NPR recently posted a review of the latest Terrence Malick flick, a film with an intriguingly occult-flavored title, Knight of Cups, following in the footstep of Malick’s previous films: Tree of Life and To the Wonder. In part the reviewer notes:
“That Knight of Cups is not just a gambol through show-biz hedonism is announced by its title — a reference to the Tarot card that represents a restless man who’s guided by emotion — and its opening lines, which are from John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. These are intoned by the late John Gielgud, commencing the movie’s dense, murmuring narration. The film’s characters rarely speak, but they do think out loud, and their ponderings overlap with lines from Bunyan; Plato’s Phaedrus, whose concerns include erotic love; and The Acts of Thomas, one of those gnostic texts left out of the New Testament.
“The words and pictures seldom align, although the abundant water imagery may symbolize rebirth or purification. Rick and various belles are forever splashing into surf or lurching into pools, often fully clothed. These secular baptisms are contrasted by what may be an actual joke: shots of dogs underwater, retrieving toys. Humans don’t know what they seek, while canines have straightforward goals.”
Read the entire review here:
http://www.npr.org/2016/03/04/468317070/more-literary-whispers-and-another-quest-in-malicks-knight
thanks to Soror Hypatia for the tip!
I like Malick. In this film,even more than usual for Malik, he does not give the viewer the meaning on a silver platter. Malik wants his audience to have the attention span and intelligence to listen. Listen closely to the deep and often beautiful narrative dialogue and you will get your story that so many reviewers claim is not there. It’s there. Go in and get it. As always with Malik- beautifully filmed. You cannot be distracted while watching Malik because you do have to pay close attention. I stopped the movie myself the first time because I was too tired to concentrate as I should. The following day I watched it with no interruptions and was entranced . You must listen and watch closely. Malik is abstract. If you don’t get it then it’s your loss. Give it more than one go. I plan to watch it several times. And Mallk is not for everyone. No instant gratification in this film. “Knight of Cups” is fabulous. As Portman says, “Love so rare, that when you find it, you can’t doubt it.” Great cast. Great movie.