The New World

[pete]

you've missed the point.

[cowboykurtis]

just saw this last night - its almost useless to even use words to decribe such a transporting experience - utterly bueatiful - effected me deeply - best film of the year.

[Sunrise]

you've missed the point.

Tough to respond...enlighten me.

[pete]

spoiler

I don't think the film really was about the contrast between the naturals and the English.  It was all about Pocahontas and mourned for her maturity.  That was the big substantial insight that no other film had.  It wasn't just a retelling of the dances with wolves story or whatever.  the new world obviously was referring to England, when Pocahontas finally set foot there.  The natives touched the garments out of curiosity, not because they were man-ape-like or unsophisticated, but precisely the opposite--they were people without the sense of ownership nor much inhibition.

[w/o horse]

they were people without the sense of ownership nor much inhibition.

But Malick didn't make it that easy.  He presented the idea, Smith talked about it in his v.o. even (which is fabulous of Malick, his narrations always work for me because he does this, he has his characters talk about what they see only, without a sense of story or perspective), but the Natives did have a sense of ownership.  Their land, right.  It was their fucking land, and the blocking agent here, the inhibition, was that they knew the Europeans would keep coming and taking their land.  What the purpose of the hatchet stealing scene then?  It had already been established that they were curious about the European's property, but in this scene one of them attempted to own.  Whether he coveted or was curious, whether it was nervousness or disrespect, the worth of the object in his culture, is outsie of the fact that he wanted the hatchet.  Simply.

[pete]

wouldn't it be easier to read the stealing of the hatchet as someone with no sense of ownership taking something he thought belonged to everyone?  you brought up a good point about the land and I wouldn't disagree, but I still didn't think that contradicted with what I was saying about the naturals touching the garment of the soldiers not out of some ape-like unsophistication.

[Sunrise]

Spoilers.

I don't think the film really was about the contrast between the naturals and the English. It was all about Pocahontas and mourned for her maturity. That was the big substantial insight that no other film had. It wasn't just a retelling of the dances with wolves story or whatever.

I do not disagree with you that the film operates on the individual level and I think that is its most compelling aspect. But what you and I have said is not mutually exclusive. It also tackles the opposing cultures. That is why I felt the characters double as surrogates for the masses which they represent. I certainly do not want to limit The New World to simply Pocahontas.

the new world obviously was referring to England, when Pocahontas finally set foot there.

...and so much more. A new world for the English in unsettled America, a new world for the natives once the English arrive, a new world for Smith and Pocahontas on the personal level, new thoughts on history, experience and memory, a new world for Rolfe after meeting and finally winning over Pocahontas, and certainly a new world for Pocahontas and her father's brother upon arriving in London.

The natives touched the garments out of curiosity, not because they were man-ape-like or unsophisticated, but precisely the opposite--they were people without the sense of ownership nor much inhibition.

I would never claim that they were man-ape like or unsophisticated. Rather, their physical actions in touching the clothes, the awe and astonishment at something so impossible...that is what I meant. Apologies for the confusion.

[Gamblour.]

So this is leaving theaters quickly. I work tonight and tomorrow night. The only chance I would see is if I got out of work early enough Thursday to head straight to this theater a few blocks away. But then I wouldn't get any sleep for work the next day. Is it worth it?

[Fernando]

It's Malick! Of course it's worth it, this flim has to be seen on the big screen.

I haven't seen it thou and god knows when it'll show around here. 

[Sunrise]

I have seen it twice and had to drive just under an hour to see it both times. You can catch up on sleep this weekend...once the film leaves the theatres...that's it. See it on the big screen.

[Pozer]

I really need to see it again before it escapes the big screen.  Is it worth not getting enough sleep the next day for work...  how could you ask that?

[MacGuffin]

thedigitalbits has gotten word that producer Sarah Greene has recently informed audiences at special limited screenings of Terrence Malick's The New World that the director has created an extended version of the film that will see release on DVD, possibly as early as March or April (from New Line).

[The Perineum Falcon]

thedigitalbits has gotten word that producer Sarah Greene has recently informed audiences at special limited screenings of Terrence Malick's The New World that the director has created an extended version of the film that will see release on DVD, possibly as early as March or April (from New Line).

Thank Christ.

This only came out here two weeks ago and I've only had the chance to see it twice (the same weekend). It's terrible that it's leaving so soon, but probably not at all unexpected.
I was actually contemplating a bootleg....

But this is extraordinarily great.

[modage]

Is it worth it?

But then I wouldn't get any sleep for work the next day.

oh yes you would.

[hedwig]

shut up mod.

yes gamblour, it's definitely worth it. like fernando said, it's malick, and beyond that it's one of the best films of the decade, FUCK work and see the movie. i never reviewed it because i'm having trouble articulating how i felt about it. i think it's alexander payne who said that truly magnificent works of art often leave the viewer mystified, not knowing what to think. i was reminded of this when a woman after the movie told me she thought The New World was "very strange."

spoils.
i want to see the film again, but as of now i cannot stop thinking about the scenes in England. my feelings watching those scenes are comparable to the first time i saw the white room in 2001.