FILM: The New World (2005)

[Brónach 1,302]

This was my second Malick film after The Thin Red Line. I prefer the later, although that one is way harder to understand.

I saw the 172 minutes version.

The first half an hour or so is just memorable. Perfectly writen and shot and edited. Malick develops here a brilliant pacing, jumping from litle event to little event, being economic and making it feel like the fragmented but coherent memories of someone, almost dreamlike. On the top of that, it feels as if they had an actual time machine and went there to shoot it. It looks real. The cast is spot on, as is the use of music. The Wagner at the beggining is already a classic in my book, but the film nails every use of music in it, even the Horner snippets. The sound editing is great, I like how the voice overs can intercalate with the dialogue, or how some speech or line starts very low until we hear it clearly and then it fades away slowly. At some point, during the journey up the river, the film uses goes from no music to some subtle and athmespheric musical buildup to the score. It's a great sequence.

I can see a difference bewteen the voice over here and in TTRL. In that one they were more like poetic despictions of the emotions the soldiers were going through, while here they are more like actual thoughts and they are focused on certain characters.

From the moment of the acceptance ceremony of Smith the film looses a lot of momentum for a while. I think these sequences of Smith and the girl are the least interesting stuff the film has to offer. Fortunately, starting with a buildup with the the second Wagner montage, to the moment Smith and the girl meet again about two hours into the film previously to Smith's departure and the destruction of the Algonquian, the film achieves something I had never seen before: it becomes a great adventure film, without even meaning to be an adventure film. Those who say this film is just a medley of pretty pictures should rewatch this section, a lot of stuf leads constatly into new stuff with a brilliant pace and it hasn't got much pretty things to say about either faction of the story. The unusual sound editing continues here, I love how it disappears and appears in the battle sequence.

But then the story goes from being about some people lost in an absurd situation due to their feelings to be about the girl's internal world. It's anticlimatic. In its last hour the film also shifts direction and looses its rythm from time to time, which doesn't help the change in the story.

The ending with the final Wagner montage is very good. Malick says a lot with so little. (When I see this, I can only imagine what the natural history sequences of The Tree of Life will be like.) Here he goes again to the "jumping forward" style of earlier in the film, but out of chronological order. But just look at the last minutes of the character onscreen. Many filmaker would miss the point here and go big and sad and slow and pompous. It's interesting we get this small flasback of the character the same way we got one of Witt at the end of The Thin Red Line, which overall is a more powerful film than this one.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I agree with a lot of your points. When it was first released on Blu and I watched it, I was floored and forgot how good it was. Malick has an extraordinary eye for imagery and lighting. The Thin Red Line is a masterpiece, so it's tough to top, but I would not hesitate to say that The New World is easily tied with Days Of Heaven for the number two spot.

[Jay 37,364]

I'd love to see the 172 minute version, and the original 150 minute version. I've only seen the 135 minute theatrical version. It was an interesting flick

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Are you familiar with any of Malick's other films? He's a bit hard to get into, but his style and direction resonate with me in a way no other films can.

[Jay 37,364]

I saw The Thin Red Line in college, and was mesmerized by it, but after it was over had no idea what the hell it was supposed to be all about

I've read all the stories about all the footage he filmed that was deleted, all the characters completely excised.... I wish he would release that stuff as a bonus material!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

There are some deleted scenes available, I believe. But yeah, the original cut was something like 4 hours long. Zimmer said he wrote 6 hours of music. I'd kill a man to get all that.

I recommend you pick up the Criterion Blu, it's everything the film deserves. You'll probably understand it better now that you're older, it's really not complicated There are just a lot of characters and different narrators so it might be a little difficult to keep track of it all. The reason being a lot of actors wanted to be involved. In the special thanks section of the credits there are names like Viggo Mortensen, Billy Bob Thorton, and I think even Mickey Rourke and a few other big names that weren't a part of the final film. I saw it for the first time when I was probably around 12 years old, liked it but didn't understand it.

[Brónach 1,302]

He's a bit hard to get into, but his style and direction resonate with me in a way no other films can.

I know what you mean.

I'll probably be going through all four before The Tree of Life, which, having read parts of the screenplay, I think it has potential to be the best one. Although I'm really into the subject matter so it's hard for me to be objective.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Based on the trailer, I feel like The Tree Of Lie could be his best too. I remember the day it was released on Apple. I watched it like 20-something times. So mesmerizing.

Existential narration, child actors, waterfalls, sunlight bleeding through trees... it's got it all!

[A24 4,335]

This was my second Malick film after The Thin Red Line. I prefer the later, although that one is way harder to understand.

I know that I am in the minority but I prefer The New World. I have to watch it again to understand why but I think it's because it's more lyrical and ultimately more visual too. If that is indeed the reason then I'm in for a treat because Malick's next film promises to be super visual. In fact, it's already on my very short list of future blu-ray purchases together with Sucker Punch and Barry Lyndon.

Alex

[Koray Savas 2,251]

All of Malick's films are super visual!

[Brónach 1,302]

And now he's been playing with CGI!

[Jim Ware 526]

Shifting the discussion to music, The New World is clearly the score on which Horner spent most of his time in 2005. The rumour is that he recorded close to four hours of music in total. Although I love the material that appeared on the album, much of it strikes me as being too heavy-handed for use in Malick's subtle, almost dream-like picture.

As an aside, Horner's song on the album is the only one of his that I can stand.

[Brónach 1,302]

I think it's my favourite song by Horner.

[A24 4,335]

Although I love the material that appeared on the album, much of it strikes me as being too heavy-handed for use in Malick's subtle, almost dream-like picture.

When looking at the trailer, nothing strikes me as subtle. 'Bigger than life' seems more appropriate to me.

And now he's been playing with CGI!

He is? Well, he's also been playing with the old craftsmanship of Douglass Trumbull.

[Guest Morlock]

This was my second Malick film after The Thin Red Line. I prefer the later, although that one is way harder to understand.

I know that I am in the minority but I prefer The New World. I have to watch it again to understand why but I think it's because it's more lyrical and ultimately more visual too. If that is indeed the reason then I'm in for a treat because Malick's next film promises to be super visual. In fact, it's already on my very short list of future blu-ray purchases together with Sucker Punch and Barry Lyndon.

Alex

[Morlock 11]

I just wanted to check what posting as a guest was like. I didn't do it very well.

Morlock- who could not remain silent at Alex putting Snyder in the same company as Mallick and Kubrick.

Shifting the discussion to music, The New World is clearly the score on which Horner spent most of his time in 2005. The rumour is that he recorded close to four hours of music in total. Although I love the material that appeared on the album, much of it strikes me as being too heavy-handed for use in Malick's subtle, almost dream-like picture.

The Wagner in the movie is hardly subtle, nor is the music in his first two pictures. I agree with Alex, 'subtle' isn't what Mallick is going for (in fact, the opposite might be more accurate).

[A24 4,335]

Morlock- who could not remain silent at Alex putting Snyder in the same company as Mallick and Kubrick.

You don't see any connection? If you are really upset with my wish list, you should check some of the lists in the Blu-ray thread.

And I'm really not that big on Malick but the trailer of Tree Of Life does look good ... even though it seems to be caught up in its own seriousness with not an idiota of irony or playfulness. I hope it doesn't cave in under its own weight.

Alex

[filmmusic 1,829]

Speaking of the music used in the film, i think the Mozart piano concerto that was used in some scenes was one of the most irrelevant music pieces i have heard in a film.