My Own Private Idaho (1991) + Extras [The Criterion Collection]

– Kings of the Road - in this archival video interview, film scholar Paul Arthur discusses the narrative structure and genre identity of My Own Private Idaho, the two characters played by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves (and some of the specific qualities they have borrowed from classic American characters such as the Drifter), and the Shakespearean overtones in the film. The interview was conducted in 2004 (45 min).

– Gus Van Sant and Todd Haynes - in this featurette, directors Gus Van Sant and Todd Haynes (Safe, Velvet Goldmine) discuss the emergence of the New Queer Cinema, the initial script for My Own Private Idaho, the financing of the film and the casting of River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, the shooting of the time-lapse sequences, the film's stylized language, the framing of specific sequences (and how it creates the impression that large portions of the film are improvised), the central intimate sequence, etc. The conversation was recorded exclusively for Criterion in Portland, Oregon, in the fall of 2004 (54 min).

– The Making of My Own Private Idaho - in this documentary, editor Curtis Clayton, directors of photography John Campbell and Eric Alan Edwards, and production designer David Brisbin discuss the bold script for My Own Private Idaho and the risks it faced during the pre-production process, Gus Van Sant's visual preferences (and the specific ways in which he imagined and lensed various sequences), the Portland's gay/hustling scene during the '80s and how it was recreated in the film, the atmosphere and the flashbacks/time-lapses, etc. The documentary was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2004 (43 min).

– Laurie Parker and Rain Phoenix - producer Laurie Parker and Rain Phoenix, River Phoenix's younger sister, talk about the late actor's contribution to My Own Private Idaho, the shooting of the footage from Italy, the Shakespearean overtones in the film, etc. (20 min).

– Deleted Scenes - six unrestored deleted scenes (13 min).

– JT LeRoy and Jonathan Caouette - in this audio recording, filmmaker Jonathan Caouette and writer JT LeRoy (literary persona of Laura Albert) discuss My Own Private Idaho, which influenced Caouette's 2004 film Tarnation and LeRoy's novels and short stories (Sarah, The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things). Director Gus Sant served as executive producer on Caouette's film and worked from LeRoy's original screenplay on Elephant. The conversation was recorded in December 2004 (54 min).