either/or: The Thin Red Line or Saving Private Ryan

[punch_the_lion]

First of all, theres like a million motherfucking stars in it. Great. John Travolta is terrible as always and his five minutes of gay general bullshit let me know I was in for a really well made film.

Apparently none of the big stars -- Nolte, Cusack, Travolta, Penn, Clooney, etc. -- were originally cast in the movie.
The original cut was five hours, and Adrien Brody was the main character.
Then the people bankrolling it got involved to a larger degree, stars got plugged in, and the movie Malick intended to make was changed into the movie that got released.
Read about it here:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20000403/hoch

Ponderous narration aside, I think it's still far superior to Spielberg's commercial for American Morality. Although the Omaha Beach scene is pretty impressive.

I think that article is innacurate. Malick met and disccussed with dozens of Hollywood's elite before filming began. From Brad Pitt to Johnny Depp. He has never been opposed to using "big stars" in any of his productions, it will gurantee more box returns for him.

Billy Bob Thornton recorded a narration for the three-hour-plus epic under the supervision of director Terrence Malick. However, the final print of the film has voice-overs by eight of the main characters in the film; none of the narration from Thornton is in the final print. In addition, several other stars who filmed scenes were left on the cutting-room floor, including Bill Pullman, Gary Oldman, Lukas Haas, Viggo Mortensen and Mickey Rourke.

[punch_the_lion]

honestly, do you think terrence malick was even remotley concerned with the box office takings? bear in mind, this is a man who has never given an interview. doesn't sound like he's particularly bothered about public opinion.

Terrence Malick has given interviews before. Here is one of them
http://www.eskimo.com/~toates/malick/art6.html

He also isn't a Howard Hughes, he even appears at film festivals.

[houseboat]

honestly, do you think terrence malick was even remotley concerned with the box office takings? bear in mind, this is a man who has never given an interview. doesn't sound like he's particularly bothered about public opinion.

Terrence Malick has given interviews before. Here is one of them
http://www.eskimo.com/~toates/malick/art6.html

He also isn't a Howard Hughes, he even appears at film festivals.

And let's not forget his cameo in Badlands.

(He's the guy who comes to the mansion with the deaf maid. In fact, I think the photo in that article is from that scene.)

The Thin Red Line is in another league to Saving Private Ryan. It has its faults, and many of them, but that's part of its brilliance I think. Seems like the film is unsure of itself, if you know what I mean. I can't help thinking that the confused nature of it is far more suited to the subject than the neat and tidy narrative of SPR, complete with American-flag-in-the-breeze as its final image.

[Colonel Panic]

I saw this and it was so realistic... just like playing CounterStrike 2 for real. Those of you who haven't played will never understand why it makes me cry every time...

[stewie]

I preferred the Thin Red Line because, like all great war movies, it raised several points about war that are not readily apparent. The innermost thoughts of individual soldiers in battle are revealed to be neither heroic nor altruistic but often rather base and cruel. The determined dedication of a C.O. to his men is presented as a tactical liability and the highest battlefield honors are revealed as little more than a political hand-job. The Thin Red Line presented war as an ugly horror, a tragedy and a disappointment for those directly involved in the killing and dying.

Agreed 100%.

The lead-up to the beach landing built almost unbearable tension (only to have it be a complete anti-climax), and the advances on the hill bunkers were very well made. It's a very good movie.

That said, I could have chopped a good 40 mins out of it, and some of that horrendous voiceover dialog too.

Oh, and now I know where Explosions in the Sky got that movie sample. So there's that.

[crustandcrumb]

the thin red line is maybe my favorite film ever. i have never seen the other film and don't intend to.

terrence malick > a lot of other directors.

[jimmy two hands]

I like this thunderdome better as "The Tight Pink Line" vs. "Shaving Ryan's Privates".

[stewie]

The "cheezy" voice-over in "The Thin Red Line" is an articulation of the thoughts of one of the characters in the film.

This Breakfast.

Who Made It?

These Eggs.

This Toast.

Was There A Chicken, Somewhere Long Ago?

Before This Time?

Or A Hen?

Who Are You?

What Is This Breafkast?

This Plate. This Fork.

So, so great!

[Ernest]

Underneath all the amorality, the tension, and haphazard characterizations in The Thin Red Line, there sits a three hour tourist commercial for the south pacific. Malick lost it about an hour and a half in, where he began clubbing you instead of showing you things.

[Andrew.]

Ha ha. Nicely done. Thanks for bumping the thread. At this point I'm willing to say that Malick's devotion to Heidegger is of a piece with the shortcomings of his work. With any luck, Angus Jung will reappear to scold me for saying so.

[matthew]

Malick's devotion to Heidegger is of a piece with the shortcomings of his work.

Precisely.

[dabrasha]

Both are bad war movies. Whichever is over quickest is best.

[Angus Jung]

This Breakfast.

Who Made It?

These Eggs.

This Toast.

Was There A Chicken, Somewhere Long Ago?

Before This Time?

Or A Hen?

Who Are You?

What Is This Breafkast?

This Plate. This Fork.

"The Tree Of Life" had even worse voice-over dialogue than "The Thin Red Line" - and it was *whispered.* Just like one of those old Calvin Klein perfume ads.

Infinity. The New Fragrance From Terence Malick.

My enthusiasm for Malick has waned quite a bit over the years, as his films get progressively worse.

Badlands, though. Can't fuck with it. Still love Days Of Heaven too.

[scntfc]

i'm the last one to tell someone who doesn't like malick that "you just don't get it", but i will say this: if you don't like him i genuinely feel bad for you because you are missing out on something special.

[Wood Goblin]

ever seen Elim Klimov's Come and See? it's a Russian war film from the early 80s. makes both the other films mentioned look kinda limp by comparison, and i wouldn't be surprised at all if they were influenced by it.

not trying to trump anyone here, just saying, Come and See is astounding, "like if Herzog made a war movie," many have said.

here be the link.

cheers.

I'll second this, several years later. Never saw the Spielberg film and thought The Thin Red Line was highly overrated. Come and See is among the most amazing, harrowing movies ever made.

Klimov also made a movie about Rasputin. Anyone seen that?

[Dave//Eksvplot]

Klimov also made a movie about Rasputin. Anyone seen that?

I have it on DVD. It boasts excellent set design and is definitely worth seeing, but it could be kind of a let down compared to a film like Come and See.

I also have Farewell here but haven't found the time to watch it yet.

[japmn]

Any T'Dome with a Nolte option comes up another win for Nolte.

Nolte!

[Sock OR Muffin?]

Come and See is among the most amazing, harrowing movies ever made.

Holy shit yes.

[Andrew.]

What do people think about the relation between going through harrowing shit in life and seeing representations of it on screen?

[jimmy two hands]

"The Tree Of Life" had even worse voice-over dialogue than "The Thin Red Line" - and it was *whispered.* Just like one of those old Calvin Klein perfume ads.

I liked the Tree of Life for the most part, but that whispering really irritated me.