“This great evil. Where does it come from? How’d it steal into the world?…”
Terrence Malick proved himself a cinematic poet with the precise, sumptuous imagery of Badlands (1973) and Days of Heaven (1978), then, after retreating from the Hollywood scene for 20 years, triumphantly returned with The Thin Red Line (1998). The director’s masterpiece transcends traditional war themed flicks bringing along intense battle sequences, soldiers’ camaraderie and the moral/physical devastation of armed engagement. Inspired by James Jones’ (From Here To Eternity) 1962 novelized account of his WWII experience against the Japanese in Guadalcanal, warfare is not glorified or merely demonized for the barbaric actions it forces upon us but acts as a stage to play out a philosophical examination of our humanity.
It is understandable why this visionary film strikes such a profound resonance with many yet feels disjointed to some. Deeply meditative on mankind’s relation to nature and striving to achieve salvation, Malick’s filmic tapestry is conveyed through pensive voice-overs, harrowing combat, exhilarating naturalistic symbolism and dreamlike montages. And it cannot be overstated what a truly visual and aural creation Thin Red Line is at heart. Whether beautiful or horrific, each shot is awe inspiring in its artistic construction while the sonic bombast of war and the jungle soundscape integrate with Hans Zimmer’s solemn, reflective score generating an immersive, mesmerizing experience.
And let us not forget the ensemble cast comprised of dozens (some well known then and later including George Clooney, John Travolta, Nick Stahl, John Cusack, Jonh C. Reilly, Thomas Jane, Jared Leto, Tim Blake Nelson, Dash Mihok, Adrien Brody, Ben Chaplin and Kirk Acevedo) that effortlessly come and go from scene to scene with arguably four characters surfacing to thematic prominence. Capt. Staros (Elias Koteas) has the thankless burden of actually caring about his men in discord to the maniacal Lt. Col. Tall (Nick Nolte), whose military strategy is fueled by a personal agenda. And acting as thematic bookends to the narrative, Sgt. Welsh (Sean Penn) falls somewhere between realistic and cynical which puts him at odds with Pvt. Witt (Jim Caviezel) who goes AWOL to escape to a purer life.
The Thin Red Line is not a conventional “war film” from which you should expect to understand why we were engaged in the particular military initiative or indulge in escapist bravado or facile sentimentality. I construe Malick’s work as a contemplative treaty that utilizes themes of why humans engage in hostility against one another as a counterpoint to romantic conceptions of paradise. Through questioning that is not didactic with obvious answers, a mood of existential melancholy is engendered making for one of the most emotionally provoking and hypnotic cinematic undertakings I’ve encountered.
High-Def Presentation
Watching Criterion’s Blu-ray is the proverbial “seeing a film for the first time,” and I can now testify that anything less than 1080p resolution on the biggest screen you can get will not do The Thin Red Line justice. The 35mm negative was digitally scanned at 4k resolution for cleanup (supervised by the director, himself) that results in one of the best high-def transfers I have seen. A perfect confluence of technical expertise and artistic know-how, this BD image is flawless with a film-like texture betraying no evidence of digital tampering and a consistent grain structure, depth of focus you can get lost in, overwhelming detail and dimensionality both close and far, a naturalistic palette, amazing color saturation and spot-on contrast (with the deepest of blacks and exposure that allows detail in the darkest parts of the image). Suffice to say this transfer sets the bar for what Blu-ray can deliver.
The following text is shown when you initiate the film: “Director Terrence Malick recommends that The Thin Red Line be played loud.” Doing as suggested, I was treated to 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio that is sparse in construction though conveys an impressive dynamic range, demanding a surround setup which will be kept constantly active but never in a gimmicky manner. From the subtle chirping of jungle insects or the strangely captivating rustling of grass through wall rattling explosions and bullets whizzing past your head to trance-like Melanesian chanting and the vibrating presence of Zimmer’s spectacular score, a sonic landscape is created that immerses you in the heart of Malick’s artistic intent. This lossless audio is every bit the equal of the high-def video.
Beyond The Feature
The Thin Red Line was a bare bones affair on DVD which Criterion rectifies with great results. The majority of intriguing supplements were commissioned for this Blu-ray, with the only deficit being no direct input from Malick (who is notorious for avoiding commenting on his work) though his influence is felt in almost every extra. The expected booklet (36 pages) contains an essay on TRL by critic David Sterritt and the 1963 article “Phony War Films” by James Jones.
Commentary from production designer Jack Fisk, producer Grant Hill and cinematographer John Toll. The trio delves deep into the psychology of lighting, sound design, set construction, locale choices, camera positioning, combat special effects, balancing dozens of actors onscreen, the intricacies of editing so much footage and Malick’s thematic and visual intent. My meager complaint is the track is a tad bit dry at points, but if you desire to dig into production details, there is a wealth of information to treasure and the participants impressively talk for the full 170 minute runtime.
Actors (33:35,HD) – Kirk Acevedo, Jim Caviezel, Tom Jane, Elias Koteas, Dash Mihok and Sean Penn reminisce on working with Malick through auditions, preparation and shooting anecdotes giving insight into the auteur’s strange but effective shooting style.
Casting (17:58, HD) – Diane Crittenden recounts the more than a year long process of casting mixed with audition footage from numerous actors (both who got parts and didn’t). A mix of unknowns (at least 12 years ago) for realism and big names to give the film viability to its financial backers was chosen.
Editors (27:21, HD) – Work on cutting the film down from the 160-plus hours of footage took over 1.5 years. This feature makes you appreciate how the director shot the film (ignoring the script, not watching dailies, dealing with the “feeling” of shooting) and created the final product in the editing room through artistically combining visuals and audio.
Music (16:29, HD) – Hans Zimmer (The Lion King, Gladiator) describes working with Malick, who as a director has a rare understanding of how music effects emotion, on the thematic score that would create questions but not deliver answers.
Outtakes (13:23, HD) – Considering there was literally days of unused footage, I have little clue why these particular 8 outtakes are included. Shown in rough form with print damage and no accompanying soundtrack, they drive home how much the final product is a collaborative effort between actors, director, cinematographer, editors and composer by which these pale in comparison. They do showcase the actors including a scene of Mickey Rourke whose input was cut.
Kaylie Jones (19:05, HD) – Daughter of author James Jones displays a trenchant understanding of her father’s experience, both during the “Pacific Theater” and later rebellion against war mongering and morally hypocritical mentalities of the mid 20th century U.S. Very interesting!
Guadalcanal In Newsreels (15:18) – Intriguing for how these show a patriotic, whitewashed version of the events in the WWII Pacific that differ dramatically from the film.
Melanesian Chants (6:47) – Played against the backdrop of black and white still photos from production of the film. Surprisingly effective.
Trailer (2:51, HD) – Theatrical trailer in high-def.
If you’ve only seen The Thin Red Line on DVD, you’ve never really “seen” it. Terrence Malick’s hypnotic, philosophical war narrative, so integrally constructed through precise sound and imagery, has been in dire need of high-def to unleash its greater potential. Every big name studio that touts their BD’s as “Beyond High Definition” or “Perfect Picture…” yet delivers a less than stellar effort should take note as Criterion’s Blu-ray of The Thin Red Line shows us exactly how it should be done. Throw in quality extras that delve into the mindset of how this unique cinema was crafted and you have a near perfect high-def release that will enchant film lovers.
– Robert Searle
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