Fox Searchlight debuted the following featurette for The Tree of Life on Apple in a smart-but-obvious attempt to get online Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises) and David Fincher (The Social Network) fanboys to bite and go check out Terrence Malick’s new film as the two much loved directors dote lovingly on the acclaimed director.
Nolan opens the piece saying, “Terrence Malick, more than almost any other filmmaker I can name, his work is immediately recognizable. His films are all very, very connected with each other and they’re very recognizably his work, but it’s very tough to put your finger on why that is or what you’re seeing in that the technique is not immediately obvious.”
Nolan continues, adding, “When you think of a visual style, when you think of the visual language of a film, there tends to be a natural separation of the visual style and the narrative elements. But with the greats, whether it’s Stanley Kubrick or Terrence Malick or Hitchcock, what you’re seeing is an inseparable, a vital relationship between the image and the story it’s telling.”
Drawing one comparison between Malick and Fincher is almost obvious as the two are both known to be meticulous in their filmmaking process. In this regard Fincher says, “I think that with Malick you’re seeing something that was thought about and meditated over and you’re seeing somebody who’s making choices that are specifically designed to evoke a feeling.”
To hear what else the two directors say check out the following featurette and look for The Tree of Life in theaters now and for a list of dates and cities it’s coming to click here. It’s finally opening in Seattle this weekend and after reviewing it at Cannes, I think I am finally ready to see it again.
