VIEWING CUE: The Thin Red Line

Focused on the World War II battle in Guadalcanal, The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick, 1998)moves between the horrors of war and, most importantly, the poetic and philosophical meditations of various soldiers about nature, love, and family.

Discussion Questions

After watching this clip from The Thin Red Line, consider the questions below. Then submit your response.

Question

1. In this sequence, can you identify the five different registers of sound? Consider how they interact to create a specific effect, atmosphere, or meaning.

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Question

2. Consider the voiceover in this sequence: "What’s the war in the heart of nature. … Is there an avenging power in nature?" What stands out as significant in the tone, accent, and volume of this voice? How does it relate to the disparate montage of images?

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