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Elephant

 Elephant
type
TVTItem
 Elephant
label
Elephant
 Elephant
page
Elephant
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Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })Elephant is a 2003 drama film written and directed by Gus Van Sant film that tells the story of a high school shooting similar to the Columbine massacre.Van Sant based the movie on a 1989 BBC short film of the same name made by Alan Clarke. Clarke's film dealt with The Troubles in Northern Ireland and was largely composed of cold, observational tracking shots following gunmen as they assassinate targets.The title refers both to how Van Sant interpreted the short's name (the old Jain parable of a group of several blind men trying to describe an elephant and drawing different conclusions based on which body part each touched) and what Clarke originally intended (the idea of the Elephant in the Living Room, in this case being Columbine).The structure of the film more closely resembles Van Sant's vision, as the story of a single day is shown from the viewpoint of different high school students (read: blind men), including the two shooters themselves. While many possible explanations are offered for the actions of the shooters (violent video games, neo-Nazism, bullying, etc), the film deliberately does not make their motives clear.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Influenced by the minimalist realism of Clarke's short, the film is noted for its use of long tracking shots, extended sequences with little or no dialogue and a cast comprising mostly of non-actors, giving it a disconnected and ethereal quality.The film competed in the 2003 Cannes Film Festival and won both the Best Director award for Van Sant and the Palme d'Or.This is the second film in Van Sant's Death Trilogy, following Gerry and preceding Last Days.
 Elephant
fetched
2022-04-28T02:56:13Z
 Elephant
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2022-04-28T02:56:13Z
 Elephant
processingComment
Dropped link to ShaggyDogStory: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Elephant
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Elephant / int_1237828f
type
Anyone Can Die
 Elephant / int_1237828f
comment
Anyone Can Die: Out of all the characters introduced, John seems to be one of only two that survives considering he happened to be outside when he saw Alex and Eric enter, and tried to warn others to not go inside. The other is Acadia, who is almost killed because she has a panic attack when the shooting starts, only to be led outside by Benny. Alex's fate is left ambiguous after the movie as well.
 Elephant / int_1237828f
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1.0
 Elephant / int_1237828f
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_1237828f
 Elephant / int_1616e13
type
Ripped from the Headlines
 Elephant / int_1616e13
comment
Ripped from the Headlines: The movie is based largely off of the Columbine massacre.
 Elephant / int_1616e13
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1.0
 Elephant / int_1616e13
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_1616e13
 Elephant / int_1c5002bc
type
The Stoic
 Elephant / int_1c5002bc
comment
The Stoic: The calm, muscular Benny. Alex is remarkably flat in his emotional responses, showing no emotion at all after killing his partner in crime.
 Elephant / int_1c5002bc
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1.0
 Elephant / int_1c5002bc
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_1c5002bc
 Elephant / int_1daa7fce
type
In the Back
 Elephant / int_1daa7fce
comment
In the Back: The teacher gets it in the back from Eric.
 Elephant / int_1daa7fce
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1.0
 Elephant / int_1daa7fce
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_1daa7fce
 Elephant / int_2676e225
type
Girl Posse
 Elephant / int_2676e225
comment
Girl Posse: Brittany, Jordan, and Nicole make up one of these.
 Elephant / int_2676e225
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1.0
 Elephant / int_2676e225
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_2676e225
 Elephant / int_2d4fa515
type
Ax-Crazy
 Elephant / int_2d4fa515
comment
Ax-Crazy: Both Alex and Eric qualify when they finally go postal. However, Alex manages to top Eric in the sheer sadistic cruelty he exhibits, to the point where he randomly murders his accomplice before viciously toying with two students as to which of them he’ll kill first.
 Elephant / int_2d4fa515
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1.0
 Elephant / int_2d4fa515
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Elephant / int_2d4fa515
 Elephant / int_2dc0d2bf
type
Hidden Depths
 Elephant / int_2dc0d2bf
comment
Hidden Depths: There's one scene where we see Alex playing piano quite well.
 Elephant / int_2dc0d2bf
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1.0
 Elephant / int_2dc0d2bf
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_2dc0d2bf
 Elephant / int_38d12399
type
Teens Are Monsters
 Elephant / int_38d12399
comment
Teens Are Monsters: Played straight with the bullying of Alex, and the actual shootings, but also shown to be inaccurate regarding the majority of students, the purpose of this movie being to try to go deeper than clichés.
 Elephant / int_38d12399
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1.0
 Elephant / int_38d12399
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_38d12399
 Elephant / int_38d3a0f7
type
Pac-Man Fever
 Elephant / int_38d3a0f7
comment
Pac-Man Fever: The video game portrayed in the film seem to fit this trope.
 Elephant / int_38d3a0f7
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1.0
 Elephant / int_38d3a0f7
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_38d3a0f7
 Elephant / int_454fd2d
type
Bang, Bang, BANG
 Elephant / int_454fd2d
comment
Bang, Bang, BANG: Notably averted. The guns in the climactic massacre sound way more realistic than in most Hollywood movies, to the point where one character mistakes gunfire in the hallway for a firecracker.
 Elephant / int_454fd2d
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-1.0
 Elephant / int_454fd2d
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_454fd2d
 Elephant / int_4e3d253b
type
Downer Ending
 Elephant / int_4e3d253b
comment
Downer Ending: As the film is based on the Columbine massacre, this is a Foregone Conclusion.
 Elephant / int_4e3d253b
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1.0
 Elephant / int_4e3d253b
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_4e3d253b
 Elephant / int_52094ed
type
Team Killer
 Elephant / int_52094ed
comment
Team Killer: Alex shoots Eric in cold blood.
 Elephant / int_52094ed
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1.0
 Elephant / int_52094ed
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_52094ed
 Elephant / int_53224e46
type
Bookends
 Elephant / int_53224e46
comment
Bookends: The film begins and ends with a shot of clouds in the sky.
 Elephant / int_53224e46
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1.0
 Elephant / int_53224e46
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_53224e46
 Elephant / int_5a3b8032
type
The Un-Reveal
 Elephant / int_5a3b8032
comment
The Unreveal: Although many reasons are given (bullying, media, political affiliations), we ultimately don't know what Alex and Eric's motivations are.
 Elephant / int_5a3b8032
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1.0
 Elephant / int_5a3b8032
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_5a3b8032
 Elephant / int_5ce2c9c6
type
Suddenly Shouting
 Elephant / int_5ce2c9c6
comment
Suddenly Shouting: When Eric finds the principal, he first calmly greets him. After the principal cowers in fear and pleads with him to put the gun down, Eric fires into the ceiling and screams "I ain't putting SHIT down!"
 Elephant / int_5ce2c9c6
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1.0
 Elephant / int_5ce2c9c6
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Elephant / int_5ce2c9c6
 Elephant / int_5dff009d
type
As Long as There Is Evil
 Elephant / int_5dff009d
comment
As Long as There is Evil: Discussed. Eric decides to let the principal live, and lectures to him that he should take great care not to neglect the kids of the next generations, because if he does, there will be others like him and Alex, and they might not be as merciful.
 Elephant / int_5dff009d
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1.0
 Elephant / int_5dff009d
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Elephant / int_5dff009d
 Elephant / int_5f146203
type
Dissonant Serenity
 Elephant / int_5f146203
comment
Dissonant Serenity: Alex takes the time to calmly sit down and take a sip of water in the middle of the shooting, and once Eric finds him his only response is to joke about how it's probably tainted with an STD. This moment aside the both of them act far too calm for comfort while actively shooting their fellow teens.
 Elephant / int_5f146203
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1.0
 Elephant / int_5f146203
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Elephant / int_5f146203
 Elephant / int_6439de78
type
Heroic Sacrifice
 Elephant / int_6439de78
comment
Heroic Sacrifice: Downplayed with Benny. He isn't shown Taking the Bullet for Acadia, but he does lead her outside to safety while he walks through the school looking for the shooters, ending with him being killed by Eric.
 Elephant / int_6439de78
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1.0
 Elephant / int_6439de78
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Elephant / int_6439de78
 Elephant / int_697b5232
type
Those Wacky Nazis
 Elephant / int_697b5232
comment
Those Wacky Nazis: Alex and Eric are shown watching a documentary on the Nazis at one point. It's left ambiguous as to whether or not this was one of their inspirations for the shooting.
 Elephant / int_697b5232
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1.0
 Elephant / int_697b5232
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_697b5232
 Elephant / int_698dcc45
type
Huddle Shot
 Elephant / int_698dcc45
comment
Huddle Shot: A variant is done with Alex and Eric as they go through their strategy.
 Elephant / int_698dcc45
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1.0
 Elephant / int_698dcc45
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_698dcc45
 Elephant / int_7286e96d
type
Idiot Ball
 Elephant / int_7286e96d
comment
Idiot Ball: The delivery man had to have been aware he was delivering an automatic rifle, and he left it in the hands of two teenage boys. Elias photographs the two shooters as they enter the library, instead of hiding or running away. John sees Alex and Eric enter the school dressed in combat attire and carrying big black duffel bags, and what's more they tell him "some heavy shit's about to go down" when he asks them what's up. Instead of calling the police, he runs around telling random bystanders not to enter the school without giving a reason, causing almost everyone to shrug his warnings off until the shooting is well underway.
 Elephant / int_7286e96d
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1.0
 Elephant / int_7286e96d
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_7286e96d
 Elephant / int_7374ab13
type
Once More, with Clarity
 Elephant / int_7374ab13
comment
Once More, with Clarity!: Lots of scenes are repeated but from the perspectives of different characters, showing them before and after certain exchanges.
 Elephant / int_7374ab13
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1.0
 Elephant / int_7374ab13
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_7374ab13
 Elephant / int_7d89315b
type
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
 Elephant / int_7d89315b
comment
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Eric lectures the principal about how he did nothing to prevent the bullying he and Alex went through and instead ignored their problems.
 Elephant / int_7d89315b
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1.0
 Elephant / int_7d89315b
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_7d89315b
 Elephant / int_7f390ebc
type
Developing Doomed Characters
 Elephant / int_7f390ebc
comment
Developing Doomed Characters: Justified and deliberate; the entire premise of the film is relating to the characters before their abrupt demise.
 Elephant / int_7f390ebc
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1.0
 Elephant / int_7f390ebc
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_7f390ebc
 Elephant / int_8071d6ed
type
Alcoholic Parent
 Elephant / int_8071d6ed
comment
Alcoholic Parent: John's father.
 Elephant / int_8071d6ed
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1.0
 Elephant / int_8071d6ed
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_8071d6ed
 Elephant / int_967edd3a
type
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
 Elephant / int_967edd3a
comment
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene: Inverted. The majority of the movie is made up of tracking shots of different students during a normal school day, with only the last twenty minutes or so devoted to the shooting itself.
 Elephant / int_967edd3a
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1.0
 Elephant / int_967edd3a
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_967edd3a
 Elephant / int_9788e2b1
type
Black Dude Dies First
 Elephant / int_9788e2b1
comment
Black Dude Dies First: Inverted; Benny is one of the last people that we see killed.
 Elephant / int_9788e2b1
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1.0
 Elephant / int_9788e2b1
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_9788e2b1
 Elephant / int_978a82e6
type
Big Bad Duumvirate
 Elephant / int_978a82e6
comment
Big Bad Duumvirate: Alex and Eric are the two kids who shoot up their school.
 Elephant / int_978a82e6
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1.0
 Elephant / int_978a82e6
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1.0
 Elephant
hasFeature
Elephant / int_978a82e6
 Elephant / int_99305f1f
type
Round Table Shot
 Elephant / int_99305f1f
comment
Round Table Shot: In the scene with the gay-straight alliance, which is held in a discussion circle, the camera is centered in the middle and spins around to capture the different students and teachers reactions/contributions to the conversation.
 Elephant / int_99305f1f
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1.0
 Elephant / int_99305f1f
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_99305f1f
 Elephant / int_9e1b9a0e
type
Camera Fiend
 Elephant / int_9e1b9a0e
comment
Camera Fiend: Elias. He's characterized by his love for photography, but there's one really heinous moment that he tries to use his camera: when he snaps a picture of Alex and Eric as they enter the library.
 Elephant / int_9e1b9a0e
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1.0
 Elephant / int_9e1b9a0e
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_9e1b9a0e
 Elephant / int_9f6fb586
type
Leitmotif
 Elephant / int_9f6fb586
comment
Leitmotif: Beethoven's Fur Elise.
 Elephant / int_9f6fb586
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_9f6fb586
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_9f6fb586
 Elephant / int_a2022cc9
type
Killed Mid-Sentence
 Elephant / int_a2022cc9
comment
Killed Mid-Sentence: Michelle and Eric.
 Elephant / int_a2022cc9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_a2022cc9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Elephant
hasFeature
Elephant / int_a2022cc9
 Elephant / int_a939d96a
type
Adults Are Useless
 Elephant / int_a939d96a
comment
Adults Are Useless: Teachers and staff fail to spot or intervene when Alex and Eric are bullied, and the parents of the gunmen never suspect their children's plans.
 Elephant / int_a939d96a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_a939d96a
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_a939d96a
 Elephant / int_abad35b4
type
Soundtrack Dissonance
 Elephant / int_abad35b4
comment
Soundtrack Dissonance: Alex plays Fur Elise on piano as we see Eric playing a violent video game, and the song is then played again over the credits after the horrific act is shown.
 Elephant / int_abad35b4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_abad35b4
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_abad35b4
 Elephant / int_b58b4e3c
type
Too Dumb to Live
 Elephant / int_b58b4e3c
comment
Too Dumb to Live: What was Benny thinking when he walked up to Eric in the corridor? Perhaps he was a Death Seeker.
 Elephant / int_b58b4e3c
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1.0
 Elephant / int_b58b4e3c
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_b58b4e3c
 Elephant / int_b6c6e9ed
type
Violence Is Disturbing
 Elephant / int_b6c6e9ed
comment
Violence Is Disturbing: Since the film is comprised of many long cuts with minimal editing, we see the carnage as if we were really there.
 Elephant / int_b6c6e9ed
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1.0
 Elephant / int_b6c6e9ed
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1.0
 Elephant
hasFeature
Elephant / int_b6c6e9ed
 Elephant / int_c868a42a
type
Freudian Excuse
 Elephant / int_c868a42a
comment
Freudian Excuse: The shooters were bullied pretty badly in school, and Eric implied that the teachers did nothing about this.
 Elephant / int_c868a42a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_c868a42a
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_c868a42a
 Elephant / int_cb5a0181
type
Where's the Kaboom?
 Elephant / int_cb5a0181
comment
Where's the Kaboom?: As part of the massacre, Alex and Eric plan to blow up parts of the school to cause maximum chaos. The bombs fail, so they settle for shooting random people.
 Elephant / int_cb5a0181
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1.0
 Elephant / int_cb5a0181
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_cb5a0181
 Elephant / int_cec8b87a
type
This Is for Emphasis, Bitch!
 Elephant / int_cec8b87a
comment
This Is for Emphasis, Bitch!: Eric calls the principal a bitch after shooting him.
 Elephant / int_cec8b87a
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1.0
 Elephant / int_cec8b87a
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_cec8b87a
 Elephant / int_d80fb43b
type
Murder Simulators
 Elephant / int_d80fb43b
comment
Murder Simulators: The shooters are seen playing one of these. Namely, a game based on a movie where you shoot clones of Matt Damon and Casey Affleck as they walk in the Utah salt flats.
 Elephant / int_d80fb43b
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1.0
 Elephant / int_d80fb43b
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_d80fb43b
 Elephant / int_e34400ab
type
Ambiguously Gay
 Elephant / int_e34400ab
comment
Ambiguously Gay: Alex and Eric shower together and make out, but whether this is out of pragmatic curiosity, or attraction, or something else is ambiguous. One says that they've never even kissed anyone, and they kiss for a few minutes.
 Elephant / int_e34400ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_e34400ab
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_e34400ab
 Elephant / int_e7e558
type
The Oner
 Elephant / int_e7e558
comment
The Oner: The film features a lot of long takes and tracking shots through the halls that are essential to Van Sant's films.
 Elephant / int_e7e558
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_e7e558
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_e7e558
 Elephant / int_e8b0f099
type
Dark Is Evil
 Elephant / int_e8b0f099
comment
Dark Is Evil: Alex wears full black during the shooting, while Eric wears somewhat dark camouflage.
 Elephant / int_e8b0f099
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1.0
 Elephant / int_e8b0f099
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_e8b0f099
 Elephant / int_ea2e9f2d
type
No Ending
 Elephant / int_ea2e9f2d
comment
No Ending: The end of the film shows Alex playing 'eeny meeny miney mo' with Nathan and Carrie to choose who to shoot as the camera pulls away.
 Elephant / int_ea2e9f2d
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1.0
 Elephant / int_ea2e9f2d
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_ea2e9f2d
 Elephant / int_ea7e3be8
type
Dramatic Gun Cock
 Elephant / int_ea7e3be8
comment
Dramatic Gun Cock: Alex cocks his shotgun upon entering the library, pausing for a moment before opening fire.
 Elephant / int_ea7e3be8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Elephant / int_ea7e3be8
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_ea7e3be8
 Elephant / int_eb81c601
type
Big Damn Heroes
 Elephant / int_eb81c601
comment
Big Damn Heroes: Subverted. The film very consciously sets up Benny as a potential hero as he goes looking for the killers, only for him to turn a corner and get swiftly killed.
 Elephant / int_eb81c601
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Elephant / int_eb81c601
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_eb81c601
 Elephant / int_eb8ec7c8
type
Jerkass
 Elephant / int_eb8ec7c8
comment
Jerkass: The principal of the school gives John detention for being late even though the only reason he was late was because his alcoholic father was in no condition to drive him. Furthermore, if Eric is to be believed, he did nothing to stop the school's bullying problem and may have taken part in it as well. This is downplayed though, because during the shooting he directs several students to safety and tries to talk Eric down when confronted.
 Elephant / int_eb8ec7c8
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1.0
 Elephant / int_eb8ec7c8
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_eb8ec7c8
 Elephant / int_f39d7dbc
type
You Will Be Spared
 Elephant / int_f39d7dbc
comment
You Will Be Spared: Subverted. Eric decides to spare the life of the principal as he has him at gunpoint, only to kill him as he runs away.
 Elephant / int_f39d7dbc
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-0.3
 Elephant / int_f39d7dbc
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1.0
 Elephant
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Elephant / int_f39d7dbc
 Elephant / int_name
type
ItemName
 Elephant / int_name
comment
 Elephant / int_name
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1.0
 Elephant / int_name
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 Elephant
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Elephant / int_name
 Elephant / int_name
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Elephant

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