I have a weird relationship with Terrence Malick. It’s a one-sided relationship, obviously, since he doesn’t even know I exist and it isn’t specifically with Malick as much as it’s with his online groupies. Then again, I’m probably equally a fan of directors such as David Fincher, Nicolas Winding Refn and Jacques Audiard so I guess I can understand the blind desire to see whatever he has in the pipeline, but it’s just a general disinterest in the kind of films Malick has been working on as of late that cause me to question the interest from others.
Granted, behind Voyage of Time, which is the focus of this post.
IMAX and Broad Green have joined Sophisticated Films and Wild Bunch to complete financing on Voyage of Time, a movie described as a “celebration of the universe, displaying the whole of time, from its start to its final collapse.” With the announcement of IMAX and Broad Green’s involvement comes word Malick is working first in the IMAX format for a 40-minute version with scientific narration by Brad Pitt, followed by a 35mm feature-length version with narration by Cate Blanchett.
We’ve heard similar information before along with additional information as to what to expect. Here’s what I wrote previously:
Production companies Wild Bunch and Sophisticated Films are taking Voyage to Cannes to show off the first images from the film. Sophisticated Films exec Sophokles Tasioulis told Variety, “This story deals with the biggest questions in life, which touch all of us in an emotional, beautiful and awe-inspiring way.”
And a joint statement from the two companies says the film used IMAX cameras to capture “the planet in an unprecedented way” and “examines all that went to prepare the miracle that stands before us now. After the nebulae and supernovae, after the lands of lava and smoke, after the elaboration of the first cells, first fish, first amphibians and reptiles, this great wonder!”
The statement continues, “Using words and music, we are encouraged to view the grand cosmos and the minute life systems of our planet with gratitude and awe, in Malick’s most ambitious film to date.”
Within its documentary approach, I assume Voyage of Time will feature scenes similar to the creation sequence in Tree of Life, which, no matter what you think of Malick’s latest output, you can’t help but be wowed by, which is where my personal interest in this project is much higher than with Knight of Cups.
“Terrence Malick is one of the most innovative filmmakers in the world, and has literally been designing and making this movie with large-format cameras for over 30 years,” said Greg Foster, CEO of IMAX Entertainment, is quoted saying by Variety. “To be able to launch our Film Fund portfolio with Malick and his imaginative style of filmmaking is capturing lightning in a bottle.”
I expect a 2016 release for this one and I’ll be looking forward to it. To me, this sounds like the perfect outlet for Malick’s more meditative approach to filmmaking we’ve seen lately, something that hasn’t necessarily bolstered the narrative efforts in Tree of Life and To the Wonder.
