The Virgin Suicides

Originally Written and Posted on Epinions.com on 9/20/03 with Additional Edits and New Content.

When the name Coppola is mentioned in a sentence, the immediate reaction is Francis Ford Coppola, the man behind great films like The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, Peggy Sue Got Married, and The Godfather Trilogy featuring the highly celebrated first two films of the series. While Francis Ford Coppola has remained a respected director, a new generation of Coppolas started to emerge. With his nephew Nicholas Cage, already an Oscar-winning actor with a celebrated career, Coppola's children are now following their father's footsteps as directors. There's Roman Coppola, who recently earned good reviews for his debut feature CQ while helming such award-winning music videos for bands like the Strokes and Fatboy Slim's Praise You with then brother-in-law and Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze. The other Coppola that is making a name is Roman's younger sister Sofia, who wowed audience with her 1999 full-feature directorial debut The Virgin Suicides.

The Virgin Suicides is a movie based on the Jeffrey Eugenides novel that was adapted by Coppola into a screenplay. The film takes place in an idyllic suburbia in the mid-1970s as neighborhood boys discover their own sexuality while watching the self-destruction of a group of young sisters as they're being trapped into their strict family home. While Sofia Coppola does capture a sense of tranquility and authenticity of the times like her father Francis did in The Godfather, Sofia brings a deeper tone to the film where at first, everything seems innocent but there's something amiss. With an ensemble cast that includes veterans like James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Scott Glenn, Danny Devito, and Michael Pare along with up-and-coming stars like Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, Jonathan Tucker, Robert Schwartzman (the singer for the California pop-rock band Rooney), Hayden Christensen, and Chelse Swain (sister of Dominique). The Virgin Suicides is a breathtaking debut from Sofia Coppola.

The stroy begins, it starts off with a narrator (Giovanni Ribisi) talking about how his old neighborhood back in the mid-1970s was never the same without the Lisbon girls. The narrator talks about how he and a few of his friends that included his friends Tim Weiner (Jonathan Tucker) and Chase Buell (Anthony Desimone) are transfixed by the beauty and mystique of the five Lisbon girls. There was the youngest, 13-year old Cecilia (Hanna R. Hall), 14-year old Lux (Kirsten Dunst), 15-year old Bonnie (Chelse Swain), 16-year old Mary (A.J. Cook) and the eldest, 17-year old Therese (Leslie Hayman) that all lived in a quiet, idyllic home with their strict mother (Kathleen Turner) and math teacher father (James Woods). To everyone, life seems fine for the Lisbons but Cecilia was rushed into the hospital after a horrifying suicide attempt.

After some counseling from Dr. Horniker (Danny Devito), the Lisbons reluctantly try to give the Lisbon girls a social life as they try to question about why she tried to commit suicide at 13. The neighbors think she was influenced by a young Italian immigrant who had a crush on an older woman, while the neighborhood boys talk to a young mob son named Paul Baldino (Robert Schwartzman) who saw Cecilia's suicide attempt through the tunnels of his house.

The Lisbons decides to throw a party for the girls with a lot of reluctance from Mrs. Lisbon, as Cecilia is feeling unhappy about the party while all the neighborhood boys attend and talk with the Lisbon girls. Things go fine until a mentally challenged kid named Joe (Paul Sybersma) comes to the party to bring laughs but Cecilia walks away from the party and something horrible happens.  Cecilia's death brought an awareness of suicide around the town and Mrs. Lisbon seeks the advice of priest, Father Moody (Scott Glenn) as the Lisbons try to move on life without Cecilia. The Lisbon girls would go to school as nothing really happened while their father moves on teaching math to students. There the second part of the film begins with a young, good-looking student named Trip Fontaine (Josh Hartnett) who seems to have everything his way as he loved by all the girls in school and seems to get away with everything including smoking marijuana. One day while sneaking into the wrong classroom, he falls for Lux who at first isn't really interested in him.

He seeks the advice of his father as he finally gets a chance to impress Lux by calling her a Stone Fox and is invited to family dinner where there after, Lux kisses him and he is in heaven. With the prom approaching, Trip asks Mr. Lisbon if he and a few of his friends could take his daughters to the school dance and Mr. Lisbon says yes since he thinks Trip is a nice boy. With the girls already happy and buying prom dresses, Trip gets a few of his buddies (one of them is Hayden Christensen) as they accompany the girls to the prom but Lux is way into Trip's stoner activities of booze and dope.  Upon their arrival for the prom, Lux and Trip won the King and Queen of the school dance but things go wrong after an intimate encounter where Trip ditches Lux at the school football field leaving her late past curfew and costing her sister's chance of freedom. Trip meanwhile, never recovered from what he did to Lux as the older Trip is filled with many regrets

Following Lux's failure to make curfew, the girls are banned from school with Lux forced to burn her own record collection.  In reaction to her isolation, Lux makes out with various strangers on her roof as seen by the boys as it was only short-lived.  With the girls not back at school, Mr. Lisbon is fired as the neighborhood boys try to make contact through playing records through the phone.  What happens later would become an event that the boys would be haunted by for the rest of their lives.

What makes The Virgin Suicides a very complex, breathtaking film is how Sofia Coppola takes the audience back in time to the childlike innocence of the 1970s away from Vietnam and Nixon. With cinematographer Edward Lachman, the authentic look of 70s suburbia is filled with majestic colors while on some scenes, there's colors of orange, blue, and dreary earth colors to encompass the mood of its characters and scenes.

Coppola's script adaptation is also strong with its many innocent and dark moments without being melodramatic or making things predictable. The film's ending, as ambiguous as it was delve into the loss of innocence through the teenage boys as they deal with what had happen. The film in many ways delve into the themes that Coppola has explored in her other films which is the theme of alienation and disconnection. Particularly the latter as the Lisbon girls yearn to connect with the boys as they become more detached from reality. It's not to say that it's the fault of the Libson parents entirely. They just don't understand the way things are during the 1970s. Mr. Libson is an aloof sort of man with Mrs. Lisbon being the disciplinarian. Coppola's portrayal of the characters is quite unique, even as it's told through the perspective of one of the neighborhood boys. When it comes to the story of Trip, it's told through an older, burned-out Trip (Michael Pare) as Coppola takes Eugenides' novel into a dreamy yet entrancing story of loss and regret.

Helping Coppola and Lachman capturing that vision is production designer Jasna Stefanovic and costume designer Nancy Steiner, who bring in a nice detail to the look of the 70s while using parts of Los Angeles and Toronto to capture the nice location setting of the film. With longtime Coppola associate Richard Beggs bringing in fine sound design work for the film's haunting quality, the film is nicely paced and stylized by editors James Lyon and Melissa Kent. Another great factor to the film is its use of music ranging from such 70s classic from acts like 10CC, Heart, Todd Rundgren, Styx, the Hollies, and the Bee Gees, to the haunting, electronic film score from the French electronic duo Air.

In the performance front, the best performance easily goes to Kirsten Dunst who stands out above all as the precocious, sexy Lux who is filled with mystique about her character as she plays the sex kitten. Dunst as Lux, remains her best film role to date as she has since had become a prominent star with big roles in Bring It On and the Spider-Man while taking on great roles in smaller films like Peter Bogdanovich's The Cat's Meow and as Marie Antoinette in Sofia Coppola's 2006 bio-pic.. Josh Hartnett even stands out as the hunky stoner Trip Fontaine as he brings a sheer cool to his character that makes him a heartthrob for all women while his ability as a serious actor, is still in question. The roles of the Lisbon sisters including Hannah R. Hall as the doomed Cecilia stands out in a few film moments while the neighborhood boys that included Jonathan Tucker is filled with excellent performances along with Coppola's cousin Robert Schwartzman as Paul Baldino.

The performances of veterans like James Woods and Kathleen Turner are flawless and masterful as the strict but caring Lisbon parents. Especially Woods, who plays a different sort of character as a father and teacher who tries to show kids something but they easily become uninterested and he's still talking. The small roles of Danny Devito, Michael Pare, and Scott Glenn are very memorable, especially Glenn who plays against type from his usual, villain type of roles to play a man of guidance. Giovanni Ribisi as the narrator is another standout since he help makes the film come all together with his inspiring narration.

***Additional DVD Content Written from 8/30/18-9/8/18***

The 2000 Region 1 DVD from Paramount Classics and Zoetrope presented the film in a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio with 5.1 Surround Sound in English and French along with hard for hearing subtitles in English. The special features from the 2000 DVD include the film’s theatrical trailer as well as a photo gallery of photos from the film’s production. One major special feature is a music video for Air’s Playground Love directed by Roman and Sofia Coppola that recreates a few scenes of the film that involves a chewing gum that comes to live to sing the song. The video is a creative moment that include cameos from Roman and Sofia as they’re about to shoot the film’s prom scene that includes the chewing gum singing.

Another special feature from the 2000 DVD is a making-of documentary from Sofia’s mother Eleanor who was famous for shooting footage for the making of Apocalypse Now by her husband Francis Ford Coppola that would later be used in the documentary Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse. The 20-minute documentary feature Coppola directing the film with her parents watching as Francis is one of the film’s executive producers while her older brother Roman does the film’s second unit work. Jeffrey Eugenides would make an appearance chatting with Josh Hartnett about the character of Trip while James Woods is first seen in the documentary’s opening scenes praising the crew on the production which he says is one of his most enjoyable experiences. It’s a fun documentary short that has a mother filming her daughter making her first feature-length film.

The 2018 Region 1/Region DVD/Blu-Ray from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a new 4k digital restoration supervised by cinematographer Edward Lachman and with the approval of its screenwriter/director Sofia Coppola in its original 1:66:1 aspect ratio with a 5.1 Surround Sound (uncompressed DTS-HD Master Audio Soundtrack for the Blu-Ray) mix. Among the special features retained from the 2000 DVD release from Paramount are the film’s trailer, the making-of documentary film by Eleanor Coppola, and the music video for Air’s Playground Love. Among the new special features added for the DVD/Blu-Ray release include Coppola’s 1998 short film Lick the Star in a new remastered transfer approved by Coppola.

The 15-minute interview with novelist Jeffrey Eugenides has him talk about the novel as well as the film where he reveals not just how faithful Coppola was with the book but also in providing her own interpretation that was more driven by women since the book was told mainly from the point of view of four teenage boys. Eugenides talks about what inspired him to write the book as well as how he was surprised that the many of his readers were young teenage females and young women as he knew that its popularity would lead to many studios wanting to adapt his book into a film. Yet, he felt that Coppola was the one who really got it as well as he was on set for a few days where Josh Hartnett came to him for ideas on the character of Trip Fontaine. It’s an interview that has Eugenides not only rave about the film but also Coppola as he believed that she has a voice of her own through the films she would make in the years to come.

The 26-minute interview section with screenwriter/director Sofia Coppola, cinematographer Edward Lachman, Kirsten Dunst, and Josh Hartnett entitled Revisiting “The Virgin Suicides” has the four talk about their experience in making the film as well as their take on the story. Coppola revealed that she discovered Eugenides’ book in the early 1990s at a time when she was trying to figure out what to do in art and learned that the book would be made into a film by another filmmaker. Coppola was afraid what that film would be like as she received advice from her father into adapting a few chapters of the book into a script where she eventually adapted the entire novel and would submit to producers of the adaptation that was in development that had fallen apart because of issues with the original director. Coppola also talked a little bit about her first short film Lick the Star which she did as a test to see if she can make a film as it gave her ideas of what she would do with her first feature-length film.

Dunst and Hartnett both talked about their own experience as Dunst (who was 16 during production) and Hartnett (who was to turn 20 during the production) also talked about Coppola’s direction and how their idea of acting changed by doing this film. Dunst in particular as she had done a lot of big budget and Hollywood films prior as she felt she became a different actress after this film. Lachman talks about working with Coppola, who was new to filmmaking, as the two both had similar ideas of what the film should look like where he also talked about the lighting cues that he wanted to create. Coppola also talked about the first-time experience as she admitted that she didn’t think she would find her calling as a filmmaker but credits Eugenides’ book for giving her the idea of becoming one.

The 13-minute video essay piece Strange Magic by Tavi Gevinson has the film writer/blogger talk about the film as well as her own experiences with both the book and film during her days as a teenager. Gevinson says the film would inspire her to start a fanzine and later her own blog in Rookie that would become an online magazine that focused on pop culture, fashion, and feminism. Gevinson would reveal things she wrote about the film as well as why she felt the film had connected with a lot of teenage girls since its release as well as some of the details on the film’s visuals. Gevinson also talks about a lot of the film’s idea of teenage life which she felt had a lot of relevance to her own experiences as it is a fascinating piece from Gevinson who definitely has a lot of interesting to say about the film.

The DVD/Blu-Ray set also includes a booklet that features an essay by novelist Megan Abbot entitled They Hadn’t Heard Us Calling about the film. Abbot talks about some of the film’s themes as well as how the film would relate itself to the other films Coppola would later do in the years to come. Abbot also talked about the differences between the book and film as well as how Coppola would create this air of distance of the neighborhood boys and the Lisbon girls with the latter desperate wanting to connect in their repressive home. It’s a remarkable essay to one of the finest debut films ever made in the 20th Century.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

The Virgin Suicides is a phenomenal film from Sofia Coppola, who redeems herself for the notoriety she had achieved for her much-criticized performance in The Godfather Part III. Coppola's striking visuals along with eerie storytelling brings strength to the film along with the performances of Dunst, Hartnett, Turner, and Woods. Fans of Coppola will doubt see this as one of her finest as it is a fascinating feature-film debut by a new director. Even as it's a worthy introduction to her work as this film would set the pace of what would come from the already prestigious director. In the end, The Virgin Suicides is a tremendous debut film by Sofia Coppola.

Sofia Coppola Reviews: Lick the Star - Lost in Translation - Marie Antoinette - Somewhere - The Bling Ring - A Very Murray Christmas - The Beguiled (2017 film) - On the Rocks - Priscilla (2023 film)

Sofia Coppola Soundtracks: Air-The Virgin Suicides - The Virgin Suicides OST - Lost in Translation OST - Marie Antoinette OST - (The Bling Ring OST) - (Priscilla OST)

Sofia Coppola Essays: Sofia Coppola: The Videos and Ads 1993-2008 - LIT 5th Anniversary Essay - The Auteurs #1: Sofia Coppola

© thevoid99 2010

Sofia Coppola: The Videos & Ads 1993-2008

While many renowned film directors like David Fincher started out their careers directing music videos. It’s a place where filmmakers get their training. Some like Fincher, Spike Jonze, and Michel Gondry have gone on to having great film careers while occasionally do music videos. Other video directors end up making terrible films as they retreated back to the world of music videos. While Sofia Coppola doesn’t really fall into either camp, she has started out her filmmaking career with videos. By 2008, she’s directed five videos and two ads that has helped raise her profile as a prominent director.

While Coppola had appeared in a few music videos including The Black Crowes’ Sometimes Salvation, Madonna’s Deeper and Deeper, and Sonic Youth’s Mildred Pierce in the early 90s. Coppola’s first directorial job came in the form of a music video for the early 90s indie group Walt Mink that featured famed drummer Joey Waronker. The song Shine was shot by Coppola’s then-boyfriend at the time in Spike Jonze, who was then a famed video director in his own right. Shot on location at the Coppola home including family vineyard, the video has a dreamy quality with editing dissolves. While the video has a somewhat grainy look as if it was shot in 16mm, it’s a video that predates what Coppola would do as a director in terms of capturing dreamy images. Even as it’s presented simply where the band is playing at a pool party with friends and such.

Coppola’s next music video directorial job came in the form of one of the most revered bands of the past two decades in The Flaming Lips. For the clip of the song This Here Giraffe, the video has a cleaner look in which Coppola follows singer Wayne Coyne around as he plays in a girl’s bedroom while joining the rest of the band to a trip to the zoo. The video features Leslie Hayman, an associate of Coppola who would later appear in the 1999 film The Virgin Suicides as the eldest Lisbon sister Therese, along with shots of the band playing on someone’s front yard and a giraffe at the zoo. The video also has shots from moving cars as well as dreamy close-ups that become trademarks of Coppola’s directing style.

The Flaming Lips - This Here Giraffe

Uploaded by WBRNewMedia. - See the latest featured music videos.

The next two videos Coppola directed both come from the films she made. The first is Air’s Playground Love which she co-directed with her brother and famed video director Roman Coppola. The video is essentially clips of The Virgin Suicides that’s inter-cut with a piece of gum singing the song through various scenes like the Libson family eating a dinner table, being on the steering wheel of Trip Fontaine’s car, and being under Trip‘s desk. Then it goes to a sequence where Leslie Hayman gets the gum out of her shoe as they’re set to shoot the prom dance scene. It’s definitely a fun, quirky video where a piece of gum becomes the centerpiece of the video.

Air - Playground Love

Uploaded by EMI_Music. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

The second film-related video clip Coppola directs is for Kevin Shields’ City Girl for the film Lost in Translation. While the video is essentially various shots from the film plus a few extended shots and an outtake towards the end of the video. Yet, it plays well to Kevin Shields’ lyrics of isolation relating towards the character of Charlotte as she wanders around the mystery of Tokyo. Though it’s not as creative as other videos that Coppola had done in the past, it’s still a fascinating companion piece to the film itself.

The last music video she directed, so far, is a cover of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David composition I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself by the White Stripes. The video for that song has Coppola shooting model Kate Moss in black and white doing a pole dance as well as dancing on a big block. With Moss wearing skimpy clothing and dancing quite erotically, the video was only released in the U.K. Though it rarely showed on MTV2 back in 2003, it was considered too racy for American audiences as it is truly Sofia Coppola’s crowning achievement in her short but varied career in the world of music videos.

With most film directors also taking the chance to do commercials, Sofia Coppola also takes part in the world of ads. In 2008, Coppola directed ads for Christian Dior’s Miss Dior Cherie fragrance that starred model Maryna Linchuk. Unlike most commercials, Coppola adds a playful style by having Linchuk going around Paris while modeling and doing other things as it ends with her floating away on balloons like The Red Balloon. The look of the video is reminiscent of Coppola's 2006 Marie Antoinette yet not as exaggerated as the film intended to do.  Featuring the song Moi Je Joue by Brigitte Bardot, it’s a fun commercial while two director’s cut version have extended sequences of Linchuk walking around Paris. It’s definitely an interesting yet fun commercial that is done with great style.

While there’s another Dior ad in the works that Coppola directed that will star Natalie Portman. Coppola’s work in videos and ads is certainly a fine companion piece to the feature films she’s made over the years. Yet, it’s also a testament to how she’s evolved and refine her craft that makes her one of the most exciting and intriguing visionaries in film. For anyone who is a fan of her work should check out these clips.

Sofia Coppola Reviews: Lick the Star - The Virgin Suicides - Lost in Translation - Marie Antoinette - Somewhere - The Bling Ring - A Very Murray Christmas - On the Rocks - Priscilla (2023 film)

Sofia Coppola Soundtracks: Air-The Virgin Suicides - The Virgin Suicides OST - Lost in Translation OST - Marie Antoinette OST - (The Bling Ring OST) - (Priscilla OST)

Sofia Coppola Essays: LIT 5th Anniversary Essay - The Auteurs #1: Sofia Coppola

© thevoid99 2010

Lick the Star

Prior to the landmark films she’s made in her career, Sofia Coppola was simply known to many as the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola as well as gaining notoriety for her Razzie-winning performance in The Godfather Pt. III.  Shortly after appearing in that film, Coppola was struggling to get projects going as she appeared in music videos for the Black Crowes, Madonna, and later the Chemical Brothers’ Elektrobank that was directed by her then-boyfriend Spike Jonze. Coppola’s aspirations to become a director did come with a project that was co-directed with Ione Skye called Bed, Bath, & Beyond that featured another director that was rarely seen.  At the same time, she had already directed videos for Walt Mink and the Flaming Lips.  Yet, it would be another film that would pave the way for Coppola’s arrival as a prominent director with a unique voice in the 16mm, black-and-white short film called Lick the Star.

Directed by Sofia Coppola with a script co-written with Stephanie Hayman, Lick the Star tells the story of a group of girls planning a scheme on some boys.  When one of the girls becomes alienated by one of her friends in the clique, it would lead to some dire consequences.  The 13-minute short recalls the future themes Coppola would explore in later films including alienation and the troubles of being a young woman.  With a cast of mostly unknowns that would include Coppola’s cousin Robert Schwartzman and a cameo appearance from legendary director Peter Bogdanovich.  Lick the Star is a promising, intriguing short from Sofia Coppola.

After getting her left foot injured, Kate (Christina Turley) returns to middle school after a few days of being in a hospital.  Things have changed in the few days she missed school though one thing is still the same as Chloe (Audrey Heaven) is still the queen of the 7th grade.  Along with Rebecca (Julia Vanderham) and Sara (Lindsy Drummer), they rule the seventh grade as they pull pranks and lord over the rest of their classmates.  Kate is befuddled by their quote “lick the star” as it’s a code for “kill the rats” as Chloe and the gang plan to poison Greg (Robert Schwartzman) with arsenic from an idea they got from the book Flowers in the Attic.

After Kate got caught with a cigarette, the principal (Peter Bogdanovich) lists her as a non-student so she couldn’t attend proms or other school-related activities.  With Kate out of the plan due to her hesitation, Chloe along with Rebecca and Sara go along.  Yet, Rebecca and Sara starts to have second thoughts where Chloe treats them with contempt.  Then when a minor conversation about history class is overheard, Chloe is suddenly the target of the entire 7th grade as she is suddenly made an outcast.

The film is about a girl trying to take revenge on the boys only to make herself become an outcast.  Yet, there’s also the story of another girl who is unaware of her friends now becoming this clique as she finds herself isolated about the plan they do.  Yet, it’s the theme of alienation that would become prevalent in the work that Sofia Coppola would have in her later films along with the theme of womanhood.  Coppola definitely understands what teenage girls go through in dealing with isolation as well as not being able to understand the consequences when one believes she is the queen.  Along with co-writer Stephanie Hayman, Coppola adds a sense of realism to the story along with stylistic dialogue that rings very true to what kids would say about anything.

The direction Coppola has is very stylish as Chloe’s entrance is presented in slow-motion with jump-cuts to play along to music by the Amps.  Even as she creates haunting yet entrancing compositions with the four girls lying on the grass during gym class just acting cool.  There’s a looseness to the presentation as well as the fact that it’s shot on location with real students of the school as extras.  Yet, the realness of how kids act and behave during those time seem true instead of presented in such a melodramatic or overly-stylized fashion.  Coppola’s striking compositions along with the way she frames scenes from the perspective of a student.  The result is a truly fascinating yet engrossing short from Sofia Coppola.

Helping Coppola with her look is cinematographer Lance Acord, the photographer who would later work with her in films like Lost in Translation and Marie Antoinette.  Acord’s grainy black-and-white 16mm look is truly fascinating from the bright sunny lights and white background where there is something that is fun to look at.  When it’s night, the look is dark but with a tone that is truly foreboding.  Acord’s work is phenomenal as he creates beauty to the film.  Editor Eric Zumbrunnen does excellent work with the film’s stylized editing with its sense of rhythm and straightforward transitions.  Even in Chloe’s opening arrival where the use of jump-cuts and slow-motion definitely lets the audience in on the fact that it’s not going to be some kind of Hollywood-standard kind of film.

Art director Kira Cunningham does very good work with the look of the lockers inside that’s plastered with photos and such with contributions from Leslie Hayman of The Virgin Suicides as a set dresser.  Longtime associate of the Coppola family in sound designer Richard Beggs brings some fantastic work in capturing the sound locations and atmosphere of the school.  The film’s soundtrack includes some noisy but catchy driven girl rock from acts like the Amps, the Go-Go’s, Kim Gordon’s Free Kitten project, and Land of the Loops.

The cast includes mostly unknowns with appearances from renowned director Peter Bogdanovich as the school’s principal and Sofia Coppola’s friend Zoe Cassavetes as the P.E. teacher.  Sofia’s cousin Robert Schwartzman is very good as the girls’ enemy Greg while Julia Vanderham and Lindsy Drummer are excellent in their respective roles as Rebecca and Sara, two of Chloe’s friends who try to deal with Chloe’s attitude.  Christina Turley is wonderful as Kate, Chloe’s injured friend who tries to deal with everything that is happening while being the only one who later sympathize what would happen to Chloe.  Finally, there’s Audrey Heaven who is great as Chloe.  Heaven delivers a cool yet stylized performance as a queen bee who is full of herself only to become isolated by her antics as Heaven is the real standout of the cast.

Lick the Star is a remarkable short film from Sofia Coppola that captures the world of alienation and girlhood with such captivating style and harsh realism.  Fans of Coppola’s work will no doubt see this as a fascinating short that would set the stage for what would come from the famed director of films like The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation, and Marie Antoinette.  In the end, Lick the Star is a wonderful short from Sofia Coppola.

Sofia Coppola Films: The Virgin Suicides - Lost in Translation - Marie Antoinette - Somewhere - The Bling Ring - A Very Murray Christmas - The Beguiled (2017 film) - On the Rocks - Priscilla (2023 film)

Sofia Coppola Soundtracks: Air-The Virgin Suicides - The Virgin Suicides OST - Lost in Translation OST - Marie Antoinette OST - (The Bling Ring OST) - (Priscilla OST)

Sofia Coppola Essays: LIT 5th Anniversary Essay - Sofia Coppola: The Videos and Ads 1993-2008 - The Auteurs #1: Sofia Coppola

© thevoid99 2010

The New World

Originally Written & Posted at Epinions.com on 1/21/06 of the 135-minute cut with some minor edits.

The story of Pocahontas has been told in many forms including a Disney animated version in 1995 about the young Indian heroine who befriended colonists in 1608 in Virginia including John Smith whose life she saved. The story is often told in a simple way and would often ignore Pocahontas' life after saving and befriending Smith as she later married aristocrat John Rolfe in 1614 as she settles into a simpler life while bringing peace between Indians and the English. Now, there's a new story that is much broader and more observant about the life of Pocahontas but it's more about the arrival of English colonists arriving to the area of Jamestown, Virginia and the aftermath. This time however, this story of Pocahontas is from the viewpoint from one of American cinema's most poetic and enigmatic visionaries in Terrence Malick for The New World.

Written and directed by Terrence Malick with a script he wrote in the mid-70s, The New World is a story about John Smith and English settlers arriving into Jamestown where Smith meets Pocahontas as the two explore each others culture that would lead to tension as Pocahontas would later meet John Rolfe. Shot on location in Jamestown, Malick goes for the same, poetic narrative approach to his earlier films for an observant and more enchanting tale of how the world changed through the eyes of a young girl. Starring Colin Farrell, Christian Bale, Christopher Plummer, Wes Studi, August Schellenberg, Irene Bedard, Raoul Trujillo, Jesse Borrego, Jonathan Pryce, David Thewlis, Noah Taylor, Ben Chaplin, John Savage, Brian F. O'Byrne, and introducing Q'Orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas.  The New World is a haunting yet lush film from Terrence Malick and company.

It's 1608 Virginia as three ships arrive onto the unknown land led by Captain Newport (Christopher Plummer) where joining him is another captain, Wingfield (David Thewlis). Imprisoned inside the ship for mutinous remarks is John Smith (Colin Farrell) as Newport sets him free so he can join the exhibition of the land. During their reconnaissance, Newport and his crew meet up with a group of natives led by Tomococo (Raoul Trujillo) as their first meetings is slow. Then when Newport leaves for England, Wingfield takes over while Smith becomes second-in-command to take on the exhibition. Immediately, mis-communication and misunderstandings lead to trouble as Smith along with two captured natives and crew members including Jehu Robinson (Ben Chaplin) are to explore the regions and rivers of Virginia to find the tribe's chief. After a native escapes, Smith takes on his exploration where he is captured by a band of natives led by Opechancanough (Wes Studi).

Opechancanough takes Smith to his tribe where he awaits answers from his brother and tribe chief Powhatan (August Schellenberg) as the punishment is death. Just as Smith is about to die, Powhatan's daughter Pocahontas steps him and asks her father to spare his life. Smith becomes a prisoner but immediately during his period of captivity, he becomes enamored and absorbed with the culture of the natives. He also begins to befriend the worldly spirit of Pocahontas as the two learn about each others' languages while having this relationship that transcends all barriers. This period of captivity made Smith aware of the peace they live in as Powhatan decides that he should return home. Smith is taken back to the settlement his colleagues had been building where they've been struck by poverty. With Smith chosen to take over, it doesn't become easy as he is often in conflict with Argall (Yorick van Wageningen) while dealing with the starvation of other men including crazed men like Savage (John Savage), Murray (Eddie Marsan), Lewes (Brian F. O'Byrne) Thomas Emery (Jamie Harris), and Selway (Noah Taylor).

After a horrifying winter, Pocahontas comes to help the troubled settlers to give them food but Smith knows that her generosity might spell trouble. Despite their love for each other, Smith tries to give the natives things in return but more misunderstandings including the settlers refusing to leave their land lead to a horrific conflict in battle. Pocahontas is immediately banished by her father for her involvement with the settlers while Smith is also punished for his refusal to trade with another tribe for Pocahontas. Pocahontas is sent to the village that was becoming Jamestown as she becomes accepted immediately thanks to her generosity as she no longer is called Pocahontas and adopts new ideas from a woman named Mary (Janine Duvitski). Pocahontas finally sees Smith as he blames himself for her banishment and feels that if they get together, it only spells trouble. Newport returns where he wants Smith to take part on an exhibition around North America. Smith takes the job as he tells someone to tell Pocahontas that he died two months after his expedition.

Smith's departure breaks Pocahontas as she becomes an alien of sorts to the town until she captures the gaze of a widowed aristocrat named John Rolfe (Christian Bale). Rolfe begins a relationship with Pocahontas as he teaches her about the English culture while he like Smith, is enamored with her spirit. During their time, they marry and have a son while she adopts the name Rebecca. The marriage is seen as a treaty between natives and settlers after a period of conflict as Rebecca learns that Smith is still alive. Rolfe is aware of her feelings for Smith as the two go to England where she becomes an honored guest in front of King James I (Jonathan Pryce) and Queen Anne (Alexandra Malick). Rebecca along with Opechancanough and a few natives are taken to England as they are amazed at the world they're in now. With Rolfe aware of Rebecca's feelings for Smith, he arranges a final meeting between the two in his posh home as Smith is forced to deal with his own troubles and feelings for his lost love.

Now most historical moments that features a romantic subplot in films like Heaven's Gate, Titanic, or Pearl Harbor can either work or becomes a distraction. What none of those films have is the genius, narrative approach that Terrence Malick does with a romantic subplot. Since he's basing some of these ideas from fact and legend, the love story of Pocahontas and John Smith doesn't feel contrived at all and it's the heart of the story since it's about these two different cultures coming together and trying to understand one another. While the romance does lead to trouble of what was to come in terms of the tension between the settlers and natives, it helps conveys the story and what Malick is trying to say in his revisionist approach to history. Another thing that Malick does that works in this film that didn't work with other films about moments of American history is that he gets right to the point about these events and what had happened without over-dramatizing things that happened.

Plus, Malick's writing on characters reveals not just the arrogant ignorance that the English came on feeling that they own this land. Malick also reveals the natives’ reluctance into giving land to settlers since it disrupts the peace they had been living in. Malick doesn't take shots on the English because of their feelings, he knows why they try to find a new world since their land is filled with problems yet they take those problems into the new world. While the story moves slow for Malick's message to come across, the momentum he builds up does pay off emotionally and spiritually right to the end. Then there is Malick's unique narrative style that is a trademark of all of his films. The voice-over narration Malick does goes from different perspectives, mostly the perspective of John Smith and Pocahontas as they search for their own ideas on themselves and the lands. Also given some narration is John Rolfe in the film's second half in his description of Pocahontas and how he tries to help lift her spirits.

It's not just Malick's unique script that brings light to his interpretation of what happened in those times but its his direction that really is amazing. Particularly on how he slowly builds up the momentum of the story and observe the behaviors and nature of what is going on around Jamestown. Then when the film reaches its final moments in England, the feeling and mood change but not the spirit since Pocahontas and her natives are seeing the world of their neighbors and how it differs. Whereas the world that the natives live is wide open with this scenery of rivers, trees, plants, fields, and amazing sunlight. The world of England is a bit more claustrophobic upon their arrival since its more crowded and more divine in its religious imagery and richness. While Rolfe's English home does have the space that Pocahontas seem to love, it doesn't have the same worldliness that her home had.

Known for his visual poetry, Malick does something that not many filmmakers would do in capturing an epic, visual scope. Whereas most films would use 35mm for a full-film print in terms of widescreen presentation, Malick goes for 65mm where that print of film is often used for visual effects. In this film, the first since Kenneth Branagh's 1996 adaptation of Hamlet, Malick uses the 65mm for a visual scale that is undeniably powerful in each of its absorbing image. From shots underwater to the ariel shots of the world where Malick would spin around to observe every moment and every piece of grass and mud. From the steadicam, dolly shots of more dramatic sequences to the shaky, handheld camera work of the more intense scenes. More importantly, to convey the sense of realism and poetry that he wants in his vision, no artificial or light equipment was used. All the light from the sun, fires, and moons were the source. The overall result is Malick creating a film that is entrancing in its imagery while recreating an old story that is still compelling after all of these years.

Helping Malick in his visual scope is renowned Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Known for his pallette visual style of greenish colors, Lubezki takes that color to even greater use as for anyone who have seen his work including the films of Alfonso Cuaron will know that he shot this. Lubezki's lush coloring and camera work with the use of sunlight and fire brings not just the realism Malick wanted but an exquisite visual scale that is unparalleled with many of today's period films. In many of the exterior Jamestown scenes, Lubezki uses whatever source of light he can find and brings a true vision of what it could've looked like. Even in interior settings, Lubezki uses the light for shadows and to convey the emotions of the characters. Since he used no filters or special equipment, Lubezki's work in this film is truly not just some of the best cinematography of the year but its by far his most absorbing piece of camera work to date.

Longtime Malick collaborator Jack Fisk does wonderful detail in the production design of capturing the look and features that goes on into the homes of the natives and settlers. Since the Jamestown scenes are shot right in Jamestown itself, the location is truly inspiring for Fisk, along with set decorator David Erickson and art director David Crank, to convey the true atmosphere of the differing worlds of the natives and settlers. Whereas the natives' world is more grounded and natural as opposed to the poverty-stricken of the settlers' home early on and later to the more bleaker world of England and its claustrophobic setting. Along with the costume design of Jacqueline West and the make-up work of Chris Varosky, the film truly captures an authenticity and spirituality to the clothing and makeup of the natives as it brings an atmosphere that is just amazing. Even the clothing that Pocahontas wears in her meeting with King James I is exactly true to the pictures that are shown in various history books.

Whether in its 150-minute long, NYC/LA theatrical version or the 135-minute wide-release version, the editing style of Saar Klein, Hank Corwin, Richard Chew, and Mark Yoshikawa is wonderful with its use of jump-cuts, black fades, and straight cuts shows the film in its unique form in its perspective to perspective. Even as they move the film quite seamlessly from sequence to sequence without disrupting its elliptical flow. Even the sound work of sound editor Skip Livesay and sound designer Craig Berkey rings true to the way sound works in those times where everything from the hitting of clubs, cannons, and animal calls are so true where even to the point that it can make the audience jump at the mix of all these different sounds. It's truly some of the best sound work done in a film.

Then we come to the music that features elements of Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold where it's used to convey a sweeping, operatic feel to help build the momentum of the film. Also included is Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 for more subtle, tender scenes involving John Smith and Pocahontas. Composer James Horner does bring in a bit of bombast to his score but goes for more sweeping and subtle pieces to convey the drama and romance of each scene as he creates probably his best score work to date.

Then, we have the film's superlative, enormous cast filled with great actors from the Native American community to an array of English actors. Playing small yet memorable roles as the natives are Jesse Borrego, Alex Rice, Michael Greyeyes, Kalani Queypo, Rulan Tangen, Myrton Running Wolf, and Irene Bedard as Pocahontas' mother who brings a great presence to her worldly spirit. In small roles as the settlers, Ben Chaplin, Brian F. O'Byrne, Noah Taylor, John Savage, Jamie Harris, and Eddie Marsan are excellent while Jonathan Pryce makes a wonderful cameo as King James I with Alexandra Malick as Queen Anne.

Raoul Trujillo is excellent as the natives' interpreter Tomococo while Wes Studi is brilliant as the war-like chief Opechancanough. August Schellenberg does great supporting work as the calm, observant Chief Powhatan who knows that intruders coming to his land will bring trouble as Schellenberg does great work. David Thewlis is excellent as the ignorant, wary Wingfield while Yorick van Wageningen is wonderful as the violent but disciplined Argall. Janine Duvitski is also wonderful in a small, supporting role as Pocahontas' maternal mentor. Of the supporting cast, none is as great as the brilliant Christopher Plummer as Captain Newport whose intelligence and willing to do good in making peace with the natives bring depth to a historical character. Plummer's wariness and wisdom brings light to the man's flaw as he feels that his arrival is an importance for his own country while he doesn't want to bring trouble. It's a great performance from the veteran actor.

Christian Bale, fresh off from his role as Batman, is wonderful in his role as John Rolfe. While not much is known about the aristocrat, Bale brings a wonderful emotion to a man who is willing to form a relationship with Pocahontas as he is seduced by her spirit. Bale brings a lot of humor and heart to his role while having great chemistry with Kilcher as his character reveals that he is aware that his love is in love with someone else. Bale does great work in playing a second fiddle for a woman whose spirit only brings him a lot of warmth. Colin Farrell delivers his best performance to date as the troubled, anguished John Smith who gains a peace of mind when he meets Pocahontas while being a man who is trying to find his place in the world. While Farrell had nearly embarrassed himself as Alexander the Great in Oliver Stone's awful 2004 film Alexander, Farrell more than improves as the rugged, adventurous Smith by playing a man who is confused while finding a sense of happiness. Where in Alexander, Farrell had to be more dramatic but in this film, Farrell displayed a rare sensitivity and warmth to his character as Farrell has proven to be a really, fine actor.

The film's breakthrough and most spiritual performance easily goes to Q'Orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas. While her previous work was a choir extra in Ron Howard's film version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this is truly one of the best debut performances ever captured on film. Every moment in the film, Kilcher creates a vibrancy and spirit that is indescribable. In her dramatic moments, Kilcher sells the heartbreak of her character while her scenes with Farrell, including their final meeting is filled with real chemistry that is true to their legend. There is never a dull moment from Kilcher and she is truly a young actress that should be watched.

***The Following is Additional Content Relating to the 135-minute DVD & 172-minute Extended Edition of the Film Written on 8/19/10 along with a new conclusion***

When The New World was slated for a late 2005 release. The film eventually came out in two different running times due to Terrence Malick’s notoriety for editing his films right up to the last minute. In New York City and Los Angeles in late 2005, Malick released a 150-minute cut of the film for Oscar consideration where it received a nomination for Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography. Malick would end up trimming 15 minutes of the first cut of the film for a 135-minute theatrical cut that was officially released in January of 2006. When news arose that Malick was in preparation of a much longer cut of the film, it only added to excitement among Malick’s devoted fans.

Yet, fans would end up having to wait for that extended cut of the film with a running time of 172-minutes that was eventually released on DVD in October of 2008. The New World is released in two different running time for its DVD released back in 2006 and later 2008 for North American region. The 2006 Region 1 DVD presents the film in a widescreen format of 2:35:1 aspect ratio with 5.1 English Surround and Stereo Surround Sound. Along with Spanish subtitles and closed captioning for the hearing impaired. The DVD includes only one special feature in the form of a 50-minute making-of featurette.

The making-of featurette explores the long process of making the film when production began in July 2004 and ended in November of 2004. It starts with Malick’s longtime production designer Jack Fisk recreating the entire Jamestown colony with a crew on a location nearby where the actual colony was. Taking the same amount of time the original settlers used to build the colony but with modern equipment, it was an attempt to recreate something close to what it was at the time. Even as an archeology professor gets a chance to look at the set to see how close it is as he is amazed by its look and authenticity.

The making of is set into ten parts where the second has Raoul Trujillo, who plays a Native American, also serves as a choreographer for the people cast as the Algonquian tribe. Scholars were brought in to see a language be revived as Trujillo and the rest of the Native American actors were brought into create their own personas for the film. Once Q’Orianka Kilcher was finally cast a month into pre-production, she came in to the rehearsals as everyone agreed she is Pocahontas. With the third part about the casting of Kilcher as Pocahontas, the fourth is about the recreation of the tribe with actors putting on makeup and such.

Part five is the use of the ships that was used as they’re all filmed on the rivers where the ships did arrive back in 1607. Even as cast and crew members talk where everyone is taking instructions from Malick via cell phone. Notably the film’s cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Colin Farrell is shown the swords he will use for his battle scenes and his arrival into the Algonquian village set. Christian Bale for the eighth part along with actors and crew talk about Malick’s directing style. August Schellenberg discusses Malick’s approach which is to shoot at the moment with no rehearsals and no planning as if he’s doing a documentary. Even as there’s no cables or lighting projects as Lubezki and other camera operators have to use natural, available light. Yet, throughout the fifty-minute, 10-part documentary, Malick is not seen as it is an overall, fascinating piece on the making of the film.

The 2008 extended edition of the film is presented in the same theatrical aspect ration as in the 135-minute cut along with the same sound formats. Yet, the 172-minute version is not very different from the other versions. It’s mostly an extension of the film with subtle additions and such. The film begins with a quote from John Smith about Virginia prior to the opening credits. The film also has an extended scene of Pocahontas and fellow natives swimming underwater along with a scene of Wingfield pleading to Captain Newport about not sending John Smith to confer with the natives.

A lot of the film features not just extended scenes of Smith with the natives, going upriver with other settlers, and struggling to build the Jamestown colony. There’s other scenes where there’s more emphasis on the Smith/Pocahontas relationship including a scene that follows just after Smith makes a trade with another tribe. In the theatrical version, it’s inter-cut with him playing around with Pocahontas with audiences believing it could be a flashback. In the extended version, it has Smith returning from the trade where he meets and spends some time with her. When he returns to the ship, it’s clear he’s been gone for a few days.

The extended cut also makes note of Pocahontas’ own internal conflict on her love for Smith as well as her devotion to her tribe. Particularly a small scene with her uncle Opechancanough at the Rolfe estate in England where she reveals her guilt while he offers her a brief sense of wisdom about the many worlds around her. It’s not just added scenes that includes a small scene with Roger Rees as a governor discussing John Rolfe’s decision to marry Pocahontas. There’s a bit more of Newport in those scenes as well as one scene in England at the Rolfe estate. There’s a lot of material that is small scenes including one of Lewes meeting Pocahontas when getting some fish where he would tell Argall about a trade.

It’s not just what Malick adds to the film in terms of scenery, it’s also in the voice-over dialogue from Pocahontas, John Smith, and John Rolfe. Malick adds more voice over work from Pocahontas and Smith in terms of their own feelings about the environment and the conflicts they’re dealing with. For Rolfe, there isn’t much added though one piece of dialogue about his dead wife and child is cut as it’s later revealed through a dialogue between him and Pocahontas. Another addition to the film in its extended version is more of James Horner’s score pieces as it’s only used to underplay certain sequences.

To compare the 135-minute theatrical cut and the 172-minute extended cut seems hard to grasp on. Even as they’re both the same story but with small differences. It’s not easy to say which version is better but Malick is a director that has absolute control of what he can do. He prefers to let his audience figure out which is better. Then again, there is probably no version that is better other than the fact that The New World is truly one of most mesmerizing films of the past decade.

While it may not be as good as films like Days of Heaven or The Thin Red Line, The New World is truly an astounding and intoxicating masterpiece from Terrence Malick. No matter what cut of the film is presented, it is a film that truly enraptures an old world that is resurrected into the legendary story of John Smith and Pocahontas. With a superb cast that includes Colin Farrell, Christian Bale, Christopher Plummer, and Q’orianka Kilcher, it’s a film that recalls the beauty of the 17th Century as well as the discovery of something new. In the end, The New World is one of the most compelling films ever made and from one of the greatest directors out there in Terrence Malick.

Terrence Malick Reviews: Badlands - Days of Heaven - The Thin Red Line - The Tree of Life - To the Wonder - Knight of Cups - Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience - (Voyage of Time: Life's Journey) - Song to Song - A Hidden Life - (The Way of the Wind)

© thevoid99 2010

Days of Heaven

Originally Written on 10/28/05 at Epinions.com with re-edited content from 12/10/07

After helming his 1973 debut feature, the road crime drama Badlands, Terrence Malick was on his way into becoming one of the most promising directors of his generation. While Badlands wasn't a huge commercial success, the film's elliptical approach to storytelling along with Malick's visual scope was noticed by many. Still, a follow-up was awaited but Malick instead chose to co-write a film The Gravy Train under a pseudonym named David Whitney. Then in 1978, Malick finally re-emerged with his second film called Days of Heaven about young migrant workers fleeing to Texas where a woman falls in love with a dying farmer leaving her boyfriend jealous with his young sister looking on.

Written and directed by Terrence Malick, Days of Heaven is set in the early 1900s just before the U.S. goes to World War I. With the basic plot commented through the thoughts and eyes of a young girl, the film revolves as a young trio arrive to Texas from Chicago for work as they seek a gold mine in a dying farmer. Yet with the plan coming into fruition, jealousy, greed, and tragedy comes ahead as the young girl looks on to her own destiny and the people around her. Starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz, and Robert J. Wilke. Days of Heaven is a visually stunning, enchanting masterpiece from one of American cinema's most poetic and enigmatic film directors.

It's 1916 in Chicago as a young migrant worker named Bill (Richard Gere) has just gotten into words with a factory foreman (Stuart Margolin) where a fight ensues and accidents happen as Bill flees. Taking his younger sister Linda (Linda Manz) and his girlfriend Abby (Brooke Adams) away from Chicago, the trio flee on a train with a bunch of migrant workers as they head to Texas. Landing onto a nearby farmed own by a reclusive young farmer (Sam Shepard), Bill, Abby, and Linda take jobs working on the farm while not getting near his house. Working under the young farmer's longtime foreman (Robert J. Wilke), Bill would be working for $3 a day with the women while getting into fights with workers of his relationship with Abby where they claim to be siblings.

While trying to steal some medicine for his sister, Bill overhears a conversation between the young farmer and his doctor where the farmer is ill and has a year to live at best. With his harvest of wheat surrounding him that makes him rich, Bill notices the farmer looking at Abby with great interest. Bill has an idea for Abby to hook up with the farmer so they can nab his riches yet Abby doesn't think it's a good idea but goes along.

With the harvest and crop gathering finishing up, the farmer and Abby begin to have a relationship while Linda befriends a young girl (Jackie Shultis) who is upset that her boyfriend has left while she is still working. With the migrant workers leaving after finishing the crop, the farmer asks Abby to stay so she can do some work with him and she does only if Bill and Linda join him.

With the four people living in the farmer's house, it was a joyous time as Abby begins to fall for the farmer as they get married leaving Bill to be jealous. Still, Bill became a good friend to the farmer while Linda loves the atmosphere living in the farm area with the three adults. The farmer's foreman becomes suspicious as he is dismissed until the next spring harvest as he tells Bill he knows something. Yet with Bill waiting for the farmer to die, his patience becomes troubling as the farmer's condition stayed the same. His feelings for Abby are still the same as does her feelings for him while she is also in love with the farmer. Then when a two little planes arrive on the farmer's home, it belong to a trio of Italian circus performers.

Their arrival only brought a brief sense of joy when the farmer finally becomes suspicious of Abby and Bill's affection for each other. Abby fears his behavior as Bill decides to leave for work in Chicago as he leaves with the circus performers. Bill's departure only left the farmer, Abby, and Linda to live a blissful life for a year. Then when the spring harvest crop starts to arrive, Bill makes a return. Plagued with guilt over things, his arrival brings a bad omen filled with insects on the crop, a fire, and tragedy followed upon by tragedy leaving a young Linda to observe the world around her.

For a story as enchanting as Days of Heaven goes, there could've been so many ways for it to be presented. Whether as an epic kind of film about love or a coming-of-age story. Since this came from mind of Terrence Malick, the approach comes off in not just in a very original way but also in its simplicity. Particularly in his narrative style and approach to structure in his screenplay. The first act being the young trio's arrival to the farm crop and the farmer's interest in Abby.

The second act is Abby living with the farmer and Bill's departure. Then there is the third act where everything comes together in a very tragic way that has a bit of irony along with a full development of the characters. Particularly Bill and the farmer where Bill starts off as very hot-headed and the farmer being very quiet and shy. Even during the arrival of locusts and fire, it's somewhat biblical in the way the behaviors of the main characters begin to shift. Then as the film progresses, their behaviors change as Bill feels guilty and is coming to terms with everything while the farmer becomes enraged in his return.

Yet in its narrative style, it's really through the perspective of Linda since her voice-over narration is what drives the film. She is seeing and hearing things about where the characters are as she feels for Abby, Bill, and the farmer in every way. She sees the good in them as well as the bad in them in a line that really sums up everything. The words and dialogue Malick puts into the film isn't just very simple but realistic in its authenticity to the way the characters speak to each other or what they are thinking.

It's one of the key strengths into Malick's creativity as a writer while as a director, he brings an authentic style to the film. Since it's set in the early 1900s, he goes for a distinctive look that almost looks like an old painting from that era while he brings an epic scope to the film with an observant eye to the environment the characters are in with wonderful close-ups on some scenes or moving the camera feet away for the character.

If there's another way to describe Malick's style of directing, it can be summed up as dreamy. Not in a visual scale but in its tone where the film's title sums up the joy and heavenly feel that the characters feel for each other only to have it shattered by horrible secrets and its aftermath. Malick could've gone and created a situation that would've made the story more conventional but he keeps it real, especially in the tension between the farmer and Bill. It's only conventional when it leads to its tragic consequences while the film's ending is really more about one part of a story ending and another person's story just beginning but that couldn't be told.

What is more surprising that since the film has an epic-like feel to its in terms of visual approach and narrative style. It is done in a very simple way where the movie's running time is 95 minutes. It's really the genius of Malick who used a story that could've been longer but only chose to keep the simple moments.

Helping Malick in the visual department of the film is the late but renowned Cuban cinematographer Nestor Almendros. With some additional work from another great cinematographer, Haskell Wexler, the film's stunning cinematography is lush in its setting. Notably for using sunlight but not showing the sun, particularly during what is called magic hour where it's that time to shoot just before sunset. The shots in the film, notably in its exterior settings is epic and magical in the way the sky is shown along with the atmosphere of the wheat fields. There's an authenticity to every moment and every scene shot, even in the interior settings where it feels like a film in the early 1900s. It's all wonderfully done by Almendros and Wexler.

Helping Malick in the film's presentation is editor Billy Weber who gives a nicely paced, along with nice fading, dissolving cuts that shifts from a scene to scene and helps out in Malick's perspective directing style. Even the sound design of Barry K. Thomas of the film feels very realistic to the times as it helps give the film a sense of authenticity. Longtime art director Jack Fisk with set decorator Robert Gould does a great job in capturing the landscape of the farming, which was done in Alberta, Canada, where he uses the realistic models of cars, gas tanks, and housing designs for the home of the farmer. Even costume designer Patricia Norris does a great job in capturing the look of the costumes that doesn't reveal a lot of colors but colors that matches the atmosphere of the environment as well as the times.

Then there's the film's music that features a wonderful, bouncy early 1900s acoustic guitar style from Leo Kottke that gives the film a bit of a playful feel. Part of the film's soundtrack includes Camille Saint-Saens' Carnival Of The Animals. Yet the main film score of the film is done by one of the greatest film composers of all-time, Ennio Morricone. Sergio Leone's longtime composer brings an elegant, sweeping feel to the film's soundtrack that doesn't just touch its dreamy landscapes but also the sense of drama that isn't overdone. Morricone goes for a simplistic feel while using his talents to create memorable, rich score pieces that gives the film a lot more in terms of its presentation and style.

Finally, there's the film's cast is filled with memorable, small characters like the circus trio performers played by Sahbra Markus, Frenchie Lemond, and Richard Libertini as well as Stuart Margolin as the factory foreman and Jackie Shultis as Linda's friend who appears early in the film and much later towards the end. The most memorable small supporting character is the farm foreman played Robert J. Wilke who is like a father figure to the young farmer while suspecting trouble immediately. Still in terms of casting and performances, the film truly belongs to the four principle actors that not only drive the film but bring the kind of performances that are majestic enough to remember.

Brooke Adams gives an excellent performance as the anguished yet mesmerizing Abby with her natural beauty and her warmth towards the people around her. Adams combined a maternal instinct as well as a loyalty and torment into the scheme that she and Gere planned. When the film and story progresses, she is forced to realize the role that she is playing as in the end amidst the tragedies that occur, she comes to a realization. It's truly Adams' most memorable work to date while she was also good in Alison Anders' Gas, Food, & Lodging, and David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone.

The film's most impressive performance is the young Linda Manz, who was only 16 when she made the film. Manz brings an angelic quality to her presence while it's her narration and observant eye that really drives the story. Manz brings a lot of realism and innocence to her role while having great scenes with her counterparts. While she's only done a few movies since including her most recent work in Harmony Korine's Gummo in 1997, it's truly a remarkable performance.

In his acting debut in a film, noted film/play writer Sam Shepard gives an amazing performance as the shy, quiet farmer. Shepard hits all the right emotions and tones for his performance as a man ailing while dealing with loneliness. When his character is forced to go into rage, Shepard doesn't go over the top but knows that he shouldn't be too restrained. The way Shepard shifts his character from one person to another is amazing as he would prove to be great in not just his work as an actor but as a writer including Paris, Texas for Wim Wenders.

Now Richard Gere may be known now as a Hollywood A-list actor with such films as Pretty Woman, American Gigolo, An Officer & a Gentleman, and more recently, Unfaithful, Chicago, and Shall We Dance. Yet, it was this film that is one of the reasons in why Richard Gere is one of the better actors working in Hollywood today. Gere brings a persona that completely isn't the person in real life, a violent, bratty, charismatic kind of man who does everything he can to get a life that he can't have. Then when the film goes into the third act with his return, we see the guilt and caution that he brings as Gere brings in a spectacular performance in how he handles things and deals with mistakes.

***The Following Content is DVD Tidbits written from 10/07-12/10/07 specifically for the Criterion DVD***

The Region 1 DVD of Days of Heaven by Paramount that was released in 1999 and then re-issued with a different cover in 2006. The DVD shown on widescreen that is enhanced for 16x9 TVs was considered a disappointment. Notably for the fact that the film was originally released in 70mm film and the film transfer to DVD wasn't very good on some parts to complement the brilliant cinematography of the late Nestor Almendros and Haskell Wexler. Another problem with the original DVD is the sound. Mixed in Dolby Digital in English for 5.1 and 2.0 Surround sound. Neither are well-mixed as when compared to the French Mono, the French Mono is much louder. The only extra feature in that DVD is a theatrical trailer that is grainy in some parts since it's a very old trailer. It's also misleading to believe that it's a love-triangle when in reality, that's not what the film is about.

For several years as the legend of Terrence Malick has grown through his other films like Badlands, The Thin Red Line, and The New World. The cult of Malick for a longtime have been waiting through definitive DVDs of his work while they continue to await possible longer cuts of The Thin Red Line and The New World, the latter which has still been delayed in a rumored three-hour cut. Malick also was part of a list of the 25 films that had to be re-issued into a Criterion-like form on DVD with Days of Heaven as the only film in that list. Well, after years of waiting. Days of Heaven is finally given a DVD treatment it deserves and best of all, it is approved by its creator, Terrence Malick.

The 2007 Criterion Collection DVD version is vastly superior in both image and sound in comparison to the original Paramount DVD. With a new, high-definition transfer supervised by Terrence Malick along with the film's editor Billy Webber and the film's original camera operator John Bailey. The look of the film is richer, fuller, and lively without any moments of grainy footage, scratches, and such to not only complement the gorgeous cinematography of Nestor Almendros and Haskell Wexler. The film is also remixed in a new 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound that blows away the sound work in the original DVD. Presented in the 1:78:1 aspect ratio in the widescreen format for 16x9 TVs, the film is even grander in its presentation and scope as it shows the film in its intended form by Malick and his collaborators.

Three section of special features appear in the Criterion DVD. First is a feature-length audio commentary track from the crew members of the film including two of Malick's frequent collaborators, art director Jack Fisk and editor Billy Weber. Along with costume designer Patricia Norris and casting director Dianne Crittendon, the commentary recorded in 2007 exclusively for the DVD. The discussion is mostly about the making of the film and their memories where Fisk and Weber talk about Malick's work method. Crittendon talked about the early casting sessions that had John Travolta as Richard Gere's character and Tommy Lee Jones as the farmer. What happened was Travolta couldn't do the film due to scheduling conflict with his show Welcome Back Kotter while Malick wanted someone younger than Jones and opted for Sam Shepard.

Patricia Norris discussed the making of the costumes while showing the Canadians attitude towards American, particularly in the way Malick and cinematographer Nestor Almendros worked. Fisk and Weber went further revealing that Almendros, who is known for his work with Francois Truffaut and Eric Rohmer, had a very different style of creating images that infuriated a lot of the film’s camera crew and such who were used to working in a Hollywood style.

Ennio Morricone is briefly discussed as he was the composer Malick wanted due to his work in Bernardo Bertolucci's 1900 that they used and asked Morricone to create some music in Italy where the only cue he wrote for a scene specifically was the fire scene while the rest was just pieces he created. Weber revealed that the reason it took two years to edit the film was because Malick wanted to cut out a lot of dialogue to aim for something that was close to silent movies in the early 20th Century. The result of the two-years of editing would make Malick exhausted and then move to France in 1979 where he then, disappeared.

Fisk discusses the production scale where the houses and such made by Hutterrites, a religious group who owned the land but gave permission to use the location for filming in Southern Alberta, Canada. Fisk and Weber also reveal what material did Haskell Wexler shot which were a lot of the film’s interior scenes, the steel mill scene, and a large portion of the film's ending. The reason Wexler was hired because Nestor Almendros only worked for nine weeks and had to leave due to a commitment in shooting a film for Francois Truffaut.

Fisk and Weber did reveal that the film wasn't a commercial hit when it came out while receiving mixed reviews from critics despite praise for the cinematography. What was really surprising was that because it was a $3 million film and it was taking a long time to edit, Paramount didn't pay any attention to what was going on due to other films at the time like Saturday Night Fever and Grease that helped the company while were going over the problems with William Friedkin's The Sorcerer.

The surprising support from Paramount the crew admits was surprising since they liked Malick's films and for the fact that he could make them cheap. The overall commentary is informative and enjoyable with some great humor while the big question they talked about is, where is Terry? Probably watching Zoolander again, this time with Sean Penn and Heath Ledger while reciting many quotes from that film.

The second section of special features is devoted to the actors of the film. While actresses Brooke Adams and Linda Manz don't contribute to the DVD, the more well-known and revered actors Richard Gere and Sam Shepard do make contributions. Richard Gere's 21-minute audio interview recorded exclusively for the DVD is set against many of the film's images, stills, and such. Gere discusses Malick's methods of filmmaking while talking about his own experience since this film was the first he ever made. Gere wanted to do the project because of Badlands and wanting to work with producers Bert and Harold Schneider who had produced landmark films like Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces. Gere admits that Malick isn't very good at making decisions during the casting while with actors, he wasn't good at that either because he was still new to filmmaking at the time.

Gere talks about his fellow cast where in Brooke Adams, she was someone he knew and was hired at the last minute when another actress dropped out. Sam Shepard was someone Gere knew as well since he had done a couple of plays by Shepard while the two had a rivalry of sorts for Adams' affection whom they both had a crush on. Linda Manz was brought in as Gere talks about her performance and how Terry worked with her that Gere compared to the way Robert Altman worked with kids. He said the secret is to not tell them what to do. Gere also recalls on the film's cinematography and the work of both Almendros and Wexler and how the traditional Hollywood crew had grumbling on Almendros' unconventional style and Wexler making them feel at ease for a bit. Gere also lets in on a secret about the famous locusts flying scene that he reveals exclusively for the interview.

While Gere admits to his own frustrations at the time, notably in the post-production when a lot of the scenes of dialogue was cut, he understood what Terry aimed for and was very proud of the final film which he considers to be one of his favorite films he’s ever been in.

The 12-minute interview with Sam Shepard recorded in 2002 shows the actor/playwright discussing Malick's methods while giving some of his own analyzation of his own character. He says that Terry's films aren’t meant to be overanalyzed and such while he goes on further on the film's historical setting which he says was in some ways was about the changing times of man and machine. Shepard's discussion is very informative while he shares Gere's frustrations over Malick's approach with acting. Shepard also reveals some of Malick's methods with acting where if a spoiled actor worked with him, it would be terrible. An actor, when it comes to working with Terry, has to be independent and make his own decisions while trying to give Terry what he wants.

The third and final section in the DVD special features is about the film's award-winning cinematography. Featuring two video interviews with the film's camera operator John Bailey and cinematographer Haskell Wexler, the two men muse on the film's unconventional cinematography and the late Nestor Almendros. Bailey's 20-minute interview, as he is seen working on the DVD transfer on the film, discusses a lot of the film’s technical moments while revealing that the film was made in the American New Wave style of the early 70s but without its urban look.

Bailey's job as a camera operator was to work under Almendros' instructions since it was the first time Almendros worked with a camera operator. Bailey also reveals the lack of artificial light and grips that were used to convey Almendros' style of photography and Terry's vision. The crew who worked on grips and such were not happy in the style. Bailey's interview is extremely informative and a must-hear for cinematography film buffs.

The 13-minute interview with Haskell Wexler, who filled in when both Almendros and Bailey had to leave due to other commitments. The legendary yet eccentric cinematographer chose the job after seeing some of the footage in the editing room and went to Canada to meet with Malick and Almendros where they were behind schedule and Wexler was used to get things going. Almendros told Wexler to not use any diffusion gauzes, natural light only. Wexler, whose background had been in both documentary and feature-films, had similar visual presentations that Almendros wanted while giving his insight on how he shot and such.

He also channels his frustration over not getting credit by the Academy for Best Cinematography. Though it wasn't anything against Almendros, who he was happy to see won, but wanted to have an Oscar to for his work on that film. It's understandable since he deserves full credit while producer Bert Schneider thought so as well when he told him at a Lakers game.

Accompanying the DVD that includes wonderful packaging for the cover and sleeve is a booklet featuring two essays about the film. The first essay entitled On Earth As It Is In Heaven by Australian senior researcher and Rogue magazine co-editor Adrian Martin of Monash University in Melbourne. Martin's five-page essay discusses the film and Malick's unique perspective on films and philosophy since the man was a Harvard graduate who briefly went to Oxford. Martin tells about his own experience in watching Days of Heaven in its original, 70mm presentation in theaters that was unlike any film at the time in the late 70s. Martin exclaims that part of Malick's philosophy came from Martin Heidegger while his film influences came from Europe, notably Francois Truffaut. He said the actual film in its plot might seen like a typical love triangle between the characters of Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, and Sam Shepard but what was added is the narration of Linda Manz as Gere's sister.

Martin says it was this film that would reveal Malick's idealism of his filmmaking, while his debut Badlands was more of a genre film of sorts that had an elliptical pacing style and voice-over narration. It was Days of Heaven that would define his filmmaking style that would come later on for The Thin Red Line and The New World. It would be a style Martin claims would influence many directors including Wong Kar-Wai. The film's original script had loads of dialogue but by post-production, Malick got tired of the dialogue and ended up cutting a lot of it into a completely different film though the script provided the basic story. The themes of Malick, notably nature which is something Malick seems to love more than anything. While Martin's essay is informative and insightful, it never gives reason into his 20-year departure that followed. Instead, it chooses to focus on the brilliance and influence of Days of Heaven.

The second essay is an excerpt from Nestor Almendros' 1984 autobiography A Man with a Camera. The chapter entitled Shooting Days of Heaven, Almendros discusses his experience making the film and how he and Malick wanted to push the film stock they had for a look that was unlike anything on film. With Almendros, he turned to the paintings of Vermeer for inspiration where he, like Malick, opted for a natural look with very few artificial lighting equipment. This caused conflict between Almendros and most of the film crew who were used to shooting in a glossy, Hollywood style where Almendros didn't give them much to do. Malick doesn't like blue sky and neither did Truffaut which suited Almendros as he usually did his own camera operating but in this film, he had John Bailey as his operator.

Almendros also talked about the technical pointers on the film, notably the use of the Panaflex camera, which was an early version of the Steadicam since Malick opted for use of hand-held cameras and other types of shots. Almendros worked for 53 days on the film and Haskell Wexler worked for 19 days and Almendros' departure was due to the fact that he was committed to shoot The Man Who Loved Women for Truffaut and Wexler took over after some discussion in which he told Haskell to not use any diffusion gauzes. Almendros talked about the difference between American and European film equipment that reveals more source of the conflict between him and the American crew. The excerpt overall is extremely informative for aspiring cinematographers with technical pointers and such from the late yet renowned cinematographer.

Nearly 30 years since its release that was followed by two feature films, both acclaimed and beloved by Malick's devoted following that included fellow film directors. While it received a mixed reception in 1978 despite praise by some critics and loads of awards including the Best Cinematography Oscar to Nestor Almendros and a Best Director prize to Malick at 1979 Cannes Film Festival. After a 20-year disappearance, Malick released his film adaptation of James Jones' The Thin Red Line that drew rave reviews and in 2005, he released The New World to similar acclaim.

In 2007, Malick announced his upcoming project entitled Tree of Life is set for production in 2008 that will star Sean Penn and Heath Ledger (later replaced by Brad Pitt). Though it's unclear when the film will be released, it will be met with lots of anticipation. Even as Malick’s influence has been noted on many directors including Sofia Coppola, Andrew Dominik, and most of all, protegee David Gordon Green whose 2000 debut film George Washington was inspired by both Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

Nearly 30 years since its release, Days of Heaven is a beautiful, heartbreaking drama from Terrence Malick featuring a superb cast, stunning cinematography, a rich film score, and everything wanted in a beautiful film. While Badlands is a more accessible, this film is the best introduction in terms of Malick's approach to storytelling and narrative. Fans of Sam Shepard and Richard Gere will no doubt find this film to be essential to their work. With the Criterion DVD release, the film is now a must-have for any film buff as well as any diehard fan of Terrence Malick. For a film with great scenery, wonderful plot elements, exquisite narration, and a rich score, Days of Heaven is the film to see.

Terrence Malick Reviews: Badlands - The Thin Red Line - The New World - The Tree of Life - To the Wonder - Knight of Cups - Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience - (Voyage of Time: Life's Journey) - Song to Song - A Hidden Life - (The Way of the Wind)

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