Terrence Malick & How To Save Christian Films

#terrencemalick #cinema #film #videoessay

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[liasunshine]

The Way of The Wind
( A Biopic Directed by Terrence Malick about The Life of Jesus Christ) is now in post production.
My life is now complete.

[normmaclean]

We've lost our sense of awe- about God, life, sacrifice, beauty, Art and creation. Unfortunately, an accurate assessment of most movies- "Christian" and "secular". Thankful for exceptions like Malick and his work.

[euangelion.co]

Thank you so much for this man. Just watched A Hidden Life last night and now I am hooked on Malik's work. All that you said about Christian films and Terry's films is super accurate. As a Christian the way Malik's tells his story is much more accurate to the Christian life and what we see in the Scriptures. Thank you again man and much love in Christ Jesus:)

[iamjahshua]

As a filmmaker who is tired of the lack of quality art house Christian cinema, I really do thank you for this video. It’s helped me with my approach and mindset on how I’m going to create this films that touch the ones who don’t know God.

[gerritpeacock]

The guy has a knack for capturing beauty on film. Some of the nature shots in 'The Thin Red Line' are heart-rending to the point that I get a visceral churn even after having seen them dozens of times. That shot of the floating Jessica was so cool in 'Tree of Life'.

[stanleyfosha]

My daughter and I watch Tree of Life every year or so. I enjoy the nostalgic hayride through my childhood so hauntingly framed as to feel autobiographical; my daughter sees it as a string connected a past she never touched, but is touched by. God's beauty reveals itself. Malick understands this. His camera drinks it in, sip by sip, never waterboarding us with it. He is in awe of this brief glimpse we get called life. As are we...in those rare moments when we stop, shut off the chaos, and just disappear into the contemplation. Thank God for these films.

[adamcallis]

This is the best analysis of this topic I've encountered. Really great stuff. I hope more people will watch your videos.

[JimmyPlaylists]

Great video! Malick has been, along with PTA, the greatest working film director in America, for many years... ever since I saw _The Thin Red Line, _ in theaters, I've been hooked.
Malick's take on faith is far more genuine, believable and truly "Christian" than all those so-called "Christian" propaganda movies combined. The "consistently poor filming quality" of those movies, I'd say, is connected to their shallow, politicized take on Christianity, with their absence of doubt, awe or wonder. There is so much for the non-Christian in Malick's films, too. A so-called "atheist" can encounter a transcendent experience with the divine thru his work.

Love your vids, from Malick to _Ghostbusters..._

[davidwalsh]

Hi, I just wanted to say a huge thank you for making this absolutely spot-on analysis of Malick, and the problem today with superficially made Christian films! These are some of the many reasons for which I was drawn back to Malick's filmography, after being introduced to him a few years back. It is an amazing thing in this day and age, for a director with such a profile as Malick, to be able to bring individual films to a mainstream audience that serve as a meditative experience, rather than a fan servicing amusement park ride. Fantastic video, thank you again!

[GoTeam]

Thanks for posting this! I am an atheist and also a huge Malick fan. I get so much from his films aside from the religious overtones, etc.

[OldBluesChapterandVerse]

Malick has been my favorite living filmmaker since the death of Bergman. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on The Thin Red Line (which came out in 1998, btw) and have seen it probably 30 times. He’s the only director with two films in my all-time top 10. Glad to find another fan who understands that Christian moviegoers are doing themselves and their faith a disservice in buying tickets to films produced within the Christian film industry. Think of the changes in both our churches and our culture if Christians rejected garbage like Left Behind and instead let themselves be challenged by The Tree of Life, Silence, Last Days in the Desert, etc.

[kh]

Mainstream Christian movies tend to be theologically correct but are almost always artistically challenged. They seem to be so fixated on making their point clear with the utmost speed, while simultaneously seeming to be dismissive of the art of filmmaking. It's as though film is simply a means to an end and not an end in itself.

Making a good film requires a compelling story and, unfortunately it seems a lot of Christian films seem to be fabricated by some kind of committee.

Malick is a great departure from this trend.

Thanks for your excellent video.

[WIGGER_AESTHETIC_]

After watching "A hidden life", I have concluded he is the best director.

[thegadflygang]

First let me state that this video was so incredibly well done. I always state that most Malick film's are a four years Master's class in Western philosophy and Theology condensed into a three hour crash course. "The Thin Red Line" is one of the single most profound thought experiments I have ever experienced and "Days of Heaven" is like nothing else.

I genuinley loathed his last WWII film as I felt it trite and atypical Western rote "bad moustache man bad" we get beat over the head with daily. I never saw "Tree of Life" but I feel obliged to now.

Malick has philosophy degrees from Harvard and another Ivy I believe and taught at Oxford. He is master of canvas and prose. Also, I believe most modern "Christian" films suck because they are low effort. They stand against everything Hollywood is about and who is in control, so they raise a few dollars, get D list talent and make a Hallmark story for midwits.

"Shawshank Redemption" is a great Christian film whether people realize it or not. It is jam packed with theological questions and images. I Cant remember offhand but I know there are a few more which escape me. "The Passion" was good albeit a rough watch..

I am not a crier but that was, as intended, an intensely painful experience to endure. Speaking of emotionally distraught, to this day, the "wife on swing" and "Dear John" letter monologues make my stomach knot. They just break me as does much of the movie with Stavros the devout Catholic and Witt the spiritual optimist

[ShowCat]

It is my mission in life to change the Christian movie industry. I have written 4 faith-based screenplays depicting real life. Most Christian movies are made for Christians. I want to make movies that will bring non-believers into the theaters and not into sunday school.

[ScottsShots]

If The Tree of Life is the Book of Job, then Knight of Cups is the Book of Ecclesiastes. Job is about a man who loses everything and despairs. Ecclesiastes is about a man who gains everything and despairs.

[AnhnY]

This is so well written and put together - honestly my favorite video on YouTube and so helpful in my personal (and professional) passions and reflections; thank you so much for creating it!

[GalaxiaTokyo]

I mean, there's always been great Christian films: Dreyer, Bresson, Tarkovsky, Kieslowski, all the way to modern ones like Scorsese's Silence or the french Of Gods and Men. And there are even more films which are not explicitly Christian but whose themes certainly are. The bad reputation of Christian films comes primarily from that specific niche of American Evangelical family movies.

[mjgfromDDD]

Creating excellence in every way film wise is NOT the main concern for Christian Filmmakers. They rely on the message to carry the film, but it's not enough truly. Everything about a film has to be carefully thought about creatively.

Movies like The Book of Eli, Silence and others tell great stories of faith with also creative ways to show it. As a man of faith who has and want to continue to tell stories of faith in film, it has to be beautiful visually too, because the message is beautiful.

[tonyjp]

I'm used to seeing left-wing people critizing Christianity for all sorts of reason, but none really makes sense - except this video.

I'm a Christian and I am baffled by the lack of talent of Christian film makers. Your critic is spot on. We really do need better Christian artists.