View Full Version : Thin Red Line, Am I the only person who likes it?
Over the last few years, my friends and I have discussed the various war films doing the dvd circuit.. and from what I can tell, most people seriously don't like The Thin Red Line.... where as I think it is an amazing film!
why it didn't get best cinematography oscar is beyond me (it was far better than SPR in that respect).....
And what also annoys me is when people compare it to Saving Private Ryan... they are completely different films...
Comments please... I'd like to know what everyone thinks... especially Mr Brooke......
I thought it was excellent, it was like the 90s version of apocolypse now
yeah you are!
Seriously its diff to Ryan.
But its so boring, not like Ryan or Band of Bros (which is even better)
I got it for 4 quid and swapped it for die hard.
ARE U TAKING THE ****. Its the worst film ever. I saw SPR before this and though it was the greatest film ever made and still do.
Then I wen to see Thin Red Line and YES it has lots of stars in it, But during the film I was considering leaving. I did stay and watch the whole thing just incase it got remotely good. But alas it stayed CRAP. SPR gets my Gold Star.
No Mcbain, you are not alone. Thin Red Line worked for me immensely, I found it infinitely more watchable than SPR (which I enjoyed, I must say). The film was beautifully shot and the interspersed story lines keep me gripped. Personally I prefer it to Malick's "Badlands" which I found a little tedious.
Sure it may not be as "in your face" as the first 20 mins of SPR, but it doesn't just drop you the way that SPR did after it had shot it's bolt - forgive the pun.
My girlfriend hates it by the way, and refuses to watch it ever again after being "more bored than you can possibly imagine" when we watched it at the cinema.
no you are not the only one who loves thin red line, i love it to bit's it's a far better film than ryan. it has everything you need in a war movie.
ryan has a great opening scene but that's it.
But like i have said SPR and TRL are two completely different films and should not be compared in any way (story line that is)......
I like TRL because it show more the mental state of the soldier when in battle situations and it is just so beatifully shot...... (i've had a few too many at dinner time to give a good explanation of my reason for liking it...)
Saying about how it is not a gripping as SPR... I found the bit where they storm the Japanise camp, and all but fighting hand to hand, more gripping than the opening scenes of SPR....
(oh and Hans Zimmers ST is also great....not sure which is better TRL or Gladiator)
but don't get me wrong... I love SPR also and own the both of them (first two DVD's I purchased)
"I BLEW MY BUTT OFF" Dont make me laugh
Come on... what was he supposed to say.... "I blew my Bum off"?
BTW... nice Sig.. Tombstone... I mean when will they release a good version of that on DVD!!
I agree about tombstone. Goddamm Entertainment in Video.
:mad:
Yes... how crap is the current release... DD2.0! WTF is that all about.... I remember from years ago being impressed by watching it in Stereo and listening to the sound of the horses galloping across the ground.... that in DD5.1 would be amazing!
I just think it may have been built up too much for me having a TON on stars in the film I was expecting something GLORIOUS.
I was just dissapionted with it..:(
I have to say that the opening ten minutes of TRL is amongst my favourite openings to any film I own. It sets up the film's themes of isolation, sanctuary and mortality succinctly yet with a depth of observation few writer directors posess. It never ceases to move me.
It is not a film for the casual cinema goer and maybe that is TM's problem. Badlands remains my favourite film and while TRL cannot match that it is still absorbing and a brilliant alternative take on warfare. SPR is a magnificent achievement but like Leaving Las Vegas and Shine falls in to the category of films I admire greatly but do not want to sit through again.
TRL is just the opposite mainly thanks to Jim Caviezel's electric performance. It draws you back to it again and again. Yes it is too long and unforgivably TM litters it with distracting cameos, Travolta, Harrleson, Clooney etc. Wholly unecessary. TRL is what mental warfare is about. Dealing with the situation twenty four hours a day.
TM may be on a different plain to most us but we can still with a little effort, fully appreciate where this rightly lauded film maker is coming from. SPR and TRL are both masterpieces in their own right. That does not mean we have to like them both.
Originally posted by Mcbain
well put....
LOL:D
sidebog7
26-10-2001, 15:15
Originally posted by Snuffy
Yes it is too long and unforgivably TM litters it with distracting cameos, Travolta, Harrleson, Clooney etc. Wholly unecessary.
I completely agree with this. The first time I watched it the cameos just caused me to become distracted and removed from the film. However the second time I watched the film I got more engrossed in the movie and enjoyed it immensely.
This is definitely a film that requires several viewings which some of the cinema going audience are not going to allow it.
Well.. thats the sort of thing that I wanted t say but in my slightly tipsy state I couldn't think of the words!:)
JimDriver2
26-10-2001, 15:31
I'm with you I think The Thin Red Line is with out a doubt a amazing film. I am of the opinion its one of the best 5 films ever. I love SPR too but there is just so much to TRL.
On the subject of the cameos of Clooney etc I think they work great, cos of their big star status they make us realize how "big and important" those characters are meant to be, and are to the soliders.
The thin red line was a total waste of 2 hours - you get more fulfillment from doing the washing up.
One of the bits I most like about the film is just after Sean Penn had run over to the injured bloke to give him the morphine pack so he can put himself to sleep and Elias Koteas says something along the lines of
"Thats the bravest thing i've ever seen... i'm going to recommend you for the ......." and Penn says "If you tell anyone one about this i'll ...something you......"
Just a very good moment to show how warfare probably is (obviously I wouldn't have a clue, but I imagine that this is something close)
The Thin Red Line is a winner for me also. I think it has more in common with Apocalypse Now than Saving Private Ryan.
I like both SPR and TTRL - the only thing they've got in common is that they're WWII films - but not even in the same "Theatre" of war.
Both the visuals and the sound (including the score) are breathtaking and it says something about the film for me that I managed to watch it in one sitting, despite a late start! Rented it on DVD and bought it soon afterward.
I think the main thing about liking this film is that it's about "the journey" as opposed to "the destination". i.e. it doesn't have a staggeringly complex plot, but the characters and stories are interesting enough. e.g. the guy who just thinks about his wife in order to get through the trauma of war only to find out ...... I won't spoil it! This was a real understated piece of cinema.
With films like this, there will always be some people who don't get it - quite often me, but in this case, I can see it for what it is - a masterpiece that deserves all the good things that have been written about it.
Q: Thin Red Line, Am I the only person who likes it?
A: No!
...have you seen The Big Red One?...
. . . :o . . .
sideshowbob
26-10-2001, 15:47
I watched it again the other night and have to say that I really enjoyed it. The pace is completely different to most war films and I can see how people would criticise it for not being action-orientated enough. Some of the imagery is fantastic, it just depends on your expectations .. and whether you feel the narrative works well or not.
.....now that I've donned my fireproof clothing may I suggest to those that denigrate The Thin Red Line that maybe its just a tad too cerebral for you?
I like both SPR and the Thin Red Line....but i prefer the latter....mostly because it's more than just a war film, trying to show the effects of war, not only on man, but also on nature itself...human or otherwise.
It may be beneficial to those who have not seen this film and those who are borderline fans of the film to read the book the film was based on.....I found that the film complimented the novel and vice-versa.
Superb film.
yes.. I might just take your advise there and read the book....
it's a little hobby of mine, reading about WWII....
Brian_JD
26-10-2001, 19:22
I've seen TTRL many times prob into the twenties,
SPR on the other hand,about three times all the way through!
Nuff said :cool:
RoyJones
26-10-2001, 21:00
I loved the film.
Panavision
26-10-2001, 21:27
Count me in, great picture!!!
It's so beautifully shot, stunning photography. I like the various themes running throughout it.
Lenny Nero
27-10-2001, 00:17
I went with a friend to watch it in limited release a day or two before Christmas, and never ever have I considered actually leaving the theater before that!
Best cinematography for what? He's just peppered the film with loooooooong and boring shots of some woods and exotic birds and sunsets...yaaaaaawn. I do like when the movie sets up a mood and environments to draw you in, but this was too much. I didn't come to the art gallery after all. :rolleyes:
maalstroom
27-10-2001, 09:28
The Thin Red Line is among my favourite movies (although I think Badlands is even better). TTRL is such a multi-layered work that it becomes a better experience the more times you see it: now isn't that what dvd's are great for?
I never found the cameos distracting, mostly because the main peformance by Jim Caviezel is so mesmerizing (the last 30 minutes are incredibly intense from an emotional standpoint and he really delivers in those scenes). I also love the way the ending segues back to the opening of the movie, very well thought out and it clarifies instantly what the movie is about in a lot of ways.
Technically the movie is flawless, with the great cinematography as a tool to enhance the symbolism in the storyline (Malick is known for that: Badlands and Days Of Heaven have the same qualities) and great use of voiceovers and music (Hans Zimmer delivers one of his best scores here, used to great effect in chapter 19, The Mop-Up).
A lot of people will have a problem with the dynamics of the movie: it goes from the most intense scenes to amazingly introspective moments within the space of a minute. And it's rare that a movie disregards the audiences wishes for linear storytelling and main characters so completely but in this case it reinbforces the central themes of the story.
"What is this great evil? How did it steal into the world? From what seed, what root did it spring? Who's doing this? Who's killing us? Robbing us of light and life. Mocking us with the sight of what we might have known."
Well basically what probably makes people hate Thin Red Line is the simple fact that most people thought it was going to be another SPR (me included) but I was always trying to stay awake (waiting for some action) I honestly think as a drama it's ok but it's not a decent Warfilm (action orientated)
If you want action see (SPR)
Or drama (TRL)
Simple..:D
I'm your Huckleberry.
Good news for all us Tombstone fans, January 15 see a special edition release, Anamorphic, DTS etc
Just announced are 2 more vista series SEs to come out early next year, Tombstone western and The Sixth Sense dvds:
Tombstone:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1
English (DTS), English (Dolby Digital 5.1) THX Certified
• Commentary by director George Cosmatos
• Production Featurettes - "An Ensemble Cast," "Making An Authentic Western," and "The Gunfight At The O.K. Corral"
• Tomstone Storyline
• The Tombstone Epitaph
• Director's Original Storyboards: O.K. Corral Sequence
• Collectible Tombstone Map
• DVD ROM: Faro At The Oriental: Game of Chance
• Widescreen anamorphic format
MSRP US$30 coming out on January 15th
This info is from a recent thread on these forums which I can't find at the moment.
soulsaver
27-10-2001, 16:40
Didn't blow me away on the first viewing thats for sure, I found it a bit...well it wasn't what I was expecting put it that way so I was disapointed with it, but as with most films I gave it a second chance and really got into it (this time knowing what to expect)and it is now quite often in the dvd player.
I think alot of people who watch it first time around and didn't like it were like me expecting a big action film so were disapointed when it didn't turn out that way. I would recommend anyone who didn't like first time to at least give it a second chance.
APPRIA40WR
27-10-2001, 16:53
Thin Red Line, Am I the only person who likes it?
I thought it was truly terrible.
I liked the director's Badlands with Martin Sheen -but nowt else he's done
Chief Brody
27-10-2001, 17:51
I thought TRL was mostly excellent, BUT it would benefit from being even longer, as i got the impression that it had been ruthlessly edited to detrimental effect. There are many moments of magic in the film, but story-wise it's all over the map. Off the top of my head now:
1. Why is there a lengthy introductory sequence on the boat if many of those characters are never even seen again?
2. John Cusack simply disappeared.
3. Nick Nolte simply disappeared after the hill was taken.
4. Why was that hill so important anyway?
5. What happened to the Ben Chaplin character AFTER he got the Dear John letter ? (The last we see of him is him sitting in the grass moping)
6. The Greek Captain (Staros) has so few scenes with his men that it's difficult to understand why they are so upset when he is transferred back to the States.
7. There's a lengthy scene where the soldiers debate on who is going to write to the widow of the Woody Harrelson character. This is never mentioned again.
8. Why does John Travolta tell Nick Nolte to take the airfiled, and then the company spends most of the film trying to take the hill, with the airfield never even mentioned again?
I'd just love to see a 2-disc set of this film showing the stuff that DIDN'T make it in - i just hope we can receive one.
Kit_Taylor
27-10-2001, 18:33
I saw it on video and enjoyed only it because I was stoned and my mate Jim kept making jokes about pineapples in a Japanese accent all the way through.
Sober, I wouldn't pay to have some old director bloke masturbate in my face for 3 hours.
Tristan H
27-10-2001, 19:06
It's a stunning film that requires more than one viewing to truly appreciate it. The film can be very slow at times, but it's a genuinely moving experience that is hard to come by these days. Certainly in my top 10 films of the last 5 years.
RoyJones
27-10-2001, 19:07
Originally posted by Chief Brody
I thought TRL was mostly excellent, BUT it would benefit from being even longer, as i got the impression that it had been ruthlessly edited to detrimental effect. There are many moments of magic in the film, but story-wise it's all over the map. Off the top of my head now:
1. Why is there a lengthy introductory sequence on the boat if many of those characters are never even seen again?
To have an understanding of the class structure that runs thru the forces and the way in which power dictates that those below will abide to orders if they want to climb the ladder. Being a manager and having seen this used many times in work was very pleasing.
2. John Cusack simply disappeared.
The idea was to depict a minor battle in a major war. Who organises it, who leads it,who carries it out, and how they are all effected. To show this we only get snap shots of each character, they come and go. Imagine that you were there, it would be quite a lonley experience, soldiers would simply come and go!
3. Nick Nolte simply disappeared after the hill was taken.
The action moved on, he took another direction. Probably disscusing his next mission with the John Travolta character.
4. Why was that hill so important anyway?
Over all it wasn't. Travolta had been told to take it, so he told Nolte to take it who then told Staros to take it. This is where the mission faulted, he didn't have a lot to gain, apart from the loss of lives for which as captain he felt responsible.
5. What happened to the Ben Chaplin character AFTER he got the Dear John letter ? (The last we see of him is him sitting in the grass moping)
As before the camera moved on, the action took a turn, he went in another direction.
6. The Greek Captain (Staros) has so few scenes with his men that it's difficult to understand why they are so upset when he is transferred back to the States.
They knew that even though he was a weak captain, he did respected the lives of those in his command. The privates in turn respected this.
7. There's a lengthy scene where the soldiers debate on who is going to write to the widow of the Woody Harrelson character. This is never mentioned again.
Once again this was just a snap shot as to the action dealt with on a daily basis in a battle. I suppose after seeing a dozen good friends slaughtered the worry and guilt of having to tell their family and loved ones simply faded away.
8. Why does John Travolta tell Nick Nolte to take the airfiled, and then the company spends most of the film trying to take the hill, with the airfield never even mentioned again?
Perhaps they had to take the hill to have any chance of taking the airfield. Again we are looking at pieces that make up a picture, not the picture itself.
I'd just love to see a 2-disc set of this film showing the stuff that DIDN'T make it in - i just hope we can receive one.
I understand there is a lot of extra footage not used. I for one was very happy with the film, like life itself, it didn't always flow and make sense, and at times required us to forget or simply fill in the missing pieces. I much prefare this than having all aspects of a film explained whilst in turn spoiling the magic and adventure.
I hope this helps, and sorry for the spelling, one of the kids has pinched my dictionary.
Chief Brody
27-10-2001, 23:01
"required us to forget or simply fill in the missing pieces"
I think you're partly on the money there mate. Sometimes it's good that a film trusts the viewers to work things out for themselves (such as The Usual Suspects never telling us who was Keyser Soze), BUT, and it's a big but, i think a film should never leave characters and subplots dangling around the way that TTRL, i think, did. That's just sloppy storytelling. And still i like the film!
Brian_JD
27-10-2001, 23:41
Chief Brody-good for you m8.
Another quizling -If Witt loves
Charley Company why does he keep going AWOL?
ethanfox
28-10-2001, 00:28
A fine film - no doubt
Not flawless, but I liked many of the things some people disliked about it (like characters just disapearing).
Best cinematography I've seen in ages.
Best Zimmer score EVER.
Shame it came out so near to Saving Ryan's Privates and got compared, because THAT was a truly awaful film, all conected should be ashamed of themselves.
They really should have known better.
RoyJones
28-10-2001, 20:11
Originally posted by Brian_JD
Chief Brody-good for you m8.
Another quizling -If Witt loves
Charley Company why does he keep going AWOL?
He loves his freedom (as we do our weekends) a lot more!
Unless of course you work weekends.
I liked the Thin Blue Line with rowan Atkinson better.
WOOF WOOF!:cool:
I liked the Thin Blue Line with rowan Atkinson better.
...why does'nt that surprise me?:rolleyes:
FaustBos
30-10-2001, 18:16
Originally posted by Mcbain
Over the last few years, my friends and I have discussed the various war films doing the dvd circuit.. and from what I can tell, most people seriously don't like The Thin Red Line.... where as I think it is an amazing film!
why it didn't get best cinematography oscar is beyond me (it was far better than SPR in that respect).....
And what also annoys me is when people compare it to Saving Private Ryan... they are completely different films...
Comments please... I'd like to know what everyone thinks... especially Mr Brooke......
Loved it. In a class by itself. I know you dont like the comparrison, but Its a shame that this film was overshadowed by Saving Private Ryan. True, two different films and two different audiences, but I think Thin Red Line is the better (not withstanding the opening sequences of SPR which were stunningly filmed).
But over all I think the story, filming, script and pacing of Thin Red Line make the difference.
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.