[close] Gus Van Sant is fascinated by fanaticism and the isolated societies that fanatics create. My Own Private Idaho, loosely based on Shakespeare's Henry IV plays, is perhaps the most critically acclaimed of his films. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, adapted from the Tom Robbins novel, did not fare well at the box office, but the version printed here is not the one seen in theatres. It is Van Sant's original draft, the cut he had to pare down for general distribution. Rejecting traditional technical markings, dotted by his own personal notes and comments, Van Sant's screenplays are essential companions to his finished films. [close]