Review of Days of Heaven (1978) by Steven C — 27 Mar 2011
I think "Days of Heaven" should be remembered for it's visuals rather than it's story. The way Terrence Malick chooses to tell this simple story is odd. On one side, you can see narrative techniques emerging that he will later use in "The Thin Red Line" (in terms of voice over and exposition).
But on the other side the actual narrative is so fractured that it's hard to keep up with the emotions the characters are feeling. They always seem to be one step a head, which is not a good thing.
Still, "Days of Heaven" is great for it's themes of nature and human emotions colliding (again, something developed further in "The Thin Red Line") and that insanely gorgeous cinematography.
Ultimately, what makes "Days of Heaven" worthwhile are the performances. They solidify the images and the themes, regardless of the narrative being left behind. I think for this films storytelling shortcomings, "Days of Heaven" proves that Malick is quite the craftsman.
This review of Days of Heaven (1978) was written by Steven C on 27 Mar 2011.
Days of Heaven has generally received very positive reviews.
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