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[Expendable.]

I'd honestly say Badlands. I wish I watched it first. It gives a hint at Malick's later style, but it is the most accessible in my opinion and it's nice to see how far he has come.

 

[Discotheque]

I would also go for chronological release order: Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, The New World.

Although I watched TTRL first and it was a profound experience for me. It was just some random movie in the mail from Netflix, too. Afterwards I couldn't believe that no one had ever told me about this film before, although to be fair I suppose I was only 8 years old when it was released in '98 amidst the hullabaloo over Saving Private Ryan v. Shakespeare in Love at the Oscars.

Agreed. I saw SPR at a younger age (8...:O) than Thin Red Line (which was relatively unknown to me).

I saw Thin Red Line much later and I liked it much more. That damn soundtrack, and Elias Koteas is so good in this film.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I would also go for chronological release order: Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, The New World.

Although I watched TTRL first and it was a profound experience for me. It was just some random movie in the mail from Netflix, too. Afterwards I couldn't believe that no one had ever told me about this film before, although to be fair I suppose I was only 8 years old when it was released in '98 amidst the hullabaloo over Saving Private Ryan v. Shakespeare in Love at the Oscars.

Watching Badlands tonight.

thanks, all.

 

[Blader]

This bit from the screening impressions made me lol:

I think that the biggest change for Malick is the way the story is told more so than his directing style. It's still distinctly a Malick film.

Spoiler

He even has a shot in the modern day of Sean Penn outside a corporate building brushing his hands through some reeds.

This gave me a bit of a chuckle when I saw it.

What powerful symbolism!

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

This bit from the screening impressions made me lol:



What powerful symbolism!

Yes, because I'm sure that you can judge exactly what the shot is trying to do and/or say via an out-of-context screening blurb. It's not like Malick creates complex and unexpected meanings with his images. Nope.

 

[Kraftwerk]

Yes, because I'm sure that you can judge exactly what the shot is trying to do and/or say via an out-of-context screening blurb. It's not like Malick creates complex and unexpected meanings with his images. Nope.

Snowman my good sir, let him be. Waste of time. Likes to come into every Malick discussion and troll.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Snowman my good sir, let him be. Waste of time. Likes to come into every Malick discussion and troll.

Just as well. I'm cutting back on posting from here on out, so I'ma probably avoid this thread until the movie actually comes out.

 

[swoon]

it's a pretty stupid review blurb. regardless of blader's glib remark

 

[Blader]

Snowman my good sir, let him be. Waste of time. Likes to come into every Malick discussion and troll.

Ha, yeah, that's totally my thing.

 

[Expendable.]

 

[Expendable.]

Sample Alexandre Desplat's 'The Tree of Life' Score

Gorgeous, can't wait!

 

[Expendable.]

Someone said the soundtrack is available on the iTunes store in different countries (Germany, UK, etc.). Anyone have any luck?

 

[Expendable.]

 

[Expendable.]

- screenings of his films in LA and Terrence Malick will be there for Tree of Life premiere.
- Icon finally released an official statement about the UK release fiasco:

The film The Tree of Life, starring Sean Penn and Brad Pitt, is set to be one of the most high-profile screenings at next month's Cannes Festival. However, British audiences may have to wait somewhat longer to see the movie, after its UK distributor said it had scrapped its planned release date.

The film was originally due to open in Britain on 4 May but a legal row between Icon Film Distribution and the international sales agent for the film, Los Angeles-based Summit Entertainment, led to Icon stating that it currently had no plans to release the movie in this country.

"Things have changed in the past few hours," a spokesman for Icon said. "We now won't be releasing The Tree of Life on 4 May and currently have no release plans for the film. All enquiries should be referred to Summit."

 

[Expendable.]

German poster and new images:

 

[AlternativeUlster]

Seriously, or is that a joke?

I know someone who worked on the film but she told me about Malick cutting it out months ago so maybe they fixed the look. I also heard that Malick wouldn't tell his crew at all on what they would be shooting that day and supposedly Brad Pitt would get angry about it because he wouldn't get his lines until a couple of minutes before shooting.

 

[Expendable.]

I know someone who worked on the film but she told me about Malick cutting it out months ago so maybe they fixed the look. I also heard that Malick wouldn't tell his crew at all on what they would be shooting that day and supposedly Brad Pitt would get angry about it because he wouldn't get his lines until a couple of minutes before shooting.

The

Spoiler

dinosaur

stuff is definitely in the film. Someone who saw it confirmed the sequences and provided details.

 

[Blader]

- Terrence Malick will be in person for screenings of his films and Tree of Life premiere in LA

huh?

Malick himself is not expected to come to the screenings

 

[Expendable.]

huh?

woops! I meant he will be there for the premiere. Fixed.

 

[Expendable.]

If it does well, wide release rumored for June 22nd.

 

[Zeliard]

Plainview I know it's part of your job but I don't know how you're able to enjoy movies when you see so much of the various media, scripts, etc pre-release.

If I see even a single trailer, particularly of a movie like this, I already feel like I've seen far too much.

 

[WJD]

So... what's it actually about? I didn't really get much from the blurb thing.

 

[Expendable.]

Plainview I know it's part of your job but I don't know how you're able to enjoy movies when you see so much of the various media, scripts, etc pre-release.

If I see even a single trailer, particularly of a movie like this, I already feel like I've seen far too much.

Yeah, it's a frustrating part of the job. But I can honestly separate most of the marketing when it comes time to sit down in the theater and watch the film. It's honestly a must when you see 300-400 films a year. Going to film festivals helps a lot, since there are many films I don't know a thing about when I enter.

The Tree of Life is a rarity, since I'm so hyped for it. Most other films I watch the trailer and see posters, but that's about it. I don't really watch every TV spot, interview, etc. for most films.

 

[Expendable.]

- French Blu-ray coming out July 15th [link]
- First official review (translated from French):

We see the birth and growth of Jack, a child of the Midwest. He has two brothers and parents who love him. Her mother is the way of grace, love and kindness. The father raises his son with firmness and hardness. It teaches them to fight and not to be too good. Jack grows, the paradise of childhood is fading and her life becomes a maze. It looks more like his father than his mother ...

Criticizing The Tree of Life would be pointless and subjective. We may find the film too Christian certainly close in his message of beautiful sermon elder Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky, which will surely hamper many critics and intellectuals in Paris. We can find the movie sometimes long and obscure, like 2001 for example. It is believed the Kubrick film about several levels and cosmic connections where millions of years disappear in a cup and when the universe and the planets complete human history. But finally, after the screening, it stays there, frozen in his seat, and we understand we can not blame the film as it is beautiful, even sublime and very moving. The scenario is the antiplot, there is no conflict, and the meaning of the film, heavily assen, eludes analysis and discussion. This is a movie a little more beautiful Spielbergian and deeper.

The actors are more real than real, the direction of Malick shows them in a totally natural makes us forget the fiction. The images mesmerize us with their strength and poetry they inspire. But that is not there. The best part is that you'll find your feelings of childhood like never before in film. You'll see, laugh, run, grow and marvel as the child you were. You will literally discover the world ...

The entire film is shot in almost natural light (as was The New World), wide angle vision to make the most humane. Overexposed photography Emmanuel Lubezki is soft and light, it is like a caress to the eyes. The camera, scope or Steadicam, sliding everywhere with infinite grace. Grace is all that matters for Malick. Choose grace rather than nature, is the conflict within Jack. Love and forgive means choosing grace. To create beauty, but also tend toward grace. Hardness, violence, profit is the way of nature. Only the relationship between nature and man, he is talking about the human soul, of God and love between men. There is a new dimension of cosmic order and we are witnessing the birth of the universe. Plans lightning where the camera sees the stars rise, it burst open volcanoes, follows amoebas, jellyfish and other amphibians to leave the water and here we see the first dinosaurs that one looks good more wonder than Jurassic Park. Some back and forth between childhood and adulthood where Jack is lost in a dehumanized society, then he finds himself in the desert and through a door, the sequence is the less beautiful and less universal because it is mystical, religious I would say. The limit of the film is perhaps this lack of mystery that comes from this desire to show everything, all embracing a humanistic vision, animist and Christian at once. Malick finally tells us nothing new, nothing other than what Job and many great poets have left. But he has amazed us because it is one of the greatest filmmakers alive.

 

[Blader]

French review, courtesy of Google translate (albeit still a little rough):

We see the birth and growth of Jack, a child of the Midwest. He has two brothers and parents who love him. Her mother is the way of grace, love and kindness. The father raises his son with firmness and hardness. It teaches them to fight and not to be too good. Jack grows, the paradise of childhood is fading and her life becomes a maze. It looks more like his father than his mother ...

Criticizing The Tree of Life would be pointless and subjective. We may find the film too Christian certainly close in his message of beautiful sermon elder Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky, which will surely hamper many critics and intellectuals in Paris. We can find the movie sometimes long and obscure, like 2001 for example. It is believed the Kubrick film about several levels and cosmic connections where millions of years disappear in a cup and when the universe and the planets complete human history. But finally, after the screening, it stays there, frozen in his seat, and we understand we can not blame the film as it is beautiful, even sublime and very moving. The scenario is the antiplot, there is no conflict, and the meaning of the film, heavily assen, eludes analysis and discussion. This is a movie a little more beautiful Spielbergian and deeper.

The actors are more real than real, the direction of Malick shows them in a totally natural makes us forget the fiction. The images mesmerize us with their strength and poetry they inspire. But that is not there. The best part is that you'll find your feelings of childhood like never before in film. You'll see, laugh, run, grow and marvel as the child you were. You will literally discover the world ...

The entire film is shot in almost natural light (as was The New World), wide angle vision to make the most humane. Overexposed photography Emmanuel Lubezki is soft and light, it is like a caress to the eyes. The camera, scope or Steadicam, sliding everywhere with infinite grace. Grace is all that matters for Malick. Choose grace rather than nature, is the conflict within Jack. Love and forgive means choosing grace. To create beauty, but also tend toward grace. Hardness, violence, profit is the way of nature. Only the relationship between nature and man, he is talking about the human soul, of God and love between men. There is a new dimension of cosmic order and we are witnessing the birth of the universe. Plans lightning where the camera sees the stars rise, it burst open volcanoes, follows amoebas, jellyfish and other amphibians to leave the water and here we see the first dinosaurs that one looks good more wonder than Jurassic Park. Some back and forth between childhood and adulthood where Jack is lost in a dehumanized society, then he finds himself in the desert and through a door, the sequence is the less beautiful and less universal because it is mystical, religious I would say. The limit of the film is perhaps this lack of mystery that comes from this desire to show everything, all embracing a humanistic vision, animist and Christian at once. Malick finally tells us nothing new, nothing other than what Job and many great poets have left. But he has amazed us because it is one of the greatest filmmakers alive.

edit - damn!

and wow, that's awfully quick to hit blu-ray. Not even two months between theatrical and blu.

 

[Expendable.]

EDIT: I've made the production notes a bit cleaner. Check them out here along with a cleaner translation:

First Review for ‘The Tree of Life’ Brings Comparisons to ’2001′ & Spielberg; Production Notes

 

[Expendable.]

wow: Amazon confirms the French Blu-ray comes out July 15th. It's still hard to believe they would street it so soon.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Just ordered Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line, and The New World (Extended) on Blu in anticipation of this. Can't wait to rewatch them, and can't wait to see this. All the screens look mesmerizing.

 

[Divius]

wow: Amazon confirms the French Blu-ray comes out July 15th. It's still hard to believe they would street it so soon.

Wow, that is super super fast.

 

[Expendable.]

- Cannes premiere set for May 16th, 2011.

- "The kid is the absolute standout." - says someone that has screened the film (via AD forums)

- also shared the very, very beginning of the film:

Spoiler

a quote from Job 38:4: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth?” and then a shot of a bridge.

- Empire interviewed Fiona Shaw.

We're incredibly excited about The Tree Of Life. Do you know what it's about?

Yeah, I know what it's about. It was the most astonishing experience. [Malick] is the opposite of a director. He rang me up and said, "This is Terrence Malick, I'm doing a film and I wonder could you help me with it." He said, "I'd like you to write your own part." I said, "What?!?" and then I wrote this stuff based on the character he described. When we came to filming, he said, "Where would you like to film these scenes? Would you like to do them indoors or outdoors?" because he is so fundamental in his understanding of what he's doing that it doesn't really matter to him whether you film it in a garden or a kitchen. He has the thing in his head, it's not tied to a tiny schedule. He makes them with handheld cameras, in natural light in the town he's taken over.

What was the experience like shooting with the cast he'd put together?

I can't tell you entirely what it's about because it's about everything
We all lived in the houses of the town that we were performing in. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were in the house next door with their children. During the day we'd vacate our houses and they'd became exteriors in the film. It was the most holistic experience but I can't tell you entirely what it's about because it's about everything - it's about a family and it's about time and space. He's using the movie, of course, very filmically, which is how it should be used: not to tell a life story but a story that really stretches over decades and beyond.

It looks stunning. I'm amazed he blocks the scenes out more in terms of the location is because everything ends up looking so incredible.

Well, I think he shoots about 35 films and makes the one that he wants, but he kind of knows all along. What he's looking for is the accident: he wants the accidents to happen. I suspect he throws out a lot of magnificent work. I wonder how he cuts down major characters. I originally spoke more than any other character and I have no doubt I'm in it for two seconds but I hope it'll be the best of the two seconds that served him. He's like a Renaissance painter.

What advice would you have for audiences sitting down to the film?

You have to come to it with an open heart because I don't think he's necessarily trying to please us. It's probably a portrait of his family, probably a portrait of America. He's an amazing man. He's got that this heat that comes of him and when you're with him you just want to lurk all day. Few people have that.

What makes him tick?

Find out at the link.

 

[Timber]

Fuck this movie.

 

[Expendable.]

Fuck this movie.

Seriously, its going to be such a piece of shit. Why can't it just be July 1st for the real movie of the summer?

 

[q_q]

So is there any place I can check what theaters will be showing this during the limited release, or is it just a play it by ear type of thing?

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Okay, so since my last visit here I watched his movies in order. Thanks for the suggestion.

Badlands - It was interesting to see the origins of his cinematography style and narration. I couldn't identify with the story, but it was kinda interesting in the sense of observing the main characters killed with a real indifference. They really got nothing out of it and the film didn't try to change that. They were both generally unlikable as well. It was pretty brave, really. To make a movie that didn't have likable characters or a likable plot. It was just real, I guess. I thought that the environments they were in adequately reflected the mood of the film at the varying times. Overall, pretty cool though I wouldn't seek to watch it again for any reason other than for studying directing styles or something.

Days of Heaven - The growth was quite clear from one to the other. It became clear that the voice-over style would be his normal thing, but with much prettier shots/scenery. Plot was pretty interesting, IMO, if not annoyingly predictable at times. Doing things out in the open made me want to punch babies. Getting caught was obvious. But oh, the scenery!

Thin Red Line - Damn fine work right here. Damn fine. Cinematography continues to grow and play a bigger role in his work. The scenes when the artillery fire came down were just epic. The plot was a little hard to follow at times because it bounced back and forth so much and I didn't acclimate quickly to the voices to know who was who other than Noltey. I appreciated the over-arching concept of the struggle of Wynn, who saw life and questioned the nature of men and how quickly and willingly we'd shed life from our ranks. I found it to be an interesting story about life, death, love, peace and war. And how the best of them are in far too short supply. Noltey and Cravazel (or however he spells it) were brilliant. Penn was pretty good. Travolta annoyed me. Everyone else did what they were supposed to do.

The New World - More damn fine work. Cinematography continues its excellence, but with easier to follow and appreciate voice-over narration. I thought that this was probably his easiest to follow story, and I found it interesting that though it first appears the story is going to be a love story, that love story ends about half way through...at which point it actually becomes a story about how people struggle with clinging to love lost and dreams dashed. The difficulty of moving on to a new world of greener pastures, so to speak. All the principle actors/actresses were pretty good. The lead actress really stood out, though. She was amazing.

I found both of his most recent movies to be relatively equal in quality and strength, though I think the later was the easier to follow and the former had the most impressive visuals (by a hair). All in all, I look forward to seeing if he can pair an even more impressive script (one that feels a little more personal without having to look at it in multiple ways) with the same quality of cinematography. From the still shots we've been given, it seems the latter is a sure thing (and I'd expect it to). But I'm still waiting on that scripting/storyline home run. Hopefully we'll see it with this project.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

FUCK.

Tree of Life isn't getting released in Aus till July 7.

 

[Expendable.]

update to that Blu-ray news:

THIS IS AN ERROR : the French law imposes a minimum four months delay between the theatrical release and the home-video release (with the exception of 3 months if the movie sells less than 200 tickets nationwide during its fourth week of theatrical release).

Thus "The Tree of Life" won't be available in France on blu-ray before September 18th 2011.

 

[big ander]

Dammit, I can't resist this topic.
I wish I had the time to watch all of Malick's films right now. I only saw Days of Heaven recently and it's one of the better films I've ever seen. Honestly, it made me reevaluate the way I watch movies. After that, I couldn't help but be hyped for this. I have The New World and The Thin Red Line is on instant watch. Badlands is number one on my instant queue. Since I probably won't be able to see Tree of Life until June anyway, I should have plenty of time to take them in.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

I really, truly feel that Malick is actually one of the greatest cinematic masters of script and story and not just a visual master. His characters are always fully-fleshed, and believable, veer sharply away from stereotype, cliche, and predictability, and he weaves their well-written voice-overs into the imagery to create this sort of dissonant poetry that creates true magic on the screen. It's just so foreign to me to watch one of his movies and not think that you've just witnessed a great piece of writing as well as celluloid.

 

[Expendable.]

Just found out press screenings here in the US are the same day as the Cannes premiere (May 16th). Interesting...hope I get my invite soon!

 

[Blader]

I really, truly feel that Malick is actually one of the greatest cinematic masters of script and story and not just a visual master. His characters are always fully-fleshed, and believable, veer sharply away from stereotype, cliche, and predictability, and he weaves their well-written voice-overs into the imagery to create this sort of dissonant poetry that creates true magic on the screen. It's just so foreign to me to watch one of his movies and not think that you've just witnessed a great piece of writing as well as celluloid.

I disagree with just about all of this, but most especially the idea that the voice overs are well-written or well-integrated. Especially The Thin Red Line, where the narration is incredibly flowery and, because everyone speaks with the same damn accent, it's difficult (at least for me it was) to immediately know who was speaking during the voiceovers.

 

[hsukardi]

I disagree with just about all of this, but most especially the idea that the voice overs are well-written or well-integrated. Especially The Thin Red Line, where the narration is incredibly flowery and, because everyone speaks with the same damn accent, it's difficult (at least for me it was) to immediately know who was speaking during the voiceovers.

Isn't that why they invented the hair characters in anime for people like yourself?
Pink-haired character
Blue-haired character
Red-haired character

 

[Blader]

Isn't that why they invented the hair characters in anime for people like yourself?
Pink-haired character
Blue-haired character
Red-haired character

How does one hear hair color?

 

[Mifune]

I disagree with just about all of this, but most especially the idea that the voice overs are well-written or well-integrated. Especially The Thin Red Line, where the narration is incredibly flowery and, because everyone speaks with the same damn accent, it's difficult (at least for me it was) to immediately know who was speaking during the voiceovers.

Maybe you're not supposed to know who's speaking during the VO.

 

[Expendable.]

neat still today, and another we've already seen:

 

[richiek]

Maybe you're not supposed to know who's speaking during the VO.

I think that it's essentially supposed to be Malick, since he speaks with that same Texas drawl.

 

[mclaren777]

I don't think I've ever seen a trailer with such excellent color grading.

I will definitely watch this film when it comes out.

 

[mclaren777]

Is anyone else planning to rewatch all of Malick's film in anticipation of Tree of Life?

Nope. I've only ever watched the Thin Red Line and I didn't enjoy it.

I didn't even know who Malick was until about 10 minutes ago when I discovered this thread so the Tree of Life will be his chance to redeem himself.

 

[WJD]

Looks like David Attenborough should be involved.

 

[Inferno313]

I disagree with just about all of this, but most especially the idea that the voice overs are well-written or well-integrated. Especially The Thin Red Line, where the narration is incredibly flowery and, because everyone speaks with the same damn accent, it's difficult (at least for me it was) to immediately know who was speaking during the voiceovers.

"Maybe all men got one big soul everybody's a part of, all faces are the same man."

I think the voice overs are supposed to sound similar to each other, it's the point. The idea that all men together belong to one big "humanity."

 

[Kraftwerk]

Nope. I've only ever watched the Thin Red Line and I didn't enjoy it.

I didn't even know who Malick was until about 10 minutes ago when I discovered this thread so the Tree of Life will be his chance to redeem himself.

I recommend you do watch them. As a huge Malick fan, I can say that TTRL is his most complex film. Amazing but complex.

His other works only involve one narrator and you can follow the story much easier, since there is one direct goal. In TTRL it wasn't really about winning the war, but more about the experiences of each individual and what they felt throughout. The journey, emotions etc.

If you want something similar to The Tree of Life, definitely watch The New World. But again, watch them all give them a chance.