Thin Red Line- The Original Cut- RELEASE IT CRITERION?!!!
Moderated
Moderated
I remember reading that a cameraman on the New World asked Malick about releasing a six hour version of the Thin Red Line but Malick said that it was too hard for him to go back to something that he’d loved so much and had it tampered with. He said the distributors forced him to cut it down to the two hour forty minute length (hence the elliptical feel of the last third).
He said the distributors forced him to cut it down to the two hour forty minute length (hence the elliptical feel of the last third).
Malick had final cut, so, again, the notion that the he was “forced” to cut the film doesn’t make sense. It’s my sense that this is sort of the cinematic equivalent of an urban myth. If anybody can site a source as to Malick having to make cuts not of his own volition, I’d love to see it.
Here’s a link to an online petition to 20th Cent Fox to Release the Final Cut
http://new.petitiononline.com/ttrlcut/petition.html
Malcik’s intentions were to release another completely different film at 2.5 hrs. long. Look for Nick Nolte’s interview with Charlie Rose where he alludes to that.
also, Malick told a cameraman for The New World that he concurs with releasing a longer cut of TTRL, but that “some things are best left alone for a while.”
His while just happens to be over ten years later . . .
I remember reading a story about Adrian Brody going to see the premiere with his parents. He was so proud of his work in the film thinking he had one of the lead roles. When the film started and he realized that his performance had been cut to pieces he just shrunk down in his seat.
I would love to see any extended cut of this film. It was my favorite film of the year (much better than Pvt. Ryan) and it’s current running time flies by. Sometimes Final cut on a film requires a set running time . The studio says deliver it under 3 hours and you get to cut it your way, which might’ve happened in this case.
Anyways can’t wait for the Tree of Life this spring.
Is the current version the one Malick wanted? To me, that’s the main question, and enough has been said in this thread to leave some dougts. Even if Malick had final cut, he could have made decisions due to pressure from executives that he otherwise would not have done. I want to see the film he wanted to make. (Btw, I’m not really interested in seeing the cut made by the editor without Malick’s input.)
Btw, I agree with steamboat about Malick’s films. TTRL is definitely a kind of philosophical poem, more than a conventional narrative. I think you really need to listen and ponder the content of the voiceovers and the dialogue—which is really hard to do seeing it at a theater—and see how it connects with the visual aspects of the film. Well, that’s my feeling anyway, because I haven’t been able to breakdown the scenes and hone in on the written qualities of it. Luckily I have a copy of the dvd.
Well, look at it like this. Malick had final cut, this is true. That being said, the cut that was edited and released was in agreement with theatre owners etc. to keep it under three hours for theatrical running time. So, Malick hacked away at it till the last minute. However, he does have a longer cut that he could foresee being released at some time. I would think that with the medium of Blu-Ray etc., that that is a very real possibility. Since his time and attention are focused on Tree of Life, my bet is if that film hits it big, or wins awards or brings his work more into the public eye, Fox will want to re-release this, either as a deluxe release of the theatrical version, or the extended cut. Or both.
My extensive research on this and other Malick films for my book on Malick leads me to believe this with confidence.
I hope you’re right, Paul.
Btw, I watched the Nolte interview. Fascinating. Anybody know of any other interviews? (I understand Malick doesn’t give interviews.)
Great link to the Nolte interview about Malick and TRL – thanks. For others, the exact url is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FOvt8iPi7M
From criterionforum.org
“I can’t disclose too much information, but a source has told me that Criterion is in the middle of restoring The Thin Red Line under supervision of Terrance Malick and they hope to get it out by the end of the year. This source is extremely reliable so I would believe what they say.”
I sure hope so!
I really hope this is true!
Great stuff Dan – do keep us posted if you hear anything more on this.
That is AMAZING DAN!!!!!!
Please- PLEASE keep us posted. I would be dying to see Thin Red Line on Criterion uncut, in all of its glory.
that may be the best thing to come out blu ray yet…a longer (not necessarily better) version of the best American war movie…
:O
(^mouth literally did that)
I’m holding out until I can see every from of the million and a half feet of film Malick shot.
Seriously, though, does anyone have any idea as to the credibility of this poster on the Criterion forum? Or is it just some random guy rumormongering?
Regarding much-hypothosized-about extended version, is no one dubious of the notion that more is more, particularly since the arc of Malick’s career suggest that the opposite is true? Me, I suppose that, as Michael Atkinson put it, "we are unlikely to see “alternate” versions of Malick’s masterpiece, whether formally more traditional or less, but even if we do, I doubt I’ll ever surrender my ardor for the woozy, meditative, heartbroken film with which Malick ended up, whatever its provenance. "
It’s official!
http://i4.createsend5.com/ei/r/4C/F8B/C2F/052221/wacky-thinredlion.jpg
Hmmmm. Well, we’ll see. I saw the release version in its inital release, in a good theatre, and was very impressed, and have since found the film virtually impossible to watch on DVD, the diminished size of even the best TV screen is just insurmountable. This film needs to be seen BIG.
I’ll probably buy it, I guess.
YESSSSSS!!! Thank the heavens!!
My excitement is tantamount to my joy.
-It’s official!-
Not exactly official. And still no details about whether or not this is the theatrical cut or some alternate version.
I was going to post that “Thin Red Lion” myself! :)
Maybe it’s Andrew Marton’s The Thin Red Line :)
Okay, do you have any sources that would merit you saying- “It’s official!!!”?
OK for those who know:
Is the Thin Red Line officially going to be released on Criterion or what?
Criterion is so damned secretive that there’s really no way to know until an official press release goes out.
No indication that it’ll be the original 6 hour cut. I wonder if it’ll ever see the light of day. It’s certainly a depressing thought that it may be never surface.
Redrum4
I’m sure Malick would be willing to release the footage in a supplement, and I wouldn’t doubt if he would be willing to release full cut of what was orignally shot and scripted, similar to what the Apacolypse Now Redux was.