Agreed. To use a word from an other post, this is a journey into transcendence. Another kind of film and art experience altogether that looks for -- and finds -- humanity in even our worst natures. It's so unfortunate that Saving Private Ryan overshadowed it. The two films are just different animals and cannot and should not be compared. In many ways, The Thin Red Line ennobles the human experience in ways that Saving Private Ryan does not. In truth, The Thin Red Line makes Saving Private Ryan look philosophically small -- and I love Saving Private Ryan! But The Thin Red Line is simply an extraordinary experience.
Every age-appropriate male actor in Hollywood wanted to be in this movie - it was Terrence Malick’s first film after a very long absence from filmmaking. That’s why the cast is so stacked with recognizable faces, even if some of them are literally in one scene. Also an amazing soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.
Underrated masterpiece. Nick Nolte, Elias Koteas, and Jim Caviezel should have received Oscar nominations. Check on the deleted scenes and look up who else was casted, but deleted from the film.
@@65cj55 It actually takes pieces of a number of historical battles, like the initial landing on the island beach with no opposition is straight from the battle of Okinawa. In terms of the actual human condition parts of the film, and portraying how people act/feel during such atrocities, it is ridiculously accurate.
@@65cj55 My father was there and on the front lines, were you?? I doubt it. He saw fellow soldiers, who he had been talking to a few minutes before, get blown up right before his eyes, and many other horrible things that happened in the movie. Like many other WWII veterans he rarely discussed the war. On this rare occasion, my father was commenting on how the film captured the overall battle environment and chaos of the war in the Pacific, not a historical recounting of a particular battle.
Yes. Malick's style is extremely unique, and the cinematography is amazing. The Thin Red Line has the best cinematography in the war genre. Another aspect of his movies is that you better be on your game mentally. You better not have a headache, feel tired, or be sick. I made the mistake of watching "The New World" for the first time when I went home from work ill one day from some form of headache or migraine. It was making me feel worse, having to THINK! lol. I love his movies. All of them.
@@tiananesbitt7156 1998. It was Terrence Malick's first film since "Days of Heaven" (1978). He was so respected after just two films that EVERY working actor at the time wanted in, even for the smallest role. Hence the amazing cast.
The feel where you are lost confused and utterly exhausted. Malicki captured perfectly how it feels when you have one line of communication to upper level that doesn't have full picture or at worst any idea what is going on. Some of these scenic shots and vivid colors in this film are breath taking and it feels you are looking a nature document than a war film.
Terrence Malick is a director so many actors want to work with. His films are not for everybody and can be polarizing. IMHO, Terrence Malick is a genius. This is a painfully beautiful masterpiece.
Terrence Malick was viewed by Directors, Actors, and cinema in general as a genius. He hadn’t made a movie in 20 yrs until Thin Red Line. They needed a large cast so when actors became aware of the project they scrambled to get a part. He shot hours of film and then he cut down a lot so some actors parts were left with very little screen time. Adrian Brody was originally the lead but didn’t find out his part was basically cut at the premiere. Witt became the lead during the editing process. Many actors were disappointed in there representation in the film. The end result produced a masterpiece by most critics and audiences.
THE introspective war film. Puts off a lot people expecting a lot more action in this war film, but hardly considering that Mother Nature is a main character of war, as the prime casualty yet the deadliest force both.
I love the dialogue in this movie, its so confrontational all the time. You constantly get two points of view clashing against each other. The inner monologues are fantastic too, its very poetic.
Most movies you can basically describe, plot, characters doing things, story, the end. A very small number of movies are just purely films, can only really be understood by experiencing them. They are truly the sum of every single frame, every single sound. This is when film crosses into art, when the only way it can be expressed is as a film.
So good to see this movie getting some love. It's a shame it came out the same year as "Saving Private Ryan", I have a feeling a lot of people overlooked this film because of that. Love both films, but the Thin Red Line was always making me feel things a few movies made me feel and in my opinion, it has one of the best Hans Zimmer scores he ever made. Also, the cast is sensational, but Jim Caviezel is the heart and soul of this film, there is something otherworldly about him. I'd argue he was deserving of every acting award nomination going.
Your comments are spot-on. As time passes, I believe TRL is catching up with SPR in general public appreciation. In 1998 I greatly preferred SPR over this, but now I see the former as too cliched (excluding the Omaha Beach scene of course) and the latter as raw and timeless. Then there's Zimmer's soundtrack. I've been listening to that for about 20 years and I never get tired of it. "Light" is my favorite.
This story does tie into the Pacific historically. In the Pacific, we follow the Marines who'd been fighting on Guadalcanal from August to late December 1942. The Thin Red Line follows Soldiers who'd arrieved in late December 1942 and January of 1943 to relieve the Marines. The Japanese had pulled back from Henderson field (which has been captured in The Pacifc) and by this point in the battle were in the hills behind it. Specifically, this movie shows an area known as The Gifu among the foothills of Mt. Austin, where the Japanese had artillery placed that was hitting the airfield.
Good synopsis. Midway and Guadalcanal finished the Japanese. Guadalcanal became a sinkhole for the best Japanese resources...their best Infantry, their best air, and their best navy. The japanese never recuperated after Midway and Guadalcanal.
@@thomasbrown9402 No. They were the 164th Infantry Regiment. Part of the AmeriCal Division. These Soldiers are 25th Infantry Division, Hawaii. They arrived after the 164th...
Thank you! For me, this is the most important war film along with COME AND SEE (1984) The original trailer for this, which is hard to find features a great narration by Bill Pullman, one of the many actors deleted from the final cut. Other actors cut from the film include; Martin Sheen, Harrison Ford, Billy Bob Thorton, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman, and many more. Other actors had their roles cut down considerably. Cheifly, Adrien Brody whose character was the original central protagonist. In the deleted scenes there is a short scene featuring Mickey Rourke that for a short scene he brings intense presence. This was the first film Terrence Malick directed after disappearing for 20 years, so I was there opening night with a 103 fever on Christmas Day and it was life changing.
This movie will stick with you. There are times when I think of other war films but not just in regular everyday things. But sometime you will be in a quiet moment, in your yard, maybe on a hike somewhere and the light will come through the trees or you will hear water splashing and this film will come to mind. It always reminds me to appreciate the quiet, peaceful moments for what they are. It reminds me that in that moment of peace for me, somewhere violence and death exist and the line between those two realities really is thin. This is a "beautiful" movie.
Its one of my favourites - its unique in its genre with its melancholic feel, philosophy and silent scenes. also hans zimmer´s string-themes are iconic and always make cry 😥❤
The Pacific dealt with the battle for Guadalcanal in the first 2 episodes. This film is about when the Army took over the campaign after the 1st Marine Division was worn out and definitely was in need of R&R.
I especially liked the ending, that after the death of Caviezel's character, Sean Penn's character still adopted his point of view, began to understand and think like his deceased friend.
Terrence malick also made a film about Pocahontas called THE NEW WORLD, which is one of my 10 favorite films of all time and highly recommend if you liked this. A few more fun facts about the film; • Just about every working actor available auditioned for the film. • The return of Terrence Malick was a huge event for a lot of people. He had made 2 highly influential films 20 years earlier and then walked away from filmmaking and has been working prolifically since Thin Red Line. • Sean Penn famously did the film for $1. • Up until the moment he was watching the film, Adrien Brody thought he was the central character.
I'll third The New World. One of most powerful final ten minutes or so in movie history. An all-around great experience. But no need to watch the long director's cut. Theatrical is the sweet spot.
Terrence Malick is an amazing film maker that has his own unique style. If you like the visual style of this watch The Tree of Life by him, it's a beautiful film that brings his poetic style to a whole new level.
Fact: Adrien Brody was originally written as the main character, but it was cut down in post to make Jim Caviezel the main character, that explains why Adrien Brody isn't in alot of scenes and doesn't say much.
That scene with Staros and Nick Nolte arguing over whether to go straight or flank is one of the most spine chilling part of being a commander. Whether you are willing to send men you know, men who are like brothers to an almost certain death. But meanwhile the General is under unbelievable pressure from his superiors to gain the objective. You feel for the Captain in wanting to spare his men...but at the same time...this is why officers normally don't fraternize with the enlisted men. It's just an impossible choice, with uncontrollable ending. Best ethical and moral debate in a war movie. While Private Ryan is my favorite....this movie is right behind it. The movies in itself while both about WW2.. Couldnt be more different...yet both are amazing.
In this particular case it's more than just pressure from his superiors that was driving Nick Nolte's character. A good commander wouldn't be as short-sighted as he was; it's in everyone's interest to minimise casualties, from a purely practical perspective the fewer men lost in this one manoeuvre would mean more troops available for the next assault. So if there was an alternate strategy available other than a costly frontal assault, then he should have considered it. We know from his inner monologue when he was introduced that his judgement was likely clouded by ego and resentment.
@@richieclean The problem is that if Nolte is not motivated by personal ambition and ego he would not order men to their death, even if it was necessary to win the war. Staros is 'normal', he doesn't want to be there, he doesn't want his men to die, he doesn't like war, so he will always second guess a decision that causes casualties among his men, whereas Tall (the character played by Nolte) gets results because he only cares about his career. In the end Staros is happy to leave, whereas Tall is happy to stay because war is a chance for him to get promoted to general. As awful and absurd as it is, bad leaders like Tall win wars.
@@quintoblanco8746 they might win battles, but they don't necessarily win wars. This is my point; even if one only considers their infantry to be a resource, it's still in one's best interests to adopt a strategy that minimises casualties, so that you retain more of that resource for future engagements. It's a very short-sighted approach to warfare, but a relatively understandable one if that particular resource is both abundant, and expendable. That's before even considering the human element; that you are sending people to their deaths. My late grandfather was a British WW2 veteran, and he didn't have a particularly high opinion of US military strategy. As he put it, the British, French and other Allies would devise strategies that minimised own-side casualties, whereas American strategy favoured overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers of troops, getting the job done but at a higher cost. I recall him saying that, of the US soldiers he encountered, he had the most respect for the African Americans, who were almost exclusively infantry and therefore always the first to be sent into the "meat grinder" (big surprise there). He hated most American films set in WW2 because they tended to be self-aggrandizing and never reflected the reality that a huge proportion of the US frontline forces were, in fact, Black. This strategy is, however, quite eloquently summed up in "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" with its "Operation: Get Behind the Darkies".
@@richieclean The US did win the war... And not because their military commanders were thoughtful and considerate people. I was in the army, my grandfather was a professional soldier during WWII. The sort of leader that you want is an ideal, not a realistic option, normal people do not want to lead men into battle (or order them into battle from behind a desk).
@@quintoblanco8746 The Allies won the war, which included the US, but it wasn't exclusively their contribution that was pivotal. If Hitler hadn't been so fixated on taking Stalingrad, and if Soviet resistance hadn't been so fierce, he wouldn't have pulled so much of his resource from other areas in order to secure it, enabling the Allies on the Western front to advance further than they otherwise would have done. Hitler was willing to sacrifice 800,000 Axis troops at Stalingrad, and they still lost both that battle, and the war; such tactics don't guarantee victory when the enemy is better prepared and more familiar with the terrain. The US suffered particularly heavy losses on Omaha beach, but not because the Axis resistance was particularly fierce compared to the other major landing sites (the defending troops were mainly Czech conscripts, who the German High Command considered more expendable) but because the infantry didn't have the Armoured support they were supposed to; the US command, in a panic, gave the order to deploy their armoured divisions before they had reached shallow enough water and most of it floundered in the English Channel. (My Grandad was a Tank Driver and took part in the amphibious assault on Sword Beach. He was happy enough to take his grandsons to the pool and watch us swim, but he never, ever set foot in the water himself because of his experience on D-Day) The US lost almost 10,000 troops taking Peleliu, because they vastly underestimated the size of the Japanese forces on the island, but it was ultimately deemed of no strategic importance. So there's just a few examples of decisions that cost an unnecessary amount of lives, yet they either did not achieve victory, or they ultimately had no bearing on the outcome of the overall campaign. All as a result of poor strategy, poor execution or of simply being over-zealous.
I was 20 when The Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan came out and although I appreciated both, I much preferred TTRL for its unconventional, introspective, subtle and tender approach 🥲 Such an underrated and overlooked masterpiece.
"This great evil, where's it come from? How'd it steal into the world? What seed, what root did it grow from? Who's doing this? Who's killing us, robbing us of life and light, mocking us with the sight of what we might've known? Does our ruin benefit the earth, does it help the grass to grow, the sun to shine? Is this darkness in you, too?"
This was my favorite film ever for many years, and was also my introduction to Terrence Malick. Hope you two are able to check out more of his films on the channel or on your own. The New World sits side by side with Thin Red Line now, and Badlands and Days of Heaven are brilliant.
One of the greatest films ever made and my favorite Terrence Malick film. It’s a war movie, technically, but it’s really a very spiritual and philosophical movie. It asks so many questions. Why do we fight? Why do we kill? Do we have the right to destroy the land with our weapons? Is God on anyone’s side in a war? Is the sacrifice of war worth it? There are so many great scenes, but the scene where Sean Penn as Sgt Welsh tries to rescue the dying soldier always gets to me. And probably Hans Zimmer’s greatest score. Just incredible.
It's a genuinely epic ciné-poem that essentially sidesteps history, politics and conventional ethics to deal with war as an absolute, inevitable and eternal facet of existence.
With Martin Scorsese.. Terrence Malick is the greatest film director , he makes works of art and not just movies for everyone !! I watched this film at a very confusing time in my life and Sean Penn's character really disturbed me a lot..perhaps because I find him honest or because we have the same vision of the world but at the same time he has a lot of compassion and tenderness for Witt I really admire your reaction channel and I find it excellent ❤... I recommend you watch his latest film "A Hidden Life" which is based on the true story of a man who refused to fight for the Nazis during World War II , another masterpiece
You are among the best reaction channels because you do a lot of great, challenging movies like this one that most others dont. And you keep the crap movies to a bare minimum.
Yes--there is an audience for reactions to challenging films! Plus, there's an audience for your reactions, so you can lead people to challenging films.
I got crazy lucky - was in a "let's go see a movie" situation with family/friends, and this was the only thing in the theater we all hadn't seen/were interested in. Was absolutely blown away and fell in love with Terrence Malick.
That is the way Malick makes movies. He shoots hundreds of hours of footage and then just puts it all together as he feels it. He has notoriously pissed on off actors and even one of his composers. Originally Adrien Body was going to be the main character and he was actually told he was the main character. He didn't find out how much of his screentime was cut until he saw the final product. Mickey Rourke actually filmed scenes for this movie and Malick decided to cut all of them. Malick loves poetic storytelling often involving man, nature and spirituality.
This is the sequel book to the famous made film "From Here to Eternity". This is the 25th Infantry Divisions second combat action since defending Schofield Barracks,HI during the Pearl Harbor attacks.
So.....when it's "Saving Private Ryan", people complain about it losing to Shakespeare In Love. Now it's The Thin Red Line, and again: "it lost to Shakespeare In Love"! The TRUTH is that both war movies cancelled each other out. Back in '97, everyone was divided: are you a Saving Private Ryan person? Or a Thin Red Line person? Thin Red Line was the "cool" one to like because it was the enigmatic (and brilliant) Terence Malick. So when you get some of the Academy voting for "Private Ryan" and some voting for "Thin Red Line", then the vote gets split and "Shakespeare In Love" wins. That's happened many-a-year. (And campaigning for Oscars goes back to the great Mary Pickford who won the second Best Actress award based on her pioneering history in the movie business and her campaigning for the win as much as it was for her performance).
This film perfectly captures peaceful serenity and the nightmarish horrors of war. It's depiction of fearful and paranoid distant combat with unseen/hidden opposition also adds to it especially the battle in the grasslands. A very beautiful and brutally intense film.
Also, fun fact : Adrien Brody was supposed to be the main character of this movie. All throughout filming, he was the main. He didn't realize until the movie premier that most of his scenes were cut in the final edit.
There was a really funny joke someone said about this film. This is the film where everyone thought they were the main star because Terrence Malik is so random in how he edits anyone could have been the main character.
maybe its symbolisms about how no matter who you are in the civilian world, in the battlefield you're just some guy with a gun between thousands of other guys with a gun.
If the quiet, contemplative and introspective nature of this Malick film appeals to you, I highly recommend two others - Days of Heaven (1978) and Tree of Life (2011). The latter will especially hit considering the new changing dynamics to your family life.
Days of Heaven changed the lives of a lot of filmmakers. It created a mood, an almost new cinematic language that so many are still trying to speak. Days of Heaven is just beyond words. So happy to see the love for it. (Not that it's not already much loved!)
Although The Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan were both 1998 films they were released several months apart. Both films excellent, both completely unique from one another to such a degree they virtually cannot be compared or contrasted, it's simply two films both set during the Second World War and there the similarities end. One film didn't overshadow the other, both were lauded, both in fact received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture 1998.
I haven't watched this in years, but I saw it three times in the theater. It's really an amazing piece of work. Malick is so different, it's kind of hard to compare him to other directors. Other than perhaps Badlands, his movies are never straightforward. There are all sorts of themes going through this one, but the one that I connect to more than other others is the paradise lost one. Witt's appreciation for the simplicity of the native islander lifestyle and how "modernity" ruins that as the engines of war arrive. He also wanted to meet death with the same calm his mother did. Throughout he tries to hold onto that peacefulness (even something as simple as the way he pours water onto the plant) and with no fear sacrifices his own life to save his battalion.
I believe the action takes place on Guadal😂canal, the first land based action for the Americas to take place. The Marines basically did most of the initial fighting while the army was responsible for taking care of the second half of kicking the Japanese out. The Japanese called Guadalcanal the island of death. The US managed to cut off the enemy's ability to resupply their troops. Japanese soldiers were dying as much from disease and starvation as from fighting with Americans.
Malick and his films are a gift. Spielberg has the gift of storytelling for a broad spectrum, more easily digested. Malick shows the interior humanity that is at best uncomfortable...mostly despairing...and wondrous...over the topics we have been encultured to avoid or run from. Violence and intimacy.... and our relationship with Nature/God.
Hello! In the past I suggested movies to watch and for the most part you have watch some of them ( Speed, The Crow, The Green Mile, Minority Report, etc etc...). I have suggested other movies you have yet to watch =). Anyways, here is a reminder of some GREAT movies that you should put on your Patreon polls that I know you will love! = Blade, Edge of Tomorrow, kick Ass!, Dances with Wolves, and Unbreakable. If you ever want to dive into animated movies you can start here as well = The Incredibles. These are all awesome movies that I know you will enjoy!
Of all war movies I've seen The Thin Red Line is the one that stuck with me the most. Many movies are able to show what happens in war, the horros, the violence and so on. This one makes you feel it all.
This same director of The Thin Red Line also directed a true telling of Pocahontas and John Smith and the British first colony in America , with Colin Ferrell and Christian Bale and Christopher Plummer , and just like The Thin Red Line it's a amazing historical movie , the movie is called 'The New World' (2005)
Thanks for doing this reaction. Not many reactors include this film as good as it is. Damn shame many always compare this to Saveing Private Ryan when they are completely different films with only really WWII being the only comparable between the two. The New World and Tree of Life are two other Mallick films that I feel have the same style as this film did.
this movie has always seemed to go so unnoticed to me but i think it is one of the best war movies ever made. nothing beats a bridge too far for me though. hoping youse react to it someday. you keep keep making videos and il keep watching them.
Congrats on becoming parents, btw. So excited you're reacting to a Malick film. I'm about to watch this video right now, but if you like _The Thin Red Line_ , please react to more Malick films. They are pure art, filled with love and beauty even when they're depicting spree killers, migrant workers, musicians, WWII soldiers, the beginning of the universe, a suburban Texan family in the fifties, an Austrian man resisting the Nazis, and even the first British invaders of North America arriving in Jamestown, Virginia, and their clash with the Powhatan people of whom Pocahontas is still remembered. Malick's style is unique: heartfelt, philosophical, poetic, visually gorgeous, with perfect movie scores and acting. Mood is paramount.
Ben Chaplin plays private Bell and his wife is Miranda Otto - Éowyn in The Lord of the Rings The film was shot here in Australia and in the Solomon Islands.
Yes, this did get overshadowed by Saving Private Ryan, but I like this one better. If you haven’t already, you also need to see Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima.
A lot of this movie is filmed in my hometown (Cairns, Australia) and being married to a png woman I’ve always felt a deep connection to this film and Pvt Witt’s story. My personal attachment aside it’s a beautiful piece of art, maybe the most unique “war” film I’ve ever watched.
Enjoyed this a lot. Malick is one of the artiest and most philosophical directors America has ever produced, and I hope that people that resonate with a film like The Thin Red Line feel confident to engage with art films even if they don't normally think of themselves as the kind of person who likes them.
My dad and i were trying to see Saving Private Ryan in the theater but it was booked, so the theater guy told us this movie is playing in a few mins. We took a chance on it and changed both our lives. I even joined the military cause of this and became a medic/Corpsman cause of how it showed me the value of every life.
This was the other 'Saving Private Ryan', the second WW2 film of 1998 if I'm correct. Like 'Saving Private Ryan' every actor who wasn't in that film was in this one. Hans Zimmer's 'Journey to the Line' always gets me. Epic.
There is a very famous story told by George Clooney (which you can find on RUclips) about Adrien Brody finding out that his character had been cut out of the film at the premiere. He was meant to be one of the main characters but the first cut of the film was too long so Malick made the choice to go with Caviezel as the story arc.
I remember watching this at a cinema in Manchester, UK that was really old...it had one of those old school balconies...myself and my team from work all went on a cold winter night after a day shift to watch it, we had the whole balcony to ourselves, we also snuck in a load of beer so it became a bit of a warm up for going out on the town in the snow after the film...the cast absolutely blew me away, how they managed to get just about every great actor to play such a small role amazed me... Sean Penn definitely deserves more of a look at on your channel..."Mystic River" IMO is an absolute masterpiece of a film!
Memphis Belle is the only film I know with actors of the right age - showing just how much we today owe to teens in WWII. I've yet to see something similar of the Vietnam War.
You can literally start at any random time in the film and you would still feel the emotion. This isn't just a war film, this is something else.
It goes beyond the medium of film into the transcendent.
poetry.
Agreed. To use a word from an other post, this is a journey into transcendence. Another kind of film and art experience altogether that looks for -- and finds -- humanity in even our worst natures. It's so unfortunate that Saving Private Ryan overshadowed it. The two films are just different animals and cannot and should not be compared. In many ways, The Thin Red Line ennobles the human experience in ways that Saving Private Ryan does not. In truth, The Thin Red Line makes Saving Private Ryan look philosophically small -- and I love Saving Private Ryan! But The Thin Red Line is simply an extraordinary experience.
It's not a movie, it's a soul changing experience.
Every age-appropriate male actor in Hollywood wanted to be in this movie - it was Terrence Malick’s first film after a very long absence from filmmaking. That’s why the cast is so stacked with recognizable faces, even if some of them are literally in one scene.
Also an amazing soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.
Why is it significant ?
You said it best there sir
@@lexkanyima2195 just watch the movie, it speaks for its self
Underrated masterpiece. Nick Nolte, Elias Koteas, and Jim Caviezel should have received Oscar nominations. Check on the deleted scenes and look up who else was casted, but deleted from the film.
So many people deleted from the final cut, or excised before filming even began, it's unbelievable. And Brody's role was cut to almost nothing.
Hilarious.
@@Geoglyph89 why?
Brody found out he wasn't the star of the movie any more during a press junket when he was asked "who do you play?"
He thought he was the leading man.
1998 was an incredibly strong year for supporting male performances.
My dad was a WWII Army veteran and served in the infantry on the front lines in the Pacific. He told me this movie was the most accurate of them all.
It's based on the Guadalcanal battle but a totally fictional account.
@@65cj55 It actually takes pieces of a number of historical battles, like the initial landing on the island beach with no opposition is straight from the battle of Okinawa. In terms of the actual human condition parts of the film, and portraying how people act/feel during such atrocities, it is ridiculously accurate.
@@VodkaphileTTG Maybe, but the story is fictional.
@65cj55 I mean yes, it's a movie remake of a movie that was adapted from a book. Who cares?
@@65cj55 My father was there and on the front lines, were you?? I doubt it. He saw fellow soldiers, who he had been talking to a few minutes before, get blown up right before his eyes, and many other horrible things that happened in the movie. Like many other WWII veterans he rarely discussed the war. On this rare occasion, my father was commenting on how the film captured the overall battle environment and chaos of the war in the Pacific, not a historical recounting of a particular battle.
Terrence Malick has made 11 films in 50 years.
They really are like gems...
Rare, unique and beautiful.
I love Malick. Tree of Life is one of my favorite movies of all time.
Badlands, Days of Heaven & The New World are all incredible films.
Yes. Malick's style is extremely unique, and the cinematography is amazing. The Thin Red Line has the best cinematography in the war genre. Another aspect of his movies is that you better be on your game mentally. You better not have a headache, feel tired, or be sick. I made the mistake of watching "The New World" for the first time when I went home from work ill one day from some form of headache or migraine. It was making me feel worse, having to THINK! lol. I love his movies. All of them.
Tripping me out
What year is this movie?
@@tiananesbitt7156 1998. It was Terrence Malick's first film since "Days of Heaven" (1978). He was so respected after just two films that EVERY working actor at the time wanted in, even for the smallest role. Hence the amazing cast.
He makes movies for himself. Many people don't like his movies.
The feel where you are lost confused and utterly exhausted. Malicki captured perfectly how it feels when you have one line of communication to upper level that doesn't have full picture or at worst any idea what is going on. Some of these scenic shots and vivid colors in this film are breath taking and it feels you are looking a nature document than a war film.
Terrence Malick is a director so many actors want to work with. His films are not for everybody and can be polarizing. IMHO, Terrence Malick
is a genius. This is a painfully beautiful masterpiece.
Hans Zimmers score during the run on the village is just masterful
Terrence Malick was viewed by Directors, Actors, and cinema in general as a genius. He hadn’t made a movie in 20 yrs until Thin Red Line. They needed a large cast so when actors became aware of the project they scrambled to get a part. He shot hours of film and then he cut down a lot so some actors parts were left with very little screen time. Adrian Brody was originally the lead but didn’t find out his part was basically cut at the premiere. Witt became the lead during the editing process. Many actors were disappointed in there representation in the film. The end result produced a masterpiece by most critics and audiences.
This is the kind of movie that stay with you forever, very underrated/overlooked.
the most underrated (anti)war movie ever.
Jim C: "You ever get lonely?"
SEAN P: "Only around people."
THE introspective war film. Puts off a lot people expecting a lot more action in this war film, but hardly considering that Mother Nature is a main character of war, as the prime casualty yet the deadliest force both.
I love the dialogue in this movie, its so confrontational all the time. You constantly get two points of view clashing against each other. The inner monologues are fantastic too, its very poetic.
Most movies you can basically describe, plot, characters doing things, story, the end. A very small number of movies are just purely films, can only really be understood by experiencing them. They are truly the sum of every single frame, every single sound. This is when film crosses into art, when the only way it can be expressed is as a film.
So good to see this movie getting some love. It's a shame it came out the same year as "Saving Private Ryan", I have a feeling a lot of people overlooked this film because of that. Love both films, but the Thin Red Line was always making me feel things a few movies made me feel and in my opinion, it has one of the best Hans Zimmer scores he ever made.
Also, the cast is sensational, but Jim Caviezel is the heart and soul of this film, there is something otherworldly about him. I'd argue he was deserving of every acting award nomination going.
Your comments are spot-on. As time passes, I believe TRL is catching up with SPR in general public appreciation. In 1998 I greatly preferred SPR over this, but now I see the former as too cliched (excluding the Omaha Beach scene of course) and the latter as raw and timeless. Then there's Zimmer's soundtrack. I've been listening to that for about 20 years and I never get tired of it. "Light" is my favorite.
This story does tie into the Pacific historically. In the Pacific, we follow the Marines who'd been fighting on Guadalcanal from August to late December 1942. The Thin Red Line follows Soldiers who'd arrieved in late December 1942 and January of 1943 to relieve the Marines. The Japanese had pulled back from Henderson field (which has been captured in The Pacifc) and by this point in the battle were in the hills behind it. Specifically, this movie shows an area known as The Gifu among the foothills of Mt. Austin, where the Japanese had artillery placed that was hitting the airfield.
WOW! Thank you SO MUCH for that historical clarification! I would Love to pick your brains about WW II history 😲
Technically there were still marines on the island but from the 2nd Marines. The army likely relieved those from the 1st.
Basically, these were the guys the Marines stole the peaches and cigars from in the Pacific.
Good synopsis.
Midway and Guadalcanal finished the Japanese.
Guadalcanal became a sinkhole for the best Japanese resources...their best Infantry, their best air, and their best navy.
The japanese never recuperated after Midway and Guadalcanal.
@@thomasbrown9402 No. They were the 164th Infantry Regiment. Part of the AmeriCal Division.
These Soldiers are 25th Infantry Division, Hawaii.
They arrived after the 164th...
Absolutely love that movie. Not many reactions to this, glad you did it.
I saw this when it came out when I was in college. It was my💡 moment about the art of cinematography. Great film.
28:52 "I think this is the guy from The Mist Thomas, Thomas Jane."
you are correct ✅
16:56 "this has been such an interesting battle because I have no idea what the f*ck is going on." -Daniel
Thank you! For me, this is the most important war film along with COME AND SEE (1984) The original trailer for this, which is hard to find features a great narration by Bill Pullman, one of the many actors deleted from the final cut. Other actors cut from the film include; Martin Sheen, Harrison Ford, Billy Bob Thorton, Lukas Haas, Gary Oldman, and many more. Other actors had their roles cut down considerably. Cheifly, Adrien Brody whose character was the original central protagonist. In the deleted scenes there is a short scene featuring Mickey Rourke that for a short scene he brings intense presence. This was the first film Terrence Malick directed after disappearing for 20 years, so I was there opening night with a 103 fever on Christmas Day and it was life changing.
This movie will stick with you. There are times when I think of other war films but not just in regular everyday things. But sometime you will be in a quiet moment, in your yard, maybe on a hike somewhere and the light will come through the trees or you will hear water splashing and this film will come to mind. It always reminds me to appreciate the quiet, peaceful moments for what they are. It reminds me that in that moment of peace for me, somewhere violence and death exist and the line between those two realities really is thin. This is a "beautiful" movie.
Hands down Best War Movie Ever!
Its one of my favourites - its unique in its genre with its melancholic feel, philosophy and silent scenes. also hans zimmer´s string-themes are iconic and always make cry 😥❤
The Pacific dealt with the battle for Guadalcanal in the first 2 episodes. This film is about when the Army took over the campaign after the 1st Marine Division was worn out and definitely was in need of R&R.
This film is one of the best. Cinematography in particular.
I especially liked the ending, that after the death of Caviezel's character, Sean Penn's character still adopted his point of view, began to understand and think like his deceased friend.
I only watched this last year but it's in my top 10 movies. So beautifully shot.
Terrence malick also made a film about Pocahontas called THE NEW WORLD, which is one of my 10 favorite films of all time and highly recommend if you liked this.
A few more fun facts about the film;
• Just about every working actor available auditioned for the film.
• The return of Terrence Malick was a huge event for a lot of people. He had made 2 highly influential films 20 years earlier and then walked away from filmmaking and has been working prolifically since Thin Red Line.
• Sean Penn famously did the film for $1.
• Up until the moment he was watching the film, Adrien Brody thought he was the central character.
I'll second the recommendation of THE NEW WORLD. An incredible film.
That's one of my favorite movies, "The New World".
Gorge Clooney "Brody found out during a press junket in the run up to release when he was asked "who do you play"....he thought he was the lead"
I'll third The New World. One of most powerful final ten minutes or so in movie history. An all-around great experience. But no need to watch the long director's cut. Theatrical is the sweet spot.
$1 ?
The actor who played Joe Toye in BoB and John Savage (the officer who freaks out), who starred in Deer Hunter, are also in this.
Kurt Acevito
John Savage character wasn’t an officer. He was Sgt. McCron.
This and Apocalypse Now are totally different than most war movies for sure, thanks
great view! thanks for choosing this classic. you guys give great commentary at the end of the movies you watch, too!
Terrence Malick is an amazing film maker that has his own unique style. If you like the visual style of this watch The Tree of Life by him, it's a beautiful film that brings his poetic style to a whole new level.
Fact: Adrien Brody was originally written as the main character, but it was cut down in post to make Jim Caviezel the main character, that explains why Adrien Brody isn't in alot of scenes and doesn't say much.
That scene with Staros and Nick Nolte arguing over whether to go straight or flank is one of the most spine chilling part of being a commander. Whether you are willing to send men you know, men who are like brothers to an almost certain death. But meanwhile the General is under unbelievable pressure from his superiors to gain the objective. You feel for the Captain in wanting to spare his men...but at the same time...this is why officers normally don't fraternize with the enlisted men. It's just an impossible choice, with uncontrollable ending. Best ethical and moral debate in a war movie. While Private Ryan is my favorite....this movie is right behind it. The movies in itself while both about WW2.. Couldnt be more different...yet both are amazing.
In this particular case it's more than just pressure from his superiors that was driving Nick Nolte's character.
A good commander wouldn't be as short-sighted as he was; it's in everyone's interest to minimise casualties, from a purely practical perspective the fewer men lost in this one manoeuvre would mean more troops available for the next assault.
So if there was an alternate strategy available other than a costly frontal assault, then he should have considered it.
We know from his inner monologue when he was introduced that his judgement was likely clouded by ego and resentment.
@@richieclean The problem is that if Nolte is not motivated by personal ambition and ego he would not order men to their death, even if it was necessary to win the war. Staros is 'normal', he doesn't want to be there, he doesn't want his men to die, he doesn't like war, so he will always second guess a decision that causes casualties among his men, whereas Tall (the character played by Nolte) gets results because he only cares about his career.
In the end Staros is happy to leave, whereas Tall is happy to stay because war is a chance for him to get promoted to general. As awful and absurd as it is, bad leaders like Tall win wars.
@@quintoblanco8746 they might win battles, but they don't necessarily win wars.
This is my point; even if one only considers their infantry to be a resource, it's still in one's best interests to adopt a strategy that minimises casualties, so that you retain more of that resource for future engagements. It's a very short-sighted approach to warfare, but a relatively understandable one if that particular resource is both abundant, and expendable. That's before even considering the human element; that you are sending people to their deaths.
My late grandfather was a British WW2 veteran, and he didn't have a particularly high opinion of US military strategy.
As he put it, the British, French and other Allies would devise strategies that minimised own-side casualties, whereas American strategy favoured overwhelming the enemy with sheer numbers of troops, getting the job done but at a higher cost.
I recall him saying that, of the US soldiers he encountered, he had the most respect for the African Americans, who were almost exclusively infantry and therefore always the first to be sent into the "meat grinder" (big surprise there).
He hated most American films set in WW2 because they tended to be self-aggrandizing and never reflected the reality that a huge proportion of the US frontline forces were, in fact, Black.
This strategy is, however, quite eloquently summed up in "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" with its "Operation: Get Behind the Darkies".
@@richieclean The US did win the war... And not because their military commanders were thoughtful and considerate people.
I was in the army, my grandfather was a professional soldier during WWII. The sort of leader that you want is an ideal, not a realistic option, normal people do not want to lead men into battle (or order them into battle from behind a desk).
@@quintoblanco8746 The Allies won the war, which included the US, but it wasn't exclusively their contribution that was pivotal.
If Hitler hadn't been so fixated on taking Stalingrad, and if Soviet resistance hadn't been so fierce, he wouldn't have pulled so much of his resource from other areas in order to secure it, enabling the Allies on the Western front to advance further than they otherwise would have done. Hitler was willing to sacrifice 800,000 Axis troops at Stalingrad, and they still lost both that battle, and the war; such tactics don't guarantee victory when the enemy is better prepared and more familiar with the terrain.
The US suffered particularly heavy losses on Omaha beach, but not because the Axis resistance was particularly fierce compared to the other major landing sites (the defending troops were mainly Czech conscripts, who the German High Command considered more expendable) but because the infantry didn't have the Armoured support they were supposed to; the US command, in a panic, gave the order to deploy their armoured divisions before they had reached shallow enough water and most of it floundered in the English Channel.
(My Grandad was a Tank Driver and took part in the amphibious assault on Sword Beach. He was happy enough to take his grandsons to the pool and watch us swim, but he never, ever set foot in the water himself because of his experience on D-Day)
The US lost almost 10,000 troops taking Peleliu, because they vastly underestimated the size of the Japanese forces on the island, but it was ultimately deemed of no strategic importance.
So there's just a few examples of decisions that cost an unnecessary amount of lives, yet they either did not achieve victory, or they ultimately had no bearing on the outcome of the overall campaign. All as a result of poor strategy, poor execution or of simply being over-zealous.
I was 20 when The Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan came out and although I appreciated both, I much preferred TTRL for its unconventional, introspective, subtle and tender approach 🥲 Such an underrated and overlooked masterpiece.
"This great evil, where's it come from? How'd it steal into the world? What seed, what root did it grow from? Who's doing this? Who's killing us, robbing us of life and light, mocking us with the sight of what we might've known? Does our ruin benefit the earth, does it help the grass to grow, the sun to shine? Is this darkness in you, too?"
This was my favorite film ever for many years, and was also my introduction to Terrence Malick. Hope you two are able to check out more of his films on the channel or on your own. The New World sits side by side with Thin Red Line now, and Badlands and Days of Heaven are brilliant.
My favorite WWII movie. I think it’s better that SPR and sadly it did get overshadowed.
Definitely better than SPR.
I don't think you can really compare. Very different movies.
This is in my top 5 movies of all time. Awesome that you reviewed it 🎉
John Savage and Elias Koteas, a couple of favorites amongst such a strong cast, thanks y’all!
One of the greatest films ever made and my favorite Terrence Malick film. It’s a war movie, technically, but it’s really a very spiritual and philosophical movie. It asks so many questions. Why do we fight? Why do we kill? Do we have the right to destroy the land with our weapons? Is God on anyone’s side in a war? Is the sacrifice of war worth it?
There are so many great scenes, but the scene where Sean Penn as Sgt Welsh tries to rescue the dying soldier always gets to me.
And probably Hans Zimmer’s greatest score. Just incredible.
It's a genuinely epic ciné-poem that essentially sidesteps history, politics and conventional ethics to deal with war as an absolute, inevitable and eternal facet of existence.
With Martin Scorsese.. Terrence Malick is the greatest film director , he makes works of art and not just movies for everyone !! I watched this film at a very confusing time in my life and Sean Penn's character really disturbed me a lot..perhaps because I find him honest or because we have the same vision of the world but at the same time he has a lot of compassion and tenderness for Witt
I really admire your reaction channel and I find it excellent ❤... I recommend you watch his latest film "A Hidden Life" which is based on the true story of a man who refused to fight for the Nazis during World War II , another masterpiece
Better than Saving Private Ryan...yeah, you read that right and I stand by it.
You are among the best reaction channels because you do a lot of great, challenging movies like this one that most others dont. And you keep the crap movies to a bare minimum.
Yes--there is an audience for reactions to challenging films! Plus, there's an audience for your reactions, so you can lead people to challenging films.
This was a spiritual movie. It touches on the beautiful and divine.
That piece of music during the storming of the camp by Hans Zimmer is so iconic now. It's been played and copied a million times over.
This movie is amazing, one of my fave movies. The contrast between the poetic musings and the devastation of war gets me every time.
I got crazy lucky - was in a "let's go see a movie" situation with family/friends, and this was the only thing in the theater we all hadn't seen/were interested in. Was absolutely blown away and fell in love with Terrence Malick.
The man who injected himself with morphine was Kirk Acevedo, the actor who played Joe Toye in Band of Brothers, who lost his leg at Bastogne.
That is the way Malick makes movies. He shoots hundreds of hours of footage and then just puts it all together as he feels it. He has notoriously pissed on off actors and even one of his composers. Originally Adrien Body was going to be the main character and he was actually told he was the main character. He didn't find out how much of his screentime was cut until he saw the final product. Mickey Rourke actually filmed scenes for this movie and Malick decided to cut all of them. Malick loves poetic storytelling often involving man, nature and spirituality.
This is the sequel book to the famous made film "From Here to Eternity". This is the 25th Infantry Divisions second combat action since defending Schofield Barracks,HI during the Pearl Harbor attacks.
Hans Zimmer at his finest. "Journey to the Line" is probably his greatest piece of movie music.
"Time" from the movie Inception and "Journey to the Line"
@goldleader6074 time is the same song just slightly tweaked.
Nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture, but lost to Shakespeare In Love.
A Harvey Weinstein production.
So.....when it's "Saving Private Ryan", people complain about it losing to Shakespeare In Love. Now it's The Thin Red Line, and again: "it lost to Shakespeare In Love"! The TRUTH is that both war movies cancelled each other out. Back in '97, everyone was divided: are you a Saving Private Ryan person? Or a Thin Red Line person? Thin Red Line was the "cool" one to like because it was the enigmatic (and brilliant) Terence Malick. So when you get some of the Academy voting for "Private Ryan" and some voting for "Thin Red Line", then the vote gets split and "Shakespeare In Love" wins. That's happened many-a-year. (And campaigning for Oscars goes back to the great Mary Pickford who won the second Best Actress award based on her pioneering history in the movie business and her campaigning for the win as much as it was for her performance).
There was also a bias against Spielberg films
Terrence Malick is a truly one of a kind cinematic artist.
He's put out some real garbage, too.
@@trhansen3244how ?
@@trhansen3244 He has the guts to experiment like no other filmmaker out there, He creates real art.
@@sansebastiansj Which is fine. But he has put out some really bad films. Some of the worst I have ever seen.
This film perfectly captures peaceful serenity and the nightmarish horrors of war. It's depiction of fearful and paranoid distant combat with unseen/hidden opposition also adds to it especially the battle in the grasslands. A very beautiful and brutally intense film.
For me, this was the superior war film in 1998. No patriotism, no glorification of war. Just showing the madness of it all.
Also, fun fact : Adrien Brody was supposed to be the main character of this movie. All throughout filming, he was the main. He didn't realize until the movie premier that most of his scenes were cut in the final edit.
Then why he was not mention more ?
@@lexkanyima2195 because all his scene were cut
Amazing experience seeing/hearing it in a proper theater when it first came out.
Cool reaction as always Schmitt & Samantha, you both have a good night
aw jeez i just fell back in love with this film and then your reaction popped up! ❤️ congrats on a healthy baby and glad you’re still doing these!
There was a really funny joke someone said about this film. This is the film where everyone thought they were the main star because Terrence Malik is so random in how he edits anyone could have been the main character.
maybe its symbolisms about how no matter who you are in the civilian world, in the battlefield you're just some guy with a gun between thousands of other guys with a gun.
If the quiet, contemplative and introspective nature of this Malick film appeals to you, I highly recommend two others - Days of Heaven (1978) and Tree of Life (2011). The latter will especially hit considering the new changing dynamics to your family life.
Both of those movies are fantastic and, along with The New World, are my fave Malicks.
Days of Heaven changed the lives of a lot of filmmakers. It created a mood, an almost new cinematic language that so many are still trying to speak. Days of Heaven is just beyond words. So happy to see the love for it. (Not that it's not already much loved!)
@@markdodson6453 Well said. Completely agree.
I saw Tree of Life when I was a relatively new parent. It destroyed me. It’s a poem in light.
Caviezal is so good in this
One of the most beautiful films ever made
Although The Thin Red Line and Saving Private Ryan were both 1998 films they were released several months apart. Both films excellent, both completely unique from one another to such a degree they virtually cannot be compared or contrasted, it's simply two films both set during the Second World War and there the similarities end. One film didn't overshadow the other, both were lauded, both in fact received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture 1998.
Hi Mom and Dad and baby..Happy for you..enjoyed the show
Good! Nobody ever does this one.
Seriously. So happy to see them react to it.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't watched this in years, but I saw it three times in the theater. It's really an amazing piece of work. Malick is so different, it's kind of hard to compare him to other directors. Other than perhaps Badlands, his movies are never straightforward.
There are all sorts of themes going through this one, but the one that I connect to more than other others is the paradise lost one. Witt's appreciation for the simplicity of the native islander lifestyle and how "modernity" ruins that as the engines of war arrive. He also wanted to meet death with the same calm his mother did. Throughout he tries to hold onto that peacefulness (even something as simple as the way he pours water onto the plant) and with no fear sacrifices his own life to save his battalion.
My second favourite movie of all time! So glad you both are getting around to this!
This is one of my favourite movies of all time , it’s an appreciatied classic
32:12 "that sounds like George Clooney." -Daniel 👍🏼
"yeah he does." -Sam ✅
I believe the action takes place on Guadal😂canal, the first land based action for the Americas to take place. The Marines basically did most of the initial fighting while the army was responsible for taking care of the second half of kicking the Japanese out. The Japanese called Guadalcanal the island of death. The US managed to cut off the enemy's ability to resupply their troops. Japanese soldiers were dying as much from disease and starvation as from fighting with Americans.
"War never decides who's right, only who's left."
Malick and his films are a gift.
Spielberg has the gift of storytelling for a broad spectrum, more easily digested.
Malick shows the interior humanity that is at best uncomfortable...mostly despairing...and wondrous...over the topics we have been encultured to avoid or run from.
Violence and intimacy....
and our relationship with Nature/God.
Hello! In the past I suggested movies to watch and for the most part you have watch some of them ( Speed, The Crow, The Green Mile, Minority Report, etc etc...). I have suggested other movies you have yet to watch =). Anyways, here is a reminder of some GREAT movies that you should put on your Patreon polls that I know you will love! = Blade, Edge of Tomorrow, kick Ass!, Dances with Wolves, and Unbreakable. If you ever want to dive into animated movies you can start here as well = The Incredibles. These are all awesome movies that I know you will enjoy!
Of all war movies I've seen The Thin Red Line is the one that stuck with me the most. Many movies are able to show what happens in war, the horros, the violence and so on. This one makes you feel it all.
if The Schmitts do not have the best outro/discussion on youtube, please tell me who is better?
At that point Terrence Malick was such an iconic (and rare) director that every star wanted to be in the movie, even for a tiny cameo.
2:14. Alligator Creek, Guadalcanal. Look up what happened on that spot of ground where Caveizel is standing.
Yes! Love this film. Such a work of art!
This same director of The Thin Red Line also directed a true telling of Pocahontas and John Smith and the British first colony in America , with Colin Ferrell and Christian Bale and Christopher Plummer , and just like The Thin Red Line it's a amazing historical movie , the movie is called 'The New World' (2005)
Thanks for doing this reaction. Not many reactors include this film as good as it is. Damn shame many always compare this to Saveing Private Ryan when they are completely different films with only really WWII being the only comparable between the two. The New World and Tree of Life are two other Mallick films that I feel have the same style as this film did.
this movie has always seemed to go so unnoticed to me but i think it is one of the best war movies ever made. nothing beats a bridge too far for me though. hoping youse react to it someday. you keep keep making videos and il keep watching them.
Congrats on becoming parents, btw. So excited you're reacting to a Malick film. I'm about to watch this video right now, but if you like _The Thin Red Line_ , please react to more Malick films. They are pure art, filled with love and beauty even when they're depicting spree killers, migrant workers, musicians, WWII soldiers, the beginning of the universe, a suburban Texan family in the fifties, an Austrian man resisting the Nazis, and even the first British invaders of North America arriving in Jamestown, Virginia, and their clash with the Powhatan people of whom Pocahontas is still remembered. Malick's style is unique: heartfelt, philosophical, poetic, visually gorgeous, with perfect movie scores and acting. Mood is paramount.
Ben Chaplin plays private Bell and his wife is Miranda Otto - Éowyn in The Lord of the Rings
The film was shot here in Australia and in the Solomon Islands.
Yes, this did get overshadowed by Saving Private Ryan, but I like this one better.
If you haven’t already, you also need to see Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima.
This movie is so underrated the cinematography and the feel of war is more realistic feeling
This is by far the most accurate war movie ever made!
A lot of this movie is filmed in my hometown (Cairns, Australia) and being married to a png woman I’ve always felt a deep connection to this film and Pvt Witt’s story.
My personal attachment aside it’s a beautiful piece of art, maybe the most unique “war” film I’ve ever watched.
Enjoyed this a lot. Malick is one of the artiest and most philosophical directors America has ever produced, and I hope that people that resonate with a film like The Thin Red Line feel confident to engage with art films even if they don't normally think of themselves as the kind of person who likes them.
This film is like a poem,its beautiful. The Melanesian choirs are just heavenly.
My dad and i were trying to see Saving Private Ryan in the theater but it was booked, so the theater guy told us this movie is playing in a few mins. We took a chance on it and changed both our lives. I even joined the military cause of this and became a medic/Corpsman cause of how it showed me the value of every life.
This was the other 'Saving Private Ryan', the second WW2 film of 1998 if I'm correct. Like 'Saving Private Ryan' every actor who wasn't in that film was in this one. Hans Zimmer's 'Journey to the Line' always gets me. Epic.
There is a very famous story told by George Clooney (which you can find on RUclips) about Adrien Brody finding out that his character had been cut out of the film at the premiere. He was meant to be one of the main characters but the first cut of the film was too long so Malick made the choice to go with Caviezel as the story arc.
I remember watching this at a cinema in Manchester, UK that was really old...it had one of those old school balconies...myself and my team from work all went on a cold winter night after a day shift to watch it, we had the whole balcony to ourselves, we also snuck in a load of beer so it became a bit of a warm up for going out on the town in the snow after the film...the cast absolutely blew me away, how they managed to get just about every great actor to play such a small role amazed me...
Sean Penn definitely deserves more of a look at on your channel..."Mystic River" IMO is an absolute masterpiece of a film!
The wife who was in the flashbacks was Miranda Otto, who was also Eowyn in the second two films of 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy.
Memphis Belle is the only film I know with actors of the right age - showing just how much we today owe to teens in WWII. I've yet to see something similar of the Vietnam War.