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At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

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 ****

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

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.

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.