Terrence Malick's 'The Tree of Life' (2011)
Her Head in FilmsMay 21, 202402:10:08

Terrence Malick's 'The Tree of Life' (2011)

In this episode, I talk about Terrence Malick's 2011 film "The Tree of Life". This is a monumental and important film in my life. It's hard to describe what it's about because it's really about everything--the cosmos, childhood, death, life, nature,  and loss. The film is anchored by its focus on one family in 1950s Texas that is later rocked by unimaginable loss but added to this story is a collage of images that capture something as massive as the birth of the world and something as small as a child taking his first steps. Malick takes us all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs and transports us to what eternity or heaven might look like. I consider this  to be the greatest film of the 21st century so far. I make my case, provide information on the making of the film, and go deeply into everything about this film, sharing my own raw emotions and what the film makes me remember and what it makes me think and feel. This film is part of my soul. That's the only way I can put it. There are spoilers in this episode.


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Original logo by Dhiyanah Hassan (https://www.bydhiyanah.com/)


Full Show Notes:

• My episode on Jonathan Glazer's "Birth" (https://herheadinfilms.simplecast.com/episodes/98c8afe7)
• TMZ video of Terrence Malick (https://www.tmz.com/videos/0-464zid8i/)
• Video of Terrence Malick dancing (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MGyHS8jwY0)
• Lumia by Thomas Wilfred (https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/lumia)
• Tori Amos's performance of "Iieee" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv3bqMGMpxk)
• Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjQCvfcXn0)

All My Sources

• Criterion Collection edition of "The Tree of Life" (https://www.criterion.com/films/28576-the-tree-of-life)
• The Runaway Genius (Vanity Fair) (https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2010/04/runaway-genius-199812)