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the trailer is still not available online, the only way to watch it is to do so with Black Swan which I think is a sin to miss on the big screen anyway!
I am proud to say I saw it three times in the theater. Also so Thin Red Line twice back when it released, but The New World remains my favorite Malick and probably my single favorite film from the past decade of American cinema.
I saw Thin Red Line in the cinema back when it was released; and a couple of years ago caught Days of Heaven in a retrospective in NYC — there’s no other way to put it, the quality of his images outdoes those of almost all living directors I’ve seen (images that, to me, always seem a bit melancholy simply because they can be so still, so silent; melancholy because their seeming timelessness underscores the fragility of the world all the more — nowhere more than in New World; the Tree of Life poster’s tagline — “Nothing stands still” makes the same point)…
New World would definitely be on my short-list for the last decade, as would “The Assassination of Jesse James…” (the latter is a more personal choice; in terms of artistry its twilight pleasures do not compare with those of Malick’s film)…
That’s a beautiful description of the Malick-image. What makes his transcendental inclinations work in the movies, saved from seeming contrived or mannered, is this balance his imagery strikes where they’re laid back and “still” as you put it, but also contain an enormous energy about them.
Incidentally Malick has been his most prolific these past few years. He’s already started his next with Bardem and Ben Affleck, apparently called “The Burial”:
Jesse James was littered with terrific character performances. Not just Rockwell (who was as always superb) but Mary Louise Parker whose stoner charm was used to brilliant effect here, and then there was also that great icon of the American stage, Sam Shepard, who played James’ older brother.
I would be tempted to call both Thin Red Line and Assassination of Jesse James possibly the greatest American films since Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now in ’78 and ’79 respectively. And no I am not overlooking Raging Bull nor Scarface nor even Blade Runner or the Matrix! If I’m overlooking something else I’d be happy to be reminded of it.
Incidentally mightily influential as both Blade Runner and Matrix are I find both more than a little overrated. This is not to ignore their seductions or a great deal of their visual flair. I just find Blade Runner to have not aged so well and the Matrix has always seemed to me a compendium of New Age motifs which I have little taste for. Actually I’d take Alien over both.
Purely as a western and a revisionist one at that, I’ll take Unforgiven over Jesse James. I saw it again, about a year ago and the thrill, the wow factor, hadn’t subsided at all…
I’ve also had a great weakness for David Lynch’s films. Blue Velvet shook me to the core!
There’s Chris Nolan, of course. And Mann, Scorsese (Gangs of New York, for the most part, is mesmerizing), the Coen brothers (from the wacky The Big Lebowski to the chilling No Country…) and Eastwood as well. I’m quite a fan of James Cameron as well. Too many choices…!
I love many of the films you’ve mentioned.. my favorite Fincher is Zodiac (haven’t seen Social Network), with Mann it would easily be Public Enemies (this too would be very high on a list of American greats since Apocalypse Now. Don’t think I would place any Nolan alongside these at the moment. Scorsese has of course made many important films. Again with Coen Bros it would be O Brother Where Art Thou? For Lynch Inland Empire. There are others too (Eastwood is a perennial favorite). Just don’t know if I’d place anything alongside those too. Even Malick’s New World seems lesser to Thin Red Line.
When it comes to Fincher, I’ll concede to my more populist instincts. I think Fight Club is his best film!
Nolan’s sense of atmosphere is pretty singular, I think. As a director, he’s one of the rare ones who can straddle high art, ideas and commercial interests, all at once. Am a big fan of ‘The Prestige’.
For me it’s The New World all the way. I love The Thin Red Line to pieces but no Malick film to my mind achieves the full range of emotional impact that Malick seems to attempt with each of his films, and no film more comprehensively addresses the themes of his career with such fluidity.
With Mann, there’s no greater film than Heat for me, though there are many small masterworks (Collateral is possibly his most purely enjoyable work, Ali the most underrated, The Insider a supremely influential genre film) ultimately Heat is the benchmark American crime film, easily, of the last quarter century.
I’d agree on Ali. Not as much of a fan of Collateral or even Heat. Always felt the latter was an opportunity missed. A very engaging film though. Insider I’ve liked more with each viewing. In fact I’ve been planning to revisit it yet again for a while.
Malick–my first encounter of him was when my uncle who loved movies had a copy of some 15 minute long movie called Lanton Mills.He had a copy of it and had got it from a friend who was a part of some cinema club in John Hopkins,if i can correctly remember. When he retired,he used to revisit all movies in his collection and i had a chance to see this movie. It was a fine attempt as at the age of 12 i could actually understand things a bit and smile at their conversation about looting a bank .Uncle used to expalin the scenario in nutshell.
Later when i watched ‘The thin Red Line’ ,i must say i found a worthy competitor to Saving Private Ryan or even platoon. The tagline of Platoon – The only casualty ofw ar is innocence ‘ that had been very dear to me found its complete meaning with thsi movie. The some sort of truth that the movie banked upon was not too emotional but certainly true to connect.although i would say that the level of ‘connecting to emotions/context/subject’ was not uniform throughout the movie!!
My other Malick favourite is Days of Thunder,but i will never forget that experience of watching that odd 15 min motion picture and the way it somehow intrigued me!
“My other Malick favourite is Days of Thunder,but i will never forget that experience of watching that odd 15 min motion picture and the way it somehow intrigued me!”
You mean Days of Heaven?
Love the way Penn is introduced into the trailer’s narrative- “Father, Mother… always you wrestle inside me… Always will!”
The evocation of nature and evolution here reminds me of the Thai film Mundane History. It never struck me then, but I now see that Anocha Suwichakornpong is a student of Terrence Mallick.
December 14, 2010 at 11:24 AM
the trailer is still not available online, the only way to watch it is to do so with Black Swan which I think is a sin to miss on the big screen anyway!
December 14, 2010 at 4:08 PM
anything with terrence malick is worth looking foward to! wish this director would do more films. he’s a VERY long hibernator!
December 14, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Yes, it takes him as much time as Aditya Chopra to get films done.
December 14, 2010 at 4:36 PM
Q there’s a special place in hell for people who put Malick and Aditya Chopra in the same sentence.
My most awaited film.
December 14, 2010 at 4:43 PM
Hopefully it’s still a circle above the one reserved for people who don’t get my sarcasm.
Kidding aside, missing New World on the big screen is one of my biggest H’wood regrets of the last few years…
December 14, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Ha!
December 14, 2010 at 4:47 PM
I am proud to say I saw it three times in the theater. Also so Thin Red Line twice back when it released, but The New World remains my favorite Malick and probably my single favorite film from the past decade of American cinema.
December 14, 2010 at 4:52 PM
I saw Thin Red Line in the cinema back when it was released; and a couple of years ago caught Days of Heaven in a retrospective in NYC — there’s no other way to put it, the quality of his images outdoes those of almost all living directors I’ve seen (images that, to me, always seem a bit melancholy simply because they can be so still, so silent; melancholy because their seeming timelessness underscores the fragility of the world all the more — nowhere more than in New World; the Tree of Life poster’s tagline — “Nothing stands still” makes the same point)…
New World would definitely be on my short-list for the last decade, as would “The Assassination of Jesse James…” (the latter is a more personal choice; in terms of artistry its twilight pleasures do not compare with those of Malick’s film)…
December 14, 2010 at 4:56 PM
there’s been a fantastic new criterion transfer on the film. They even have a blu-ray.
December 14, 2010 at 4:54 PM
That’s a beautiful description of the Malick-image. What makes his transcendental inclinations work in the movies, saved from seeming contrived or mannered, is this balance his imagery strikes where they’re laid back and “still” as you put it, but also contain an enormous energy about them.
December 14, 2010 at 4:44 PM
Incidentally Malick has been his most prolific these past few years. He’s already started his next with Bardem and Ben Affleck, apparently called “The Burial”:
http://www.filmshaft.com/set-photos-from-untitled-terrence-malick-film/
December 14, 2010 at 4:45 PM
Malick + bardem = man oh man…
December 14, 2010 at 4:56 PM
Affleck seems like an odd choice for this director, but I’m willing to give him a chance given this is the year of “The Town”.
December 14, 2010 at 4:59 PM
I wish it were Casey Affleck…wanted to see more of this guy after “The Assassination of Jesse James…”
December 14, 2010 at 5:00 PM
Check out his Killer Inside Me. Not a bad film.
December 14, 2010 at 5:02 PM
the director is again doing something with Brad Pitt.
December 14, 2010 at 5:03 PM
Nice!
December 14, 2010 at 5:06 PM
Actually, Q, Casey Affleck is also in that film with Pitt! It’s a complete reunion.
December 14, 2010 at 5:11 PM
don’t think that’s confirmed yet:
http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/brad-pitt-back-with-jesse-james-shooter-andrew-dominik-for-cogans-trade/
December 14, 2010 at 5:09 PM
I thought Sam Rockwell gave the best performance in Jesse James..
December 14, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Jesse James was littered with terrific character performances. Not just Rockwell (who was as always superb) but Mary Louise Parker whose stoner charm was used to brilliant effect here, and then there was also that great icon of the American stage, Sam Shepard, who played James’ older brother.
December 14, 2010 at 5:18 PM
I would be tempted to call both Thin Red Line and Assassination of Jesse James possibly the greatest American films since Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now in ’78 and ’79 respectively. And no I am not overlooking Raging Bull nor Scarface nor even Blade Runner or the Matrix! If I’m overlooking something else I’d be happy to be reminded of it.
December 14, 2010 at 5:27 PM
Incidentally mightily influential as both Blade Runner and Matrix are I find both more than a little overrated. This is not to ignore their seductions or a great deal of their visual flair. I just find Blade Runner to have not aged so well and the Matrix has always seemed to me a compendium of New Age motifs which I have little taste for. Actually I’d take Alien over both.
December 14, 2010 at 5:40 PM
Purely as a western and a revisionist one at that, I’ll take Unforgiven over Jesse James. I saw it again, about a year ago and the thrill, the wow factor, hadn’t subsided at all…
I’ve also had a great weakness for David Lynch’s films. Blue Velvet shook me to the core!
There’s Chris Nolan, of course. And Mann, Scorsese (Gangs of New York, for the most part, is mesmerizing), the Coen brothers (from the wacky The Big Lebowski to the chilling No Country…) and Eastwood as well. I’m quite a fan of James Cameron as well. Too many choices…!
December 14, 2010 at 5:44 PM
I love many of the films you’ve mentioned.. my favorite Fincher is Zodiac (haven’t seen Social Network), with Mann it would easily be Public Enemies (this too would be very high on a list of American greats since Apocalypse Now. Don’t think I would place any Nolan alongside these at the moment. Scorsese has of course made many important films. Again with Coen Bros it would be O Brother Where Art Thou? For Lynch Inland Empire. There are others too (Eastwood is a perennial favorite). Just don’t know if I’d place anything alongside those too. Even Malick’s New World seems lesser to Thin Red Line.
December 14, 2010 at 5:47 PM
a friend of mine quips that I rate those American films most highly that remind me of European art house works. That’s possibly right!
December 14, 2010 at 5:51 PM
When it comes to Fincher, I’ll concede to my more populist instincts. I think Fight Club is his best film!
Nolan’s sense of atmosphere is pretty singular, I think. As a director, he’s one of the rare ones who can straddle high art, ideas and commercial interests, all at once. Am a big fan of ‘The Prestige’.
December 14, 2010 at 7:06 PM
Prestige is probably my favorite Nolan too though it feels weighed down by its ‘construction’ in many ways..
December 14, 2010 at 5:45 PM
and I love Cameron too!
December 14, 2010 at 5:42 PM
Blade Runner, though a bit muddled, is definitely better than The Matrix. The latter is more “cool” but it also sacrifices its ideas in the process..
December 14, 2010 at 6:06 PM
For me it’s The New World all the way. I love The Thin Red Line to pieces but no Malick film to my mind achieves the full range of emotional impact that Malick seems to attempt with each of his films, and no film more comprehensively addresses the themes of his career with such fluidity.
December 14, 2010 at 7:07 PM
“no film more comprehensively addresses the themes of his career with such fluidity”
The operative word being ‘fluidity’! ha!
December 14, 2010 at 6:10 PM
With Mann, there’s no greater film than Heat for me, though there are many small masterworks (Collateral is possibly his most purely enjoyable work, Ali the most underrated, The Insider a supremely influential genre film) ultimately Heat is the benchmark American crime film, easily, of the last quarter century.
December 14, 2010 at 7:11 PM
I’d agree on Ali. Not as much of a fan of Collateral or even Heat. Always felt the latter was an opportunity missed. A very engaging film though. Insider I’ve liked more with each viewing. In fact I’ve been planning to revisit it yet again for a while.
December 14, 2010 at 7:23 PM
“Always felt the latter was an opportunity missed.”
I might have to join ranks with the people who were up in arms over the Madhuri/Ash incident! But I know you a bit better so you are forgiven.
December 16, 2010 at 11:01 AM
wow.. great discussion – satyam, q, gf and saket!!
havent seen most of films mentioned by u except latest ones.. but i may add does any one remember
STEVEN SPEILBERG?
Danny Boyle??
March 28, 2011 at 8:51 PM
this new poster is gorgeous!
March 28, 2011 at 9:33 PM
Malick–my first encounter of him was when my uncle who loved movies had a copy of some 15 minute long movie called Lanton Mills.He had a copy of it and had got it from a friend who was a part of some cinema club in John Hopkins,if i can correctly remember. When he retired,he used to revisit all movies in his collection and i had a chance to see this movie. It was a fine attempt as at the age of 12 i could actually understand things a bit and smile at their conversation about looting a bank .Uncle used to expalin the scenario in nutshell.
Later when i watched ‘The thin Red Line’ ,i must say i found a worthy competitor to Saving Private Ryan or even platoon. The tagline of Platoon – The only casualty ofw ar is innocence ‘ that had been very dear to me found its complete meaning with thsi movie. The some sort of truth that the movie banked upon was not too emotional but certainly true to connect.although i would say that the level of ‘connecting to emotions/context/subject’ was not uniform throughout the movie!!
My other Malick favourite is Days of Thunder,but i will never forget that experience of watching that odd 15 min motion picture and the way it somehow intrigued me!
March 29, 2011 at 12:36 AM
“My other Malick favourite is Days of Thunder,but i will never forget that experience of watching that odd 15 min motion picture and the way it somehow intrigued me!”
You mean Days of Heaven?
March 29, 2011 at 1:50 AM
yeah..my mistake…i stand corrected…’days of heaven’..
March 28, 2011 at 11:36 PM
wow cant wait!
March 29, 2011 at 11:41 AM
http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi612735001/
One of the most awaited ….Can sense an award for Pitt here!
March 30, 2011 at 4:15 AM
The trailer is sheer poetry-
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlYYreuK8vo&w=640&h=390
March 30, 2011 at 4:21 AM
Love the way Penn is introduced into the trailer’s narrative- “Father, Mother… always you wrestle inside me… Always will!”
The evocation of nature and evolution here reminds me of the Thai film Mundane History. It never struck me then, but I now see that Anocha Suwichakornpong is a student of Terrence Mallick.