ago treat gay characters and relationships with respect, and to give them "normal" lines without resorting to stereotypes. Oddly, Ray Monge, who plays Roberto, a friend of Johnny, is the only one has has had more than one or two roles listed in their career, and he has just four roles listed. Some neat little touches, like the bottle on a string that pulls the door closed like a spring, Walt greeting everyone on the street, and the driving lesson gone wrong. Interesting interview with van Sant on the DVD from janus/Criterion, where he explains how it was made from Curtis' story. A little offbeat and rough, but fun to watch.

Mainly for gays and the art house crowd I think

[bandw · 2/10 · 1 March 2010]

I watched this movie since I have liked van Sant's more mainstream movies such as "Good Will Hunting," and "Milk," but also some of his more experimental works like "Gerry," and "Paranoid Park." But this film left me cold; watching it could lead to your own Mala Noche.

We are taken to the back-streets of Portland, Oregon to follow the life of Walt Curtis who mans a liquor store. Ultimately it seems that every sort of low life shows up in Walt's store. Early on a couple of Mexican immigrants, Johnny and Roberto, show up and Walt becomes sexually obsessed with the attractive Johnny. But Johnny doesn't really want to reciprocate and most of the movie is spent with Walt dreaming of scoring with Johnny. When Johnny disappears, Roberto is willing to fill in in a pinch. The major sex scene between Roberto and Walt *is* filmed with some delicacy, if you like that sort of thing.

The low budget is quite in evidence in the harsh lighting and the shadowy backgrounds. Maybe this is art, but it simply resulted in eyestrain for me.

So the film does say something about illegal immigration and how there are great pockets of sadness, poverty, and loneliness in the United States, but I already knew that and was not enlightened by spending an hour and a half seeing it illustrated. In fact this movie left me quite depressed.

The script for the movie is based on a story by Walt Curtis. I could only make it about half way through the film about the real life Curtis that is included on the DVD. As this Alan Ginsberg wannabe ranted on I became more and more disgusted with him, and with the film.

Final opinion: ugh.

You drive like you f**k

[JoeBobJones · 8/10 · 29 April 2011]

There are few gay, or straight, films which fling such disturbed and desperate lead characters into the sparkly gutter like Mala Noche. That summary is trite at best, but to watch this movie is to fall into a film noir which won't give you any love back. Excellent and gobsmackingly short-ish cash register rings of warning. Don't embrace these sickly, nasty characters, but do get enveloped. You can't help it. Everyone sucks, everyone is dirty, nasty, and sadly dreamy. Gus made a gorgeous pile of human stink with this one, and it is completely addictive. Fabulous film. Gus Van Sant may have jumped the shark with some later stuff, but this, boy, this is good. Fans of grit say: Must see.

Racist and Bigoted Film from Gus Van Sant

[guychaim · 1/10 · 28 July 2008]

Mr. Van Sant, I just watched your film "Mala Noche" and I found it really sad and appalling that such a spectacular piece of art was so blatantly racist and bigoted. I was at first enthralled by the dark images and experimental camera work, style, and transitions. I loved the way you played with space on the screen- forcing the viewers to search for the flickers of light that would break up the pitch black- searching for information, letting oneself be guided by the narration to make sense of the powerful images. I liked how the camera, like the viewer, would slowly pan and search the space for meaning, finally resting on a subject and slowly revealing meaning. However, no matter how great a piece of art, it could never justify racism and bigoted statements. I was deeply offended how the character of your film would spit out these horrible statements like 'The Mexicans were stupid, that's why they were there on the corner looking for work,' just to mention one example. I was really upset not just by the bigoted statements of the main character, but also how the characters were displayed as buffoons; constantly making fools of themselves; with no real character depth. All characters of color in your film were portrayed as sub-humans who's purpose in life was merely as distractions to Walt, the intellectual and the only responsible, reasonable and cultured person in the film. To justify the racism of film by saying that your character Walt is the racist and you were just trying to portray the reality of the time period in Organ is no excuse. It was no excuse for skin heads and the Nazi film makers in the 40's and it is no excuse today. The only way a film maker could legitimately portray the reality of racism in a film is to either provide feedback through other voices or through actions and behavior of other characters in the film to negate the racist statements and show the reality that the characters views are just racist views of the character and not statements made by the film. You do non of that in Male Noche, and the actions and behaviors of the characters of color only prove the racist statements of Walt as truth. I watched your interviews and searched online to find interviews where you would at least acknowledge or apologize for overt racism of the film, but I was further disappointed when I found nothing. Your film Mala Noche, in my book, will be remembered in film history as the first bigoted and racist gay film, and not as a true piece of art.

A treatise on why fools fall in love

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 10/10 · 13 April 2013]

"Mala Noche" is a treatise on the foolishness of someone who thinks is in love with somebody. We've all been there, or at least most of us have all been there. The longings, the desire, the attraction and with those comes the most stupid, reckless and inconsequential acts and thoughts of trying to reach the desired person when one already knows nothing can happen between both because of reasons, as we say now. In this case, the main character Walt (Tim Streeter) falls desperately in love with a Mexican boy (Doug Cooeyate) and the whole film is a small journey into following the many dumb attempts of Johnny catching the boy's attention and affection, often refused or played against him.

In a humdrum town where almost nothing ever happens, this 16 year-old kid coming into Walt's store is a big event in his life, everything seems to change. He sees as a positive thing, we as audience don't. He's too absorbed and infatuated with this boy who doesn't speak his language but understand his moves on him, to which he avoids time and time again, yet he's always there to help him or help his friends - in one of those "lucky" days he manages to sleep with one of them. Nothing good comes from those acts yet he's obstinate, headstrong is a more suitable adjective, definitely a pigheaded. That's what life is all about. That's what romantic novels, pop songs and so many films teaches us: never give up on the one you love. However, the limit established here is: there's always a time to stop, move with your life and analyze better what you're doing. One can't find someone else to love and adore.

Crude, a little humorous though with a very imperceptible humor, sorely depressing, sad as a whole. "Mala Noche" ("Bad Night") is less of a love story and more of a desperate run to find a true love but it all goes to show the embarrassing ways of getting to someone who's only interested in taking advantage of this person. Tim is almost like Cabiria always waiting for the love of her life except he goes after this kid who pushes him away, changes of subject, teases him a bit. He doesn't realize he's confusing love with lust.

It's an excellent film debut for Gus Van Sant but also a strange one certainly. He doesn't crave for our attention, he gets it quite easily by telling a very simple story in a simple way, engaging despite the whole melancholia, and on a non-hurried short time (70 minutes) and in a stylistically black-and-white, always uncertain and darker just like the characters hidden intentions, occulting the foreseeable sense of danger. It's not all sadness, there's some great erotic scenes, amazingly well-filmed despite its restrained conventions with the lack of color.

But here's something: why would someone would like to expose that story to an audience of watchers and readers - this was based on an autobiographical novel by Walt Curtis - or let me say this better, why would someone would like to expose his tragedy for others to see? I say that both Sant and Curtis by sharing this with us are following D.H.Lawrence or Rainer Werner Fassbinder's school of thought: to use art to say this is what will happen if you follow into this direction. They reprehend and advise without doing so, a warning sign that isn't preachy or too moral like the classical literatures and the "Hays Code movies", that's why I like those works. That's the primal and ultimate purpose and value, no more and no less. It isn't the jolliest of the experiences but it's a powerful and effective artistic expression. And of course, it's Independent Cinema at its greatest, being real, humane, convincing and authorial. 10/10

It's Gus Van Sant's first and it's a worth watching little feature film

[RainDogJr · 20 September 2009]

Some time ago, like two years ago to be more or less exact, I was into the films of director Gus Van Sant. I got to see a few of his, not counting his latest film Milk that was released just last year, 12 feature films. I got to see Drugstore Cowboy, Finding Forrester, Elephant (my favourite of him so far), Last Days and Paranoid Park. As I often remark in my IMDb comments, I'm one of the fans of the truly amazing Criterion Collection and two Van Sant films are part of the collection, two of his first ones: Mala Noche (his very first one, released in 1985) and My Own Private Idaho (released back in 1991, two years after the release of Drugstore Cowboy). It was about time to finally check out the Criterion Van Sant titles and while not on the Criterion DVD today I saw Mala Noche (and I will renting as soon as I can the Criterion DVD of My Own Private Idaho, which is one of the most acclaimed films of Van Sant. And by the way, if you go to the website of Criterion you will find the lists of favourite Criterion titles of people like Richard Linklater, John Lurie,. "Idaho"is part of the list of Steve Buscemi, James Franco, so is more acclaim, more for me to finally check out that 1991 film).

I hated the protagonist

[bangbang567 · 3/10 · 25 June 2019]

The protagonist Walt must be the most sympathetic to ever grace the silver screen. I find him creepy, unlikeable and very desperate. It's evident in every actions he does and all over the voice over narration. How can I enjoy a film with such unlikeable main character?

The film is shoddy due to low budget but still looks pretty good and quite dreamy at times.

Classic Gus VanSant film!

[Falconeer · 9/10 · 20 August 2009]

"Mala Noche/Bad Night" is immediately recognizable as a Gus Van Sant film, with it's precisely cool and artistic style. From the opening shots in the box car, as the two Mexican friends sneak across the border, shadows play upon their faces, emphasizing the fear and excitement that these guys must feel. It is surprising to hear this called a "low budget" film; "Mala Noche" has the look of a polished and professional film. Blockbusters such as "Sin City" with their huge budgets, attempted to achieve the look of this one, and failed. The story is simple, and takes a back seat to the imagery. A normal-looking guy in his 20's develops a "crush" on one of the young Mexican immigrants who spends his days hanging around the Portland streets near the "gringo's" shop. Walt professes his "love" to 18 year old Johnny. However the fact that they don't speak the same language and have nothing in common, make this more a case of sexual "lust." Johnny, who has no interest in men, lets Walt into his life, if only for the benefits of some free food, cash, and rides around the city. It is quite sad and tragic to witness the Mexican boy treating Walt so cruelly, but Walt's behavior is not much better, treating the boy like a piece of meat by offering him $15 for sex. After being rejected and abandoned by Johnny, Walt finds himself in a shaky relationship with Johnny's best friend Roberto. When Roberto enters the picture, the film gets even better. It is interesting to witness how these two outcasts relate, as they struggle to understand each others worlds. Roberto, played by Ray Monge is more likable than the hardened Johnny, and possesses this quality that makes you want to take care of him. When he becomes sick, Walt does just that, and this is the most unforgettable thing about "Mala Noche."

This is one of the very few gay-themed films that is actually "cool," and not embarrassing to watch. Van Sant made the surprising and wise decision to make Walt a totally normal, straight-acting, straight-looking guy. Most films present gays in the typical stereotype, feminine looking and acting men appearing foolish and camp. Of course, the best thing about Van Sant's debut film is it's style, and the phenomenal way he uses black and white to portray mood. Each frame could be cut out and hung on the wall, it is that beautiful. This is the true definition of "cult cinema." Finally available after years of obscurity, this is now available on a high quality DVD, featuring razor-sharp picture quality and good sound. For fans of Van Sants earlier work, "Mala Noche" is a must-see film. Also those who remember Portland in the 80's will get a kick out of all the street scenes, featuring locals who, mostly seem to like drinking "Night Train." "Mala Noche" is a classic..

I'm not sure what I just wasted my time on

[gusalexandrakis · 5/10 · 24 June 2022]

TBH, I'm not familiar with the filmmaker or the writer who contributed the 'story' for 'Mala Noche'; I just watched it as part of TCM's Pride Month offerings.

Going in, I was kind of hoping a love story might develop (despite linguistic and other barriers) between Walt, a clerk at a rundown liquor store, and Johnny, one of a group of young Mexican men who hang around nearby, looking for work. Well, let's just say I didn't get what I was hoping for; this tale's about obsession, sexual fetishism, and racism....but not love.

Initially (as in most relationships, probably) Walt is purely 'in lust' with Johnny for his youthful, Indigenous looks, while Johnny is wary, needing to be convinced by his friends that a sexual encounter with the scruffy white guy is worth the $15 he'd be paid for it. Eventually, he agrees to an encounter, after which Walt seems to develop feelings...or, more likely, an obsession with...him, wanting to continue their liaison, but Johnny seems disinterested. His sexual orientation is unknown to the viewer, but it seems, even if he's gay or bi, Walt just doesn't do it for him.

And Walt is not a romantic hero you can pin your hopes on. In fact, he's downright racist, something that comes out thru snatches of 'interior dialogue', in which he remarks on Mexicans in general, Johnny in particular, and himself. The ones about Mexicans refer to his perception of their mental inferiority and childlike behaviors, while those about himself, though acknowledging 'white privilege', seem to ignore the fact he's on the same rung of the ladder as those he criticizes. Or maybe a few down, since much like the alcoholics he serves at the store, Walt's grungy, unshaven, and dressed in ragged clothes. In seeking to bed Johnny once more, he makes no attempt to improve his appearance, or make himself more attractive to the object of his desire, because he's sees himself as being 'in charge' of the situation.

Perhaps this is why his pursuit leads nowhere, except a couple of joyrides with Johnny on which his friends come along. You'd think Walt would deduce from this that Johnny has no interest, and it's time to back off and leave him alone, But no, he continues obsessing...until Johnny mysteriously disappears.

In the wake of that incident, Walt becomes attached to one of Johnny's friends, and though he shows some kindness to the young man, you get the feeling he's just 'exchanging one Mexican for another' to please his sexual tastes. That attitude really comes to the fore when, during a driving lesson, the young man accidentally runs the car into a tree, and Walt starts screaming, 'You drive as well as you f*ck.' (Translation: 'Damn Mexicans, you can't teach 'em anything.')

Through a sad series of incidents, Walt's new 'friend' eventually dies, but this is forgotten one day when Walt sees Johnny on the street and the old obsession rises again. He brings him back to his grimy apartment, where he learns Johnny didn't voluntarily 'disappear' but instead was picked up by immigration. Instead of this news sparking a joyful reunion, however, things take an abrupt turn for the worse, when Walt shares his own news about Johnny's friend having died. In shock, unbelieving, Johnny spurns Walt and runs away.

Though at the end, Walt drives past Johnny, again waiting on the corner looking for work, and entreats him to stop by the liquor store to talk, you get the feeling Johnny's finished with a situation he never wanted to be in, in the first place. Personally, I found myself hoping Johnny eventually found steady work, and a partner (whatever orientation) who would love him for himself, not as a 'flavor' or 'fetish'.

A classy film debut

[KobusAdAstra · 8/10 · 23 November 2016]

'Mala Noche' is a classy movie, mostly filmed in black-and-white, about an Oregon young gay shop worker, Walt, who falls in love with a vagrant and illegal migrant, a young Mexican lad, Johnny. And how does he fall in love!

He gets run in by the scheming young man and his other illegal migrant Mexican buddies, but is blinded by his feelings for the lad. They move in with Walt, taking over his apartment. To make matters worse, they don't speak English and nor does he speak Spanish. While he chirps pleasantries to his new (one-sided) love, they make fun of him, the "puto (queer) Grinko". That while they are happily abusing his hospitality. But how would it end for our naive lover?

The acting by Tim Streeter as Walt and DougCooeyate, Ray Monge and Sam Downey as the Mexicans is excellent. The cinematography is particularly good and some of the best I have ever seen with any black-and-white film. The contrast between dark and light is stark and enhances the film's art-house qualities.

I had a look at the interview made with Van Sant (20 years after completion of the film) that accompanies the DVD, and it is quite illuminating. Van Sand made this movie, his first serious attempt at film-making, on a meagre $20,000 budget. He could not afford the much more expensive colour film, and had to settle for black-and-white. He could not afford the large numbers of expensive lights needed and had to settle with only one light for his many indoor shots. That explains the stark contrast between dark and light, with little gray in-between. Although not intentional, it, in my view, made the photography even better.

I score this impressive indie film an excellent 8/10.

Another Pretty Face

[boblipton · 5/10 · 22 June 2022]

Tim Streeter yearns for Doug Cooeyate on the streets of Portland, Oregon. Cooeyate is an illegal alien who speaks effectively no English.

There's a thin line between a romantic comedy and movie about a stalker, and Gus van Sant's first feature either doesn't see the distinction or is making fun of the genre. True enough, in classic Hollywood movies, the object of the leading man's lust is held to be the most beautiful woman, but that's obvious nonsense when Myrna Loy is playing a maid, or Jetta Goudal an acolyte. Heck, Garbo played support too. In any case, we can assume that Cooeyate

So what are we to make of this homosexual take on the matter? Is it simply different strokes for different folks, with a happy ending -- i.e., marriage -- barred because of the law? I think not. Streeter, although he speaks about friendship, never seems at all interested in that part of a relationship. Neither does anyone learn anything.

I had hoped for more

[justahunch-70549 · 5/10 · 9 April 2023]

I've wanted to see this for quite a number of years as I am admirer of a number of Gus Van Sants films, but now that I have finally and belatedly seen it, I don't quite get the appeal of this. The lead, Tim Streeter, appears to be a natural for film and he is very good, but he just disappeared after two more minor credits. I gather acting was just not his thing. He plays a most sympathetic and likable character and is the essence of this film that is not particularly pleasant. He portrays a grungy kind of young man trying to help two Mexicans, one who he falls in love with, who do just about nothing but cause him harm. I found this primitive film to be a not very pleasurable or in any way a positive experience. I did care for the lead character, but his sense of logic and caring is lost on me. It's not without some interest as an experimental first film, but it was a hurtful thing to view. I moved to Portland 18 years after this was filmed and barely recognized a thing. How quickly things change. As a first film it has some merit, but it also doesn't really seem to have a point.