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Movie: THE THIN RED LINE


Duffy
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The movie is the total opposite of "Saving private ryan". Overwhelming pictures, excellent actors. I think thats the best of Malicks movies. You have to read James Jones novels, they are much more powerful and tougher than the movie.

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Cobrahistorian

I had a lot of issues with the movie, first and foremost that it had nothing to do with Jones's excellent novel. Woody Harrelson's "I blew my butt off" had to be the absolute low point of the movie, but it didn't get much better than that. The cinematography was great, but I don't understand making an art film out of a war movie. When they can get details like the correct sharkmouths on the 67th Fighter Squadron P-400s at Henderson Field but have a scene like Harrelson's, it just boggles my mind. But that's just my $.02.

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Corpsmancollector

I really love this movie. Although I realize that is not a common consensus! I watched this back when I was a youg 'un and it gave me this everlasting impression of the war in the pacific, I've been fascinated by the 'canal campaign ever since.

 

I agree with krautpot, definitly one of Malicks best movies. I think that relates to Cobra's point too, about making an arty film out of a war movie. The cinematography is simply stunning, but does this draw away from the actual content and subject? Honestly, I don't know.

 

A one to watch all the same I think!

 

Good cast too ;)

 

Will

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I like this movie. I had to watch it a couple of times, but I liked it. The accuracy of the uniforms and equipment is great. The squad size attack on the Japanese hill top position is really well done. At first I was skeptical that a squad of ten or so men could successfully take a hill position like this, but I think it is historically accurate and possible. Nick Nolte gives a powerful performance as the colonel that is more concerned about furthering his career at the expense of his men.

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Cobrahistorian

I think my biggest issue with it is that it had SUCH potential and just really fell flat. Jones' widow and daughter walked out on the premier because it had absolutely nothing to do with the book. The main character from the book, Adrian Brody's Corporal Fife is in the movie for all of five minutes.

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I gave it my thumbs up, because it was different.

 

There were parts which could have better, yes....

 

The end scene was quite powerful....I can only imagine how it would feel to be surrounded by enemy

troops like that....especially when your all alone.

 

Nick Nolte sure played his role well.

 

Duffy

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Cobrahistorian
I gave it my thumbs up, because it was different.

 

There were parts which could have better, yes...I admit.

 

The end scene was quite powerful....I can only imagine how it would feel to be surrounded by enemy

troops like that....especially when your all alone.

 

Nick Nolte sure played his role well.

 

Duffy

 

Duffy,

 

Please don't take my comments as trashing your opinion, they certainly were not intended that way. I was REALLY looking forward to it when it came out and was just really disappointed.

 

Jon.

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Jon,

 

No harm done man....I wasn't taking offence at all.

Thanks for your input on the movie!

Thats what we're here for....to state our thoughts and opinions.

 

Best.

 

Duffy

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normaninvasion

This was a 3 viewer for me. First view, in the theater, I was bored, wasn't what I expected. Second time, I tried to put it together. Third run, I thought it was amazing. Great story, beautiful cinematography, deep feeling, and nice battle segments. A favorite :thumbsup:

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Personally I thought it was a great film with some really, really well done parts. Sometimes it did seem to drag on a little, but overall the good outweighed the bad. The cinematography, as the gent above says was superb, there are scenes in that film that really stick in my mind. This side of the pond it got pretty well slated first time around as it was up against 'Saving Private Ryan' in the cinemas. But 'The thin Red Line' seems to have built up more of a following with people after it's been watched a few times. A number of the all-knowing film critics have changed their view of it over the years, previously they'd gushed over S.P.R. as 'the greatest war-film ever made' etc.. Malick seemed to be trying to go deeper into the issues than S.P.R. did, which I think made it less accessible for the average cinema audience on their first viewing, but has been it's strength over time. I'm afraid I haven't read the book, though I'm sure it will be on my reading list soon, but I suppose it's not a new thing to have a screen-play that bears little or no resemblance to the book it was based on.

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I went to see this movie in the theater with a fellow collector. It was so bad and annoying that we almost walked out after the first hour or so.

 

Lousy film imho. I don't ever care to see it again.

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I am falling asleep just reading this post.. :D IMO, it was pretty boring... It doesn't need to have a lot of action to hold my interest. Casablanca was great...

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I also have to fly the flag for "TRL" too. It could do with a little judicious editing, and to be fair there was no excuse for John Travolta's moustache, but i think it suffered at the time from a public expecting another "Saving Private...." but set in the Pacific.

 

It's so much more than that.

 

Too many scenes in it to choose a favourite, but the scene with Nick Nolte and John Cusack, where Nolte is explaining that he's waited his entire career for his "First war...one day you'll understand", and the look that Cusack gives him that suggests that this is the only war that he ever wants to see is superb.

 

"SPR" is a technical tour de force in it's depiction of modern mechanized combat, and it set the standard for how combat can be depicted, but i find it very hollow in comparison.....

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Yeah... I have to be honest and say that I too hated this movie. I'm a chick, so I don't need action or explosions to keep my interest - I enjoy deep storylines and character exploration. But this movie just didn't deliver for me. I *tried* to enjoy it, but ended up feeling like I'd wasted 2 hours of my life. I knew it was bad when I actually felt relieved when Witt was killed.

 

I will agree, though, that the cinematography was lovely.

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Manchu Warrior

When I first watched the movie I did not like it. But, after I watched it again it kind of grew on me enough that I went out and purchased it for my war movie collection. However, I did like enough to go buy it at Best Buy so I purchased it at the flea market for $2.00

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This was a 3 viewer for me. First view, in the theater, I was bored, wasn't what I expected. Second time, I tried to put it together. Third run, I thought it was amazing. Great story, beautiful cinematography, deep feeling, and nice battle segments. A favorite :thumbsup:

 

The same goes for me. I did not like it at first but after a few more views I really came to appreciate it. I always get a kick out of that scene with the guy taunting the Japanese POW with broken cigarettes stuffed up his nose.

 

Rob

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Some of you guys are using the "It's an acquired taste" argument.......but remember.....if it's an "acquired taste", that means it wasn't that good to begin with.

 

Eagerly looking forward to "The Pacific" to erase all memories of TRL.

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When I saw in the theater there were couple of people who stood up and clapped...I turned to one of them and said..."I'm glad it's over too". The place broke out in laughter and virtually all agreed. Throughout the show several people got up and left...I got stubborn and stayed and expected it to get better. There were a few scenes which were OK...the equipment shots for the most case were quite good, and some of the action wasn't all that bad. The butterflies and children laughing and running just weren't needed.

I drew the parallel to Full Metal Jacket, near the end whe they were marching along to the Mickey Mouse theme song...good grief!!!!

As for T.H.R.L., I give a 4 out of 10.

Cheers

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This was a 3 viewer for me. First view, in the theater, I was bored, wasn't what I expected. Second time, I tried to put it together. Third run, I thought it was amazing. Great story, beautiful cinematography, deep feeling, and nice battle segments. A favorite :thumbsup:
That was my experience as well. I almost walked out of it in the theater as I was there with another LT from my unit when I was active duty. He was big into history as well and we were bored to tears by it. We actually whispered back and forth a few time on when this thing was going to end. Were it not for his wife who seemed to like it, I think we would have split. Later, I watched it on video and liked it a lot more. I too was comparing it to Private Ryan (which had come out that summer, it was NOT playing at the same time in its first release). The combat scenes to me were more authentic looking as less “comic book” style than some in private Ryan. Also, it remains one of few examples on screen of a correctly shown indirect fire mission being called in. It also gets across the sheer terror of being on your own in combat down like few other movies ever have.

For those of you who hated it, remember that plenty of now considered “classic” movies were hated in their first release as well!

I do find it funny how each time a PTO movie comes out or is anticipated, the re-enacting community always seems to think it’ll finally create an interest in PTO re-enacting. I’ve heard this at least three or four times now and it hasn’t happened yet. While I too am eagerly awaiting “The Pacific” series from HBO, I firmly believe there will never be the interest level in PTO that there is in ETO among re-enactors. Why? Who wants to dress like a Japanese soldier? “What, I can’t wear my SS impression? I’m not going, then!”

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Some of you guys are using the "It's an acquired taste" argument.......but remember.....if it's an "acquired taste", that means it wasn't that good to begin with.

 

Eagerly looking forward to "The Pacific" to erase all memories of TRL.

 

 

:lol:

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  • 2 months later...

I watched this one last night, and today. It's THAT long, i had to tivo it and watch an hour last night, then continue today lol. A really great movie. No, it's a not a movie, it's a real 'film'. Great lines, BEAUTIFUL cinematography, fantastic actors (bar some of the weirdest casting choices i've ever seen, john travolta, george clooney for lousy 5 minute characters?) Nick Nolte who became the political leader - played to perfection. But Jim Caviezel, that role could not have been cast any better. Perfection. That ending scene was deep. I definately think the movie is worth a watch, although it's WAY too overly long. There's no way i'd watch it again, but it was good for the experience. I thought it was 50 times more rewarding than something like inglorious basterds, couldn't even sit through that. I know, i know, chalk and cheese, just saying

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