"The Thin Red Line": The iron company, the flowing company commander [The 57th Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear Award]

Cordie 2022-03-22 09:01:24

http://blog.trivialfilm.com/2012/06/thin-red-line57.html

The Thin Red Line (1998)

The film won the Golden Bear at the 57th Berlin Film Festival in 1999.

The film tells the story of a company in World War II. During the Battle of Guadalcanal, a company of U.S. troops captured a high ground. The company commander sent a small force to attack, but they were beaten so badly that only a few survived. As a result, the company commander and the other soldiers of the unit hid outside the front line and did not move. The company commander's boss kept ordering the troops to attack, but the company commander gave various reasons until finally he blatantly refused the order. Then, the boss sent people around him to organize a raid team and launched an attack according to the suggestion made by the company commander. The raiding team was very brave and quickly captured the Japanese bunker, and the company quickly occupied the high ground. After the incident, the boss dismissed the company commander and sent him back to the United States. The troops were given a temporary sabbatical after the victory, but they soon returned to the fight. The new company commander lacked command ability, and asked two soldiers to investigate the enemy as the troops advanced. A soldier who had been deserter saw this situation and volunteered to join. The three of them were soon discovered by the Japanese army. One soldier was shot, the other went back to report, and the deserters led the Japanese away. In the end, the deserter was killed by the Japanese, and the company was given a new commander and left the battlefield.

The film is a Terrence Malick masterpiece, and also the first version of "The Tree of Life", full of Terrence Malick-style incomprehensible narration. Therefore, I cannot accept this film. However, compared with "The Tree of Life", this film can still understand the idea of ​​​​the director, that is, through the description of people, things and things in the war environment, the thinking of war is triggered. These thoughts are in all aspects, and everyone will have a different understanding. In addition, the film also highlights the existence of "God", and pious belief occupies an important position in this film. In short, the theme of this film is divergent, and the director only uses the act of war to arouse the audience's thinking, that's all.

Although I can't fully understand the whole film, there is still something I can understand in the film, that is, the gripping war scene. Fast-moving camera positions, diverse perspectives, big-picture panoramas, and the tight rhythm of the battlefield all underline Terrence Malick's talent. It can be seen that Terrence Malick is not unable to shoot a "good-looking" movie, but Terrence Malick doesn't want to, he only wants to shoot something with a strong personal style like "The Tree of Life". I really wonder if Terrence Malick is showing off his talent? Was his purpose to torture the audience? Terrence Malick, the maverick director, you can really torture people.

The cast of this film is strong, but they are all here to play soy sauce. There are many famous Hollywood stars and familiar faces in American dramas in the film, and the frequency of familiar faces is almost catching up with various awards ceremonies. It's a pity that these big names or familiar faces are characters who die within a few minutes of playing. Probably this is what Terrence Malick wants. Who made them compete to show their faces in this film? There is only one actress in this film, but she looks ordinary and doesn't leave a special impression on me.

in conclusion. It's a very "artistic" anti-war film, in stark contrast to Saving Private Ryan, which won an Oscar in the same year. It's a pity that my ability is limited and I can't appreciate such a high-level "art", I can only feel the above. In addition, it can be seen from the award of this film that the Golden Bear Award is also quite avant-garde.

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The.Thin.Red.Line.Criterion.Collection.1998.Blu-ray.x264.720P.DTS.AC3.Dualaudio.MySilu

2012-06-03

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Extended Reading
  • Betty 2022-03-25 09:01:06

    Maybe only Terrence Malick has the ability to make this group of big-name stars shine. All you see are his movies and the thoughts he wants to express. There is no role, because the movie itself is the biggest role. "The Thin Red Line" is perhaps the most poetic of war movies, codifying human fears and the irrationality of war into poetry that is incredibly real, impartial, and fluid.

  • Kathryne 2022-04-24 07:01:03

    Taking into account the tenderness and cruelty, Terrence Malik focuses on the anxiety and hesitation of individuals in the war, combined with the beautiful photography to bring the audience a very different anti-war epic. Although the battle in the middle is not big, it is more real and powerful than "Saving Private Ryan".

The Thin Red Line quotes

  • Private Ash: I'm outta this war for good, Witt.

  • Private Ash: I would have had you Witt if you were a Jap, long ago.

    Private Witt: They leave you here?

    Private Ash: Yeah, I was holding them up.

    Private Witt: You got one good huh?

    Private Ash: Right in the knee. Yeah, I'm out of this war for good Witt. The Doc fixed me up pretty good, plenty of ammo. What are you doing up here?

    Private Witt: I took a walk away from the village. You can come with me if you want, I can help you along.

    Private Ash: No, its peaceful up here you know? I'll only slow you up. Someone will be along. You give the boys my best, huh?

    Private Witt: I will.

    Private Ash: Ok.