Terence Mallick

Bodhidharma

I was in the video shop on friday and decided to get "The New World". I know the general consensus among filmgoers is that its a pile of pap. Even when i was getting it, the guy behind the counter said "You know this is crap right?". I said yeah and left it at that.

So, i have seen it, and do i agree? NO. Its a great show just like "The Thin Red Line". I am not an egotistical, arrogant wa**er, but i think that most people are not intelligent enough to understand a film like this. We've all grown up on "Top Gun", "Beverly Hills Cop", "Die Hard" and the like, dont get me wrong i like these movies too, but they don't really do anything for you.

My question for the boarders is, is Terence Mallick a Genius or a Pretentious tosser who makes unwatchable rubbish? I am firmly in the camp of the former. He's an artist who uses cinema to convey really personal stories set against a large backdrop.

Paulmheaney

Thank you!
I feel the same way about Mallick's films and while the film did get slammed internationally, it is a great film. BTW, have a look at the "making of" that comes with the DVD, fascinating stuff. Film was shot using natural light and the actors were free to improvise. (Christian Bale has a great story of what he did to cause panic for some >just< out of sight crew members.) Also, such is Mallick's reputation, look out for some faces in small roles among the landing party (Noah Wylie and Ben Chaplin to name but two).
Re: "The guy behind the counter said "You know this is crap right?", that's his opinion, but is this the same person who I assume who also recommends The Pink Panther, The Producers and God knows how many other mindless and heartless Hollywood "projects"?
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but having loved Badlands, liked Days of Heaven and being awed by The Thin Red Line, I expect in 10 years The New World will be reguarded more highly by film fans as a quality film, than bloated dross such as Superman Returns and King Kong.
BTW, if you are a fan, get Thin Red Line DVD in the US, available as a DTS disc and sounds stunning (Hans Zimmer's score is especially powerful).
Everyone to their own opinion but calling a film "crap" is unduly negative and shows the person who said it as unwilling to actaully savour a film as a work of art which The New World is.
Just my opinion,
Paul

monkeyfudge

I loved Badlands too.. it was a wonderful film.

I enjoyed the Thin Red Line as well, and I don't normally like war movies at all.

I must give The New World a go, as I certainly like the look of it.

Agent Orange

Bodhidharma wrote:

Even when i was getting it, the guy behind the counter said "You know this is crap right?".

Malick films are only appreciated by people of high intelligence like yourself. There's a reason the video clerk is a video clerk.

Chumpski

Agent Orange wrote:

Malick films are only appreciated by people of high intelligence like yourself. There's a reason the video clerk is a video clerk.

You know, no wonder people who enjoy Malick films are considered egotistical and arrogant, etc by the majority. I used to be a video clerk but i enjoyed The Thin Red Line alot. Its one of my favourite films, never mind one of my favourite war films. Just cos someone is a video clerk doesnt mean they lack intelligence and wouldnt enjoy The New World. Havnt seen the New World yet but i will as soon as i get time...

Retr0gamer

I've only seen the thein red line and thought it was a pretentious wankfest that almost bored me to self mutilation despite being well acted and beautifully shot. I understood what he was trying to do but most of the symbolism and prose spouting soldiers were completely unnecessary and could have been explained in a much less convoluted manner. There's a big difference between being clever and trying too hard to be clever. A bit more subtlety wouldn't have gone amiss.

Running Bing

Agent Orange wrote:

Malick films are only appreciated by people of high intelligence like yourself. There's a reason the video clerk is a video clerk.

And the award for most pretencious post of the year goes to..................

Bodhidharma wrote:

i think that most people are not intelligent enough to understand a film like this. We've all grown up on "Top Gun", "Beverly Hills Cop", "Die Hard" and the like, dont get me wrong i like these movies too, but they don't really do anything for you.

Thats bullshiit tbh. Dont buy it for a second. Thats an argument I hear a lot to defend films that are just plain bad. Revolver was another one where the "Im more intelligent than you crowd were out in force". I love films that as you put it "do something for you". Two of my favourite films are Sunrise and the seventh seal, while last night I watched breathless. Im not saying that to prove Im more intellegnet than people or my opinion is more valid, its just to illustrate that I enjoy films that are a little deeper than the Big explosion type films(not that theirs a thing wrong with movies like that) and I thought the new world was crap. Your entitled to your opinion but people dont like it not because their not intelligent but because its a bad film.

Bodhidharma

Babybing wrote:

Thats an argument I hear a lot to defend films that are just plain bad. Revolver was another one where the "Im more intelligent than you crowd were out in force".

Your entitled to your opinion but people dont like it not because their not intelligent but because its a bad film.

Are you actually trying to compare "The New World" or Terence Mallick to "Revolver" or Guy Ritchie. Thats ludicrous.

Secondly i didn't mean to sound pretentious by saying people aren't intelligent enough to enjoy the film, what i meant was they were'nt as open to something different. If your brought up on a diet of McDonalds you would be confused when soneone offered you a perfectly done steak. Thats what happens with Mallick's film. Anything slightly left of Hollywood is considered weird or rubbish.

Running Bing

Bodhidharma wrote:

Are you actually trying to compare "The New World" or Terence Mallick to "Revolver" or Guy Ritchie. Thats ludicrous.

No I wasnt comparing them directly. Its just people use the same argument for both films that its because there different or challenging that people didnt like them when in my opinion there just not great films. The new world is far superior to that thing though.

Bodhidharma wrote:

Secondly i didn't mean to sound pretentious by saying people aren't intelligent enough to enjoy the film, what i meant was they were'nt as open to something different. If your brought up on a diet of McDonalds you would be confused when soneone offered you a perfectly done steak. Thats what happens with Mallick's film. Anything slightly left of Hollywood is considered weird or rubbish.

Thats a fair point. But I still dont think it applies to the new world.

lostexpectation

I didn't like the thin red line thought it was trying to do about three different things so I didn't get it when it was slowed down at the end with the men on the isalnd but I was very impressed with the new world, I thought it was beautiful film and easy to watch, it had full story, there was so much in it about the formation of the new world, about how they camped there and farrells isolation and world slowly down, and the camp been left to struggle on its own, while there was a great suspense knowing this was just a prelude to an invasion.

ixoy

I never saw anyone trying to defend "Revolver" - every single critic, pretentious or otherwise, roundly slammed it...

I enjoyed "The Thin Red Line" and yet have friends, who are equally passionate about movies, who abhor it. There's a slight hint of pretension in having those prosaic monologues, saying things that - as pointed out - could have been done in a slightly more subtle manner but it worked generally in the context of the picture. Found it an interesting meditation on war.

"The New World" was, p'raps, one of the most gorgeous movies that I've ever seen. The plot was quite sparse and I'm still unimpressed by Farrell, but Mallick really succeded in creating a great feeling for the era - quite immersive. Beautiful soundtrack to boot. Of course, as soon as the lights went on, I heard a few mutterings of how crap it was but goddamn was it purdy and it still resonates in my head, months on, when many other movies don't.

Mallicks films are interesting to say the least. I liked the new world, although i thought it was a bit self indulgent at times.

I dont think its a question of intelliegence, more an issue of being able to emotionally connect to a film and the directors ambission in the film. Its the same with music - you'll get really intelligent people who can't relate emotionally. I suppose thats an ingnorance in itself, so maybe it is intelligence.....just artistic intelligence

lostexpectation

Deleted User wrote:

Mallicks films are interesting to say the least. I liked the new world, although i thought it was a bit self indulgent at times.

I dont think its a question of intelliegence, more an issue of being able to emotionally connect to a film and the directors ambission in the film. Its the same with music - you'll get really intelligent people who can't relate emotionally. I suppose thats an ingnorance in itself, so maybe it is intelligence.....just artistic intelligence

its not intelligence its patience

Miguel_Sanchez

He makey pictures that look purty.

Me like Malick.

Chumpski

Is Malick pretentious? Thats a good question... and the answer is he can be at times, i think. I just got around to watching the New World sunday night. I thought it was a poor movie, even though it was beautifully shot and well acted, it was hard to figure out what exactly the plot was. After reading the tagline of the movie on imdb. "After it was discovered it was changed forever", thats all i cant think of. Yes after it was discovered, it was changed by the english settlers. Thats about it really. I thought Colin Farrell, Christian Bale and the girl (cant think of her name) were superb in their parts but i dont know... i just didnt like it at all, the story seemed to take ages to get where it was going. Maybe on a second viewing i might appreciate it more.

I really like the Thin Red Line by the way before any Malick fans start bashing me!