Ep. 308: My Own Private Idaho (1991)

Claire and Gavia discuss Gus Van Sant’s iconic queer drama My Own Private Idaho (1991), loosely based on Shakespeare’s Henriad plays. River Phoenix stars as a hustler in Portland, Oregon, who sets off on a journey across America and then the world in search of his long-lost mother, accompanied by best friend and fellow hustler Keanu Reeves.

Among other topics, we delve into the film’s deceptively experimental nature, its reputation as a classic of New Queer Cinema, and its brilliant ensemble cast.

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Links:

"My Own Private Idaho," Paige Powell and Gini Sikes, Interview Magazine

"My Own Private Idaho: Private Places," Amy Taubin, Criterion

Previous episodes: Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All, Cheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman.