Who is "God" in a cinema, Dan?
The director, right?
So:
Where were you when Malick laid the foundations of the Earth, when he made the morning stars sang together... and all his fans shouted for joy?
Simple answer, no?
(seated on the cinema's chair)
Remember that snake swimming in the river? Do you know Goethe's Faust? Malick does:
Mephistopheles
Grey, my friend, is every theory
And green is Life's golden tree.
Student
I swear it's like a dream to me: may I
Trouble you, at some further time,
To expound your wisdom, so sublime?
Mephistopheles
As much as I can, I'll gladly explain.
Student
I can't tear myself away,
I must just pass you my album, sir,
Grant me the favor of your signature!
Mephistopheles
Very well.
(he writes and gives the book back)
Student (reading Mephistopheles' Latin inscription)
Eritis sicut Deus, scientes bonum et malum. ("You shall be like like gods, knowing good and evil".)
(the student makes his bows and retires)
Mephistopheles
Just follow the old proverb, and my cousin the snake, too:
And then your likeness to God will surely frighten you!
(Faust, Goethe)
That mother could be yours? So you identify with Jack, right? Jack is the diminutive of Jacob. Do you know the bibibal character? He fought with God.
Can you imagine what is RL? Someone? Malick's brother? The River of Life.
And Steve? Steve is the diminutive of Stephen. Malick was a pupil at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin. A portrait of the artist as a young man.
Father says more or less:
"You act as you're in trouble. You act as you don't wanna fight. And the moment they blinck, crack them!"
Nothing gives more pleasure to a thief than robbing you while saying: "I beg of you, M'sieur, watch yourself. Be on guard. This place is full of vultures, vultures everywhere, everywhere." What breathtaking pleasure hearing your grateful answer: "Ha, ha, thank you, thank you very much". I am quoting from Casablanca. This is a delicious situation to watch in Curtiz's film. But when it happens to you it is funny no more. Malick loves Bresson's Pickpocket, so you should be aware.
The fact is that he is in total delirium, and "delirium... plays with the universe and its laws as if they were toys" (Bataille). It plays with you too.
There are two ways through this film. And you you crossed it through grace. That's natural: "... no one who chooses the way of grace ever comes to a bad end". But that can not endure forever. Maybe you have to close "the door quietly 50 times", as O'Brien tells Jack to do (not by chance a "screen door"), but one day you will understand why really Malick made you identify with Jack. The truth is that the entire film is the Garden of Eden and the Grace vs. Nature speech is made to the spectators and only to them.
This film is a very special kind of joke.
Malick doesn't seem to be a joker? Did you noticed how the screen is on fire at least one time during his films, like he couldn't avoid it?
"The arsonist is the most dissembling of criminals." (Bachelard)
The director, right?
So:
Where were you when Malick laid the foundations of the Earth, when he made the morning stars sang together... and all his fans shouted for joy?
Simple answer, no?
(seated on the cinema's chair)
Remember that snake swimming in the river? Do you know Goethe's Faust? Malick does:
Mephistopheles
Grey, my friend, is every theory
And green is Life's golden tree.
Student
I swear it's like a dream to me: may I
Trouble you, at some further time,
To expound your wisdom, so sublime?
Mephistopheles
As much as I can, I'll gladly explain.
Student
I can't tear myself away,
I must just pass you my album, sir,
Grant me the favor of your signature!
Mephistopheles
Very well.
(he writes and gives the book back)
Student (reading Mephistopheles' Latin inscription)
Eritis sicut Deus, scientes bonum et malum. ("You shall be like like gods, knowing good and evil".)
(the student makes his bows and retires)
Mephistopheles
Just follow the old proverb, and my cousin the snake, too:
And then your likeness to God will surely frighten you!
(Faust, Goethe)
That mother could be yours? So you identify with Jack, right? Jack is the diminutive of Jacob. Do you know the bibibal character? He fought with God.
Can you imagine what is RL? Someone? Malick's brother? The River of Life.
And Steve? Steve is the diminutive of Stephen. Malick was a pupil at St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin. A portrait of the artist as a young man.
Father says more or less:
"You act as you're in trouble. You act as you don't wanna fight. And the moment they blinck, crack them!"
Nothing gives more pleasure to a thief than robbing you while saying: "I beg of you, M'sieur, watch yourself. Be on guard. This place is full of vultures, vultures everywhere, everywhere." What breathtaking pleasure hearing your grateful answer: "Ha, ha, thank you, thank you very much". I am quoting from Casablanca. This is a delicious situation to watch in Curtiz's film. But when it happens to you it is funny no more. Malick loves Bresson's Pickpocket, so you should be aware.
The fact is that he is in total delirium, and "delirium... plays with the universe and its laws as if they were toys" (Bataille). It plays with you too.
There are two ways through this film. And you you crossed it through grace. That's natural: "... no one who chooses the way of grace ever comes to a bad end". But that can not endure forever. Maybe you have to close "the door quietly 50 times", as O'Brien tells Jack to do (not by chance a "screen door"), but one day you will understand why really Malick made you identify with Jack. The truth is that the entire film is the Garden of Eden and the Grace vs. Nature speech is made to the spectators and only to them.
This film is a very special kind of joke.
Malick doesn't seem to be a joker? Did you noticed how the screen is on fire at least one time during his films, like he couldn't avoid it?
"The arsonist is the most dissembling of criminals." (Bachelard)
