Days of Heaven

Dir. Terrence Malick
1978

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The Thin Red Line

Dir. Terrence Malick
1998

I guess I'll go ahead and work through the rest of Malick's films in the lead-up to his latest, The Tree of Life.

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The New World

Dir. Terrence Malick
2005

This is from the DVD (Theatrical) Cut. I'll post from the "Extended Cut" when I can get access to it.

Sorry for the inordinate amount of time I've been away from this project. In honor of The Tree of Life taking the Palme D'or this year I'll restart this series with one of my favorite all time films.


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Water serves an important purpose in The New World. We first see the "Naturals" frolicking in it. John Smith, similarly, attempts to cover himself with water as he looks up at the sky from his place in the brig. Later, John Smith has a violent confrontation with the "Naturals" that will eventually lead to his acceptance into their village while fighting in knee-deep water. At the end, Pocahontas explores her new world in England and frolics around a large man-made pond on the grounds of the estate. After her death, the camera moves across the great waters to return to the Americas. We see more images of streams, lakes and rivers all before finally looking hopefully upwards; almost an inverse of the opening image, looking clearly at the real image of tree and sky that were only reflected in the beginning.

Favorite Music 2010

My Favorite Songs from music released in 2010

1. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire



2. known(1) - Autechre



3. What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way) - Wolf Parade



4. Rope & Summit - Junip



5. Anyone's Ghost - The National



6. Madder Red - Yeasayer



7. Airbrushed - Anamanaguchi



8. Ásinn - Amiina



9. Nobody's Perfect - Wolf Parade



10. Window - PVT

Full Metal Jacket

Dir. Stanley Kubrick
1987

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Opening with multiple future-marine grunt's heads being sheared, Kubrick establishes his theme of de-humanization by the military machine. Over and over again in the film the individual is de-emphasized and punished. At the end, when all innocence has been lost (symbolically represented by the pre-pubescent girl sniper) all the marines march together, shadows against flame. They whistle the mickey-mouse club theme in unison. Personality burned away until they are perfect copies of one-another.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Dir. Werner Herzog
2009

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Water has both a destructive and redemptive quality in Herzog's universe. McDonagh is symbolically baptized at the beginning of the film as he jumps into the water to save a forgotten prisoner. But this is not a baptism of purity; he jumps into the filthy, snake-ridden flood water of the Hurricane Katrina calamity. We watch as McDonagh sinks lower and lower throughout the film. In one of the first post-prologue sequences he chastises a fellow officer for using rough interrogation techniques on an informant. Several days later McDonagh himself deprives an old woman of her oxygen tank to get the information he wants. He sinks deeper and deeper. During the last act, as things miraculously fall into place for him, we are forced to question the veracity of the film. Are these coincidental events real? Are they simply the product of his drug-addled mind? No clue is given in the last shot, but we are reminded both of how far McDonagh has sunk and of his cleansing baptism in the muddy water.

Stalker

Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
1979

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In honor of Andrei Tarkovsky's birthday; he would have been 79 today. Images from my favorite of his films.