With 2005’s The New World, one of cinema’s most enigmatic and original filmmakers returned to the screen with only his fourth feature film in a career of over thirty years. This updated second edition of The Cinema of Terrence Malick continues its explorations of identity, place and existence in his films, with three new essays by Adrian Martin, Mark Cousins and James Morrison on his latest film The New World (2005), as well as analysis of Badlands (1973), Days of Heaven (1978) and The Thin Red Line (1998).

Hannah Patterson is is a freelance writer and critic, and co-editor of Contemporary North American Film Directors: A Wallflower Critical Guide (Wallflower Press, 2002).

July 2007
224 pages
978-1-905674-25-1 (pbk) £16.99
978-1-905674-26-8 (hbk) £45.00

view contents

chapter samples
introduction

praise for the first edition

'This comprehensive study explores his unique vision and illuminates every facet of his work'
Martin Sheen

'[An] exemplary study... one of the most useful books of film criticism in a while.... The book's greatest virtue is that it makes you want to watch [Malick's films] again -- but this time with greater understanding."
Time Out Magazine

reviews of the second edition

'At its strongest moments, this book makes us freshly aware of Malick's tremendous skill for images, buffeted by additional layers of sound which may or may not contradict the image, in sustaining mood. Richard Power and James Wierzbicki pay close attention to the soundtrack of Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line, deconstructing not just how Malick uses sound but also his specific musical choices. Ron Mottram's opening essay is an excellent introduction to all four of Malick's films. His balance of detailed exposition with nuanced analysis is steadily maintained throughout the book, a tribute to Hannah Patterson's careful editing.
The essays which contextualise Malick along his contemporaries reinforce his uniqueness, such as John Orr's comparison of Malick and Arthur Penn and Martin Flanagan's contrasting of The Thin Red Line to Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan...

Most films are not designed to reward close attention, but as this book reminds us, Malick's work resonates more strongly with repeated viewing. As the blurb on the back says: "the essays made me want to see all the films again, and that of course is the highest praise." Whether or not you know the films, The Cinema of Terrence Malick is a thorough appraisal of a director whose work certainly justifies the attention.
Sarah Manvel, Kamera, October 2007