Every month, we cover the new releases from Criterion. There’s never a dull month. But we must say, it’s been a while since we’ve been as excited for a Criterion Collection release of a film as we are for Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life.” Not only does the new Blu-ray feature a brand-new 4K digital restoration supervised and approved by Malick and the great cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, but there’s a new cut of the film, with a whopping 50 extra minutes. And in the new trailer for the Criterion release, there’s quite a bit of that new footage to be seen.
Honestly, this trailer probably won’t sell you on the film, if you’ve never experienced “The Tree of Life.” There’s no real hint at the plot of the film, or the characters that Jessica Chastain, Brad Pitt, and Sean Penn portray. But if you’ve seen the film, previously, or are a fan of Malick’s other work, you get a glimpse at the beauty and, for fear of sounding full-on cinephile, the poetry at play in this epic.
Now, for those interested in the extended cut of the film, you shouldn’t expect a radical retelling of the film. Instead, what Malick does, is add this large amount of footage to further expand on his story. If you’re familiar with his remix of “The New World,” it’s similar to that. Not a departure at all, but a new spin on what you already know.
As if the extended cut and beautiful restoration wasn’t worth the price of the disc alone, there are plenty of other special features included, as is the case with all Criterion Collection releases. New interviews with cast and crew, including Chastain, documentaries, video essays, and much more are just the icing on the cake.
If you made it this far without already purchasing a copy, then what’s going on? Do yourself a favor, buy the Criterion release, and enjoy all that extra Malick goodness. “The Tree of Life” Criterion Collection release is out now.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
Four decades into an already legendary career, Terrence Malick realized his most rapturous vision to date, tracing a story of childhood, wonder, and grief to the outer limits of time and space. Reaching back to the dawn of creation, Malick sets a story of boyhood memories on a universal scale, charting the coming of age of an awestruck child (newcomer Hunter McCracken) in Texas in the 1950s, as he learns to navigate the extremes of nature and grace represented by his bitter, often tyrannical father (Brad Pitt) and his ethereal, nurturing mother (Jessica Chastain, in her breakout role). Achieved with the aid of cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and production designer Jack Fisk, the Palme d’Or-winning The Tree of Life marks the intimately personal, cosmically ambitious culmination of Malick’s singular approach to filmmaking.