Man, to think of the critics from these times before the times of how we interact and ingest content today would be very interesting to listen to indeed. I always agreed much with Roger Ebert's opinions and take on cinema.
some on here made a great point: "saving private ryan is about soldiers in war, thin red line is about men/humans in war," thought that was an interesting point
One of my least favorite movies. Some critic wrote in a fictional conversation with the Director, "Hey you got some good things in here, now its time to put down the bong and get some editing scissors."
Marvelous passion and genuine appreciation of beauty/depth and the pure earnest desire for others to experience it in its fullness and share in the joy and wonder. Beautiful. Love Gene Siskel.
Five year old comment, but it's important to note that this was about six weeks before Gene died. He was very sick with a brain tumor and died during one of the surgeries to remove it. So part of what we're seeing is a man fighting death to share love. Glad this was one of the final films he got to see.
@@luchador4life thanks for the added context, it completely reframed this video for me. It seems to me that Siskel was suffering the news very privately, there’s a real longing in his behaviour here, none of the antagonism or bullishness present in many other reviews, while Ebert seems his usual self. Despite their feuds and spats, I love reading about how they came to be such brothers-in-arms. If anything, cinema is the great unifier and it’s wonderful to be able to track its effect on two people by watching these reviews!
I’m watching The Thin Red Line for the 100th time tonight and I just came through the baby bird scene. That few seconds really struck a nerve and hammered home the underlying anti-war statement. Brilliant movie. It’s pure art.
I was in The Marines in Okinawa when This movie came out and saving Private ryan was the big name movie and i really liked it but when i watched the thin red line ....that movie still hits me stronger than the other films
The Thin Red Line is a masterpiece. It's art. Das Boot comes close and is also a masterpiece, epic in that it brings you into a U-boat. The Thin Red Line 'simply' expands your mind and conjures up all human emotions within you. I love both films. Top two war/anti war films ever!
This movie is flat out the best contemporary anti-war film ever made. I rank this one right up there with All Quiet On The Western Front and Apocalypse Now as the greatest anti-war films to examine the residual effects of war mongering among the young men forced to endure the horrific conflict of battle on the field and in their hearts simultaneously. It is visually stunning, poetic, full of rich and diverse characters that equally represent the fabric of American soldiers from the time period, carrying a strong message about the inner conflict of man and nature that supersedes the atrocities of war. The references to Platoon, Private Ryan, and Full Metal Jacket as superior films are like comparing apples and oranges. For the Kubrick fans I would suggest that you watch Paths Of Glory if you're looking to make a relevant comparison to this film. Of course I realize that what I'm stating here will be lost on many that choose to comment simply based on the fact that they think war movies are about explosions, victory and courage when the truth is they are made to depict loss and the waste of precious resources for a cause that is meaningless.
Matt Demo Great post. Check out Come and See by Klimov, it's as good or better than Thin Red Line. Either way, they're both masterpieces. Also, check Shame by Bergman, another great war film.
Gene Siskel was absolutely right. This was the greatest contemporary war film at the time, and to me, still is the greatest war film I've ever seen. I'm not going to divulge the silly comparisons to Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, and the myriad other great war films; The Thin Red Line is simply the best and most accurate take on the human emotion at war, and really makes you have this uncomfortable inner dialog throughout the film when you're watching and finding yourself faced with questions you hoped you would never have to answer.
I forgot how similar World War 2 was to Afghanistan's "liberation". Oh wait. If you had the slightest taste of adversity there at all and still thought about tits, food and playboy through it, congratulations. You're not human.
***** Except what you just said had nothing to do with your original post. You basically stated you never seriously had any of the questions posed in TTRL (maybe you were joking), and I can tell you that having to deal with PTSD stricken vets every day, you are speaking for the vast minority. Then you mention the human condition as if it somehow supports your point instead of seriously refuting it, because if you want to reference the human condition then you indeed would have had "transcendentalist inner monologue" every single time you tried to sit still for a second, let alone sleep, if you had experienced the adversity I mentioned previously. I'm not saying they dont necessarily think about that stuff, it's not uncommon to latch onto familiar things / vices to feel somewhat normal, especially under WW2 conditions. I'm saying when you see your best friend's eyeballs shot out through the back of his head and still think about what's for supper you are unlike 99% of the war vets I have worked with or met even.
Saving Private Ryan was a great straight up movie about good versus bad. The Thin Red Line challenges the mind on expanded thinking. Metaphorically speaking, it has a lot more to offer. That why most people don’t get it. I’m not trying to insult anyone but if you are “bored” by this movie you miss the point entirely. Again, Saving Private Ryan is obvious and was done extremely well, great acting coupled by a great story line. I guess if you've never been involved in a combat action you might not get it.
+Ivan Belinsky you mean like totally obliterating two cities and killing a million innocent people and children in less than a week? Oh wait..... That was us.
It's not just that , The Japanese fought to the death and or killed themselves to keep from suffering the damnable disgrace of being captured . With their only thoughts being to die for their emperor and to take as many of the enemy with them as they could before they were killed . Yet this movie shows the Japanese surrendering and our troops gunning them down , this is wrong and nearly the complete opposite of what really happened there . In most cases in that horrific battle , NO prisoners were taken , by either side . Ask a veteran that was there what it was like , IF you can find one still with us and that will talk of that nightmare . An old quote from Guadalcanal, upon his death a Marine reports at heavens gate "One more Marine reporting sir , I've served my time in hell !"
People always always forget to mention Paths of Glory in the same breath...for many of you who have never heard of THAT film, it takes place in the trenches and Chateaus of France in World War I...a Stanley Kubrick classic made in the 1950s starring the late great Kirk Douglas...
The biggest surprise to me in these comments is how much people loved or hated one classic war movie over another. Jeez, I liked all of them! Thin Red Line, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now and Jacob's Ladder. Johnny Got His Gun, Paths of Glory, All Quiet on the Western Front... the list goes on and on. These were all great movies.
As a kid, I was bored by this movie. When I reached my mid 20s, I watched it again and was finally mature enough to understand what it was doing. Lots of movies use action as a means to wake up the audience and keep their attention. This movie used action was a vehicle to tell the story and help understand the narration/thoughts of the soldiers. The combat was confusing and terrifying and the soldiers were confused and terrified.
Siskel was really struggling here. A shame 😢. On another note, it’s really amazing how they would review 3-4 movies a week. Nowadays I don’t even think they could do one movie a week. Streaming and Covid really ruined the movies 🎥
Totally agree. The Thin Red Line, Apocalypse Now and Paths of Glory are the greatest 'war' movies ever. They transcend the genre itself and are deep meditations of the nature of man using badass action sequences on the battlefield as a backdrop.
Roger Ebert totally nailed it. He said it's a marvelous film and I agree. However, as he so eloquently expresses, the tone of each of the characters is too similar. Not everybody thinks on the philosophical level that Malick injects in his characters, here and in his other movies. In a film that explores the inner dialogue of such a multitude of characters, not every one of them should be contemplating life's mysteries in a poetic way every moment. That said, it's a great film and visually beautiful.
Not all of them were. The main two were Sean Penn and jim caviezal were deepest characters. Ben Chaplin and adrien brodys thoughts were divulged too but not to that extent. They had a character for each personality of man
i thought it was an excellent movie,there really isn't too many truly great war films,this is one of the great ones for sure,the performances are fantastic,esp nick nolte,man,he killed this role,by far my favorite in the movie,i watch this about once a year or so and get lost in the movie like it's my first viewing of the film.
Siskel was right. Best war movie ever made. Number two, however, is NOT Apoc Now or Platoon or Saving Private Ryan. Number two is Full Metal Jacket, and it's not even close.
marc80s Come and See is as good as Thin Red Line. In fact, it's pretty apparent that Malick stole from Klimov, which is fine of course. They're both geniuses.
IMO, this is the best war film ever made. I never thought anything would top Apocalypse Now, but this did. It is beautiful, poetic, savage, and heroic. A very realistic view of what war is and always has been.
Siskel was diagnosed with a brain tumor may 8 1998. I looked this up because he struck me right away in this video as having slurred and troubled speech. It's something I didn't notice back then but it seems so clear now.
Malick doesn't care about oscars. The guy's a recluse that just does what he likes - making films. SPR was a well made film but it just didn't resonate as deeply with me TTRL did. I do think it's a fair argument to say TTRL was 'pretentious' but remember Malick makes more art house styled movies than the mainstream Speilbergian stuff. And art house films are not as easily accessible for the general public. But take nothing away from this film - it was a masterpiece.
I always appreciated Gene Siskel's takes more than Roger Ebert's. Looking back now, I was right. How could Roger put it at the same level as Platoon? The Thin Red Line is the greatest movie I've seen. I used to watch it regularly once it was on ....VHS. Yes, VHS.
Interesting, Ebert did a show with Scorsese where they ranked their top 10 films of the decade(90's) where Ebert ranked The thin red line #2 and Saving Private Ryan was nowhere to be found in that list.
Salo was a film that provoked much debate almost 40 years after it was made, evidenced by the fact that we are talking about it on a review for The Thin Red Line which is largely forgotten and nobody is talking about. :)
I think the key to loving this movie is whether you can get past the idea that these soldiers can speak so eloquently. I myself couldn't get past it and I think Roger Ebert was the same. If I could, I would love to watch this film again.
Late to the game here but your comment seems to suggest all soldiers are ignorant. Even if that were true of joiners the draft would have assured a cross section of all types. The author of this story was a soldier on Guadalcanal and the book was presented by him as fiction to protect the feelings of his fellow fighters. Lots of other eloquent books written be veterans out there. Take a look.
I found Roger’s question of “Why does every anti-war movie have our side winning?” to be puzzling. As I watch them, I get the sense that these movies make the point that no side really wins in war.
He is talking about the point of view. And he’s right. Too often the point of view of the victors is emphasized rather than the losers/victims of aggression.
I was left with so many questions about the main character. he seems so disconnected from it all even when the horror or danger is staring him in the face. he is always calm and in deep thought and sort of distanced from the reality of the other characters. like near the end when everyone is scared shitless and some people has to go scouting, no one wants to but he does it without a second thought and not in the typical heroic way but just so he can be there in case something bad happens. why? so he can witness it or does he have some special skill that makes him useful in a situation like that? also, before and when he gets killed. all of a sudden he is running around like Rambo and when surrounded... calm. he is so damn interesting but I have no clear thoughts of what to think of him. I have only seen the film once so I cant be sure but I don't think we ever see him kill. he is always in the thick of it but we only see him in between shots of normal people freaking out, killing etc... he seems almost mythical... I dunno
I'm going to say this, just because these 2 films are WWII films does not necessarily mean they are the same! With that said these 2 films mentioned are incredible in their own right! Malick's film as is Malick's style is very much more relating on a spiritual level while Spielberg has always been more contemporary and always has been elevated to be a brilliant storyteller! They're completely different but brilliant methods of filmmaking! And I'd have to say it be a crime to compare the two
Enemy patrol walking along a ridge line nicely backlit? Counter mortar fire landing within 10 seconds? Battalion CO arguing with his XO in front of the men? Over how many they are willing to kill? Love the realism.
It was such a sad thing to watch Gene push himself to do the show week after week despite his brain tumor. He died less than a year following this show. I remember noticing back then, before we knew how sick he was, that he was having trouble enunciating words. You really have to give him credit for soldiering on.
3:32 Gene is absolutely dumbfounded by what is coming out of Roger’s mouth and I agree with Gene. The Thin Red Line is a much more visionary and provocative movie than Saving Private Ryan. I’m not even sure SPR is even an anti war flick. The Thin Red Line actually asks all of the deep dark secrets that Private Ryan glosses over with its Hollywood violence and chest thumping patriotism. Just to set the record straight here I love SPR but let’s not kid ourselves about what a propaganda set piece SPR is. TTRL is visually striking, subversive, existential, and powerful film. It did not get the credit it deserved.
Propaganda piece? I mean it's portraying the soldiers who defeated the Nazis. You don't have to go very far to make yourself look good when the enemies are literally being led by Hitler.
interesting They liked this movie. I remember everyone in the audience hating this movie almost entirely because of the baby duck scene. I agree with Siskel. This was better than SPR
i agree with Ebert: Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, would come before Thin Red Line. But TRL is a terrific film. Other Great War films would be Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai, Das Boat, The Deer Hunter, and Patton, among others.
The Thin Red Line is one of my favorite movies. I liked it better than Saving Private Ryan for sure. Other great war movies are Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima.
I found Ebert's comment about the Americans winning in all anti-war films rather misplaced, especially given that they mention two Vietnam films, "Platoon" and "Aplocalypse Now", during the review. Furthermore, most good anti-war films tend to tackle war's traumatizing impact on its soldiers, which I reckon supersedes the importance of the actual outcome of the depicted combat/war campaign. Great review nonetheless. I just finished watching the Thin Red Line for the first time, and although it is sluggish at times, the overall impact of the film was heartfelt.
I love Thin Red Line and think Siskel was right in most of what he has to say about the picture. But it's still so sad to see a man so torn down in this video.
This is the correct list of the best war films ever made. 1. Apocalypse Now 2. Paths of Glory 3. Saving Private Ryan 4. Full Metal Jacket 5. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly 6. Platoon 7. Dunkirk 8. The Thin Red Line 9. Casualties of War 10. Master and Commander.
I still have a problem with the slow pace in the final hour, it's like a balloon deflating, but I watched it again last night for the umpteenth time, so Malick must have got something right.
4. @Trekiefreak - In a great pretentious movie, the author’s fervor intoxicates us. We root for him to make it, even as we watch the noble ideas he’s reaching for slip out of his grasp. A great pretentious movie is human, all too human. A great pretentious movie is so pretentious it’s profound. I admire TTRL for the balls Malick took to take an artistic gamble and create a masterpiece for so many who admire this film.
I'll admit, I like Private Ryan more than Thin Red Line. But when it comes to WWII movies in the Pacific Ocean, I think this movie is the best, above other films like Flags of Our Fathers or Hacksaw Ridge.
hello again i have just watched this movie for the fourth time, hoping repeated viewings would help me understand it and maybe change my original opinion. it did not and listening to this video of siskel and ebert reviewing it, makes me wonder did we really see the same movie.
The book made sense, but I found some of the casting in the film unusual at beat. Some of the ages of the cast were right out of wack. There were viscerally shocking scenes of the terror of combat and there was excellent insight into the bleakness of command responsibility. But the film as a whole left me slightly cold. It did not do what it said on the tin.
The Thin Red Line is part of a series of books written by James Jones. It says its fiction, but my writing professor always said write what you know. All fiction is based on fact. Personally I don't think it was fiction because SOME of the things he talks about is similar to what my Great Uncle talked about. He was a Marine with the 3rd Division. There was a lot of censorship back then, that would be one way to get around it wouldn't you think? He didn't watch movies he had an aversion to Hollywood. How some vulnerable people would end up prostituting themselves. The porn industry would prey on people ...that sort of thing. He didn't watch movies.
These are the Best War Films.1. Apocalypse Now .2. Paths of Glory. 3. Saving Private Ryan. 4. Full Metal Jacket .5. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. 6. Platoon. 7. Dunkirk .8. The Thin Red Line. This is the correct list.
1. The characters in TTRL are metaphors for certain philosophical ideas. TTRL uses war simply as a background to tackle the theme of the nature of man. So the characters are not personalities, instead they represent ideas. So I understand how it can be inaccessible to someone. My next point is how TTRL is ‘pretentious’.
I agree it's hard to see Siskel sounding unwell, but he did NOT get Nick Nolte mixed up with John Travolta. Travolta has a small part in the movie as Nolte's not-very-likeable commanding officer (General Quintard), and there's a ton of irony in their conversation as Travolta praises him for staying in the service during peacetime long past when most men would have quit because there was no war to fight, and how most men in his position just "goes along to get along" to try and make general - which is in fact precisely what Nolte is doing during the scene. Here's the two parts of their conversation: czcams.com/video/2oEJSl3NkVE/video.html czcams.com/video/NDwsNSHoYjg/video.html
3. @Trekiefreak - Every pretentious movie starts with an individual with a pretentious idea. Pretentious movies are never corporate. They’re always intensely subjective and individualistic: the author has a passionate sentiment, something that surpasses his own ability to communicate, something that he struggles to translate into narrative and image. Great directors like David Lynch, The Coens, Lars Von Trier, Stanley Kubrick, etc have been criticized by some of being pretentious...
If i had to pick two war films to watch before i'd die, i'd watch The Thin Red Line twice.
i agree Richie if there is a bueatiful war film then this is it
I'd watch the thin red line and apocalypse now
Blasphemy
I'd rather go with Das Boot and Apocalypse Now.
Thats stupid to watch it twice .
Id watch thin red line...das boot .. stalingrad (1993)
If these guys were around today, they could have done a 3 hour podcast and I would be listening to every minute of it
Man, to think of the critics from these times before the times of how we interact and ingest content today would be very interesting to listen to indeed. I always agreed much with Roger Ebert's opinions and take on cinema.
Now that would be a great podcast
90℅ of CZcamsrs review nothing Capeshit grabage. It makes me sick. Whish these two were still alive.
Not me.
Especially would have like to hear reviews they regret like I think Gene hated Apocalypse now.
some on here made a great point: "saving private ryan is about soldiers in war, thin red line is about men/humans in war," thought that was an interesting point
Utter bs. Saving Private Ryan has a ton of humanity in it.
Man, Siskel is such a trooper in 1998. He's hurting so bad.
The Thin Red Line is an absolute masterpiece, brilliant!!!
Agree and I like your Jaws pic. Another favorite of mine!
No its not. Pretentious junk.
One of my least favorite movies. Some critic wrote in a fictional conversation with the Director, "Hey you got some good things in here, now its time to put down the bong and get some editing scissors."
Gene wanted so badly for Roger to share his love and his admiration, you can see it in his eyes.
I have to admit I was stunned when Ebert said Saving Private Ryan was a better movie!
Marvelous passion and genuine appreciation of beauty/depth and the pure earnest desire for others to experience it in its fullness and share in the joy and wonder. Beautiful. Love Gene Siskel.
Five year old comment, but it's important to note that this was about six weeks before Gene died. He was very sick with a brain tumor and died during one of the surgeries to remove it. So part of what we're seeing is a man fighting death to share love. Glad this was one of the final films he got to see.
@@luchador4life thanks for the added context, it completely reframed this video for me. It seems to me that Siskel was suffering the news very privately, there’s a real longing in his behaviour here, none of the antagonism or bullishness present in many other reviews, while Ebert seems his usual self. Despite their feuds and spats, I love reading about how they came to be such brothers-in-arms. If anything, cinema is the great unifier and it’s wonderful to be able to track its effect on two people by watching these reviews!
@@louvegas1048 I mean it is a better movie.
I’m watching The Thin Red Line for the 100th time tonight and I just came through the baby bird scene. That few seconds really struck a nerve and hammered home the underlying anti-war statement. Brilliant movie. It’s pure art.
I hear ya
It’s really sad 😢 to see Gene Siskel struggle like this
I was in The Marines in Okinawa when This movie came out and saving Private ryan was the big name movie and i really liked it but when i watched the thin red line ....that movie still hits me stronger than the other films
The Thin Red Line is a masterpiece. It's art. Das Boot comes close and is also a masterpiece, epic in that it brings you into a U-boat. The Thin Red Line 'simply' expands your mind and conjures up all human emotions within you. I love both films. Top two war/anti war films ever!
Great cast. Elias Koteas is one of my all time faves.
Incredibly overlooked actor. He really is great in everything he's in.
Seconded. Glad to know I am not alone :)
His role really moves me. It’s very difficult not empathizing with his character
@@taylor.rafferty He's impressive. His scenes with Nick Nolte, another terrific actor, are plain brilliant.
@@waynej2608 I know that scene where he relieves of his duty is amazing
This movie is flat out the best contemporary anti-war film ever made. I rank this one right up there with All Quiet On The Western Front and Apocalypse Now as the greatest anti-war films to examine the residual effects of war mongering among the young men forced to endure the horrific conflict of battle on the field and in their hearts simultaneously. It is visually stunning, poetic, full of rich and diverse characters that equally represent the fabric of American soldiers from the time period, carrying a strong message about the inner conflict of man and nature that supersedes the atrocities of war. The references to Platoon, Private Ryan, and Full Metal Jacket as superior films are like comparing apples and oranges. For the Kubrick fans I would suggest that you watch Paths Of Glory if you're looking to make a relevant comparison to this film. Of course I realize that what I'm stating here will be lost on many that choose to comment simply based on the fact that they think war movies are about explosions, victory and courage when the truth is they are made to depict loss and the waste of precious resources for a cause that is meaningless.
Matt Demo Great post. Check out Come and See by Klimov, it's as good or better than Thin Red Line. Either way, they're both masterpieces. Also, check Shame by Bergman, another great war film.
The deer hunter??
Excellent film
@@zachariefisher8338 Great call!
Fighting a war to stop your land and way of life from being ripped away by another is NOT a meaningless cause.
Gene Siskel was absolutely right. This was the greatest contemporary war film at the time, and to me, still is the greatest war film I've ever seen.
I'm not going to divulge the silly comparisons to Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, and the myriad other great war films; The Thin Red Line is simply the best and most accurate take on the human emotion at war, and really makes you have this uncomfortable inner dialog throughout the film when you're watching and finding yourself faced with questions you hoped you would never have to answer.
I forgot how similar World War 2 was to Afghanistan's "liberation".
Oh wait.
If you had the slightest taste of adversity there at all and still thought about tits, food and playboy through it, congratulations. You're not human.
***** Except what you just said had nothing to do with your original post. You basically stated you never seriously had any of the questions posed in TTRL (maybe you were joking), and I can tell you that having to deal with PTSD stricken vets every day, you are speaking for the vast minority.
Then you mention the human condition as if it somehow supports your point instead of seriously refuting it, because if you want to reference the human condition then you indeed would have had "transcendentalist inner monologue" every single time you tried to sit still for a second, let alone sleep, if you had experienced the adversity I mentioned previously.
I'm not saying they dont necessarily think about that stuff, it's not uncommon to latch onto familiar things / vices to feel somewhat normal, especially under WW2 conditions. I'm saying when you see your best friend's eyeballs shot out through the back of his head and still think about what's for supper you are unlike 99% of the war vets I have worked with or met even.
nope. Pretentious junk.
Saving Private Ryan was a great straight up movie about good versus bad. The Thin Red Line challenges the mind on expanded thinking. Metaphorically speaking, it has a lot more to offer. That why most people don’t get it. I’m not trying to insult anyone but if you are “bored” by this movie you miss the point entirely. Again, Saving Private Ryan is obvious and was done extremely well, great acting coupled by a great story line. I guess if you've never been involved in a combat action you might not get it.
+Ivan Belinsky you mean like totally obliterating two cities and killing a million innocent people and children in less than a week? Oh wait..... That was us.
+John Smith I agree bro, war is hell, in war, no one is right, there are only people that are left!
It's not just that , The Japanese fought to the death and or killed themselves to keep from suffering the damnable disgrace of being captured . With their only thoughts being to die for their emperor and to take as many of the enemy with them as they could before they were killed . Yet this movie shows the Japanese surrendering and our troops gunning them down , this is wrong and nearly the complete opposite of what really happened there . In most cases in that horrific battle , NO prisoners were taken , by either side . Ask a veteran that was there what it was like , IF you can find one still with us and that will talk of that nightmare . An old quote from Guadalcanal, upon his death a Marine reports at heavens gate "One more Marine reporting sir , I've served my time in hell !"
'you don't get it' is such a pretentious ass excuse.
@@anirudhmenon4234 thats a pretty pithy response as well 🤣
People always always forget to mention Paths of Glory in the same breath...for many of you who have never heard of THAT film, it takes place in the trenches and Chateaus of France in World War I...a Stanley Kubrick classic made in the 1950s starring the late great Kirk Douglas...
I agree with Siskel here. Greatest war movie ever.
The Thin Red Line is beautiful
eyyy wasup
Joseph Wythe Wassup!
Strong words from Siskel, and he nailed it.
The biggest surprise to me in these comments is how much people loved or hated one classic war movie over another. Jeez, I liked all of them! Thin Red Line, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now and Jacob's Ladder. Johnny Got His Gun, Paths of Glory, All Quiet on the Western Front... the list goes on and on. These were all great movies.
This is the internet - you must mix hate with your love dammit! :)
all quiet is the standout and kubricks paths of glory
Me too. It's not a contest to me. I get something different from them all when they're as good as these.
Only like the good ones. Thin Red Line is not.... it's pretentious junk, like two movies merged together, neither work.
I agree with Siskel. This is a haunting war film. I keep coming back to it time over time.
As a kid, I was bored by this movie. When I reached my mid 20s, I watched it again and was finally mature enough to understand what it was doing. Lots of movies use action as a means to wake up the audience and keep their attention. This movie used action was a vehicle to tell the story and help understand the narration/thoughts of the soldiers. The combat was confusing and terrifying and the soldiers were confused and terrified.
Gene totalizes this film, amazingly, inside two minutes. Astonishing!
Love this movie, "Nature's cruel, Staros." It's visuals are a thing of beauty and the music moves me deeply. Can't get enough of this.
I agree Thin Red Line was better than Private Ryan and Platoon. Top 5 war movies ever.
fuck no
The Thin Red Line and Apocalypse Now are tops for me. Come and See is worth noting, too.
Apocalypse now, come & see, the big red one, platoon.. Thats about right
+Kevin Matta Ah yeah, I love The Big Red One. Classic.
raidersofthe22 Apocalypse Now is THE best. It will never be topped.
Siskel was really struggling here. A shame 😢. On another note, it’s really amazing how they would review 3-4 movies a week. Nowadays I don’t even think they could do one movie a week. Streaming and Covid really ruined the movies 🎥
Totally agree. The Thin Red Line, Apocalypse Now and Paths of Glory are the greatest 'war' movies ever. They transcend the genre itself and are deep meditations of the nature of man using badass action sequences on the battlefield as a backdrop.
The Thin Red Line is so underknown today. It's the best WWII movie ever made
Its a shame this movie didt get too uch recognition.
this is better than platoon. come on. the film is stunningly shot... every scene is art
Sound track made me like this movie.
Absolute masterpiece
Roger Ebert totally nailed it. He said it's a marvelous film and I agree. However, as he so eloquently expresses, the tone of each of the characters is too similar. Not everybody thinks on the philosophical level that Malick injects in his characters, here and in his other movies. In a film that explores the inner dialogue of such a multitude of characters, not every one of them should be contemplating life's mysteries in a poetic way every moment. That said, it's a great film and visually beautiful.
Not all of them were. The main two were Sean Penn and jim caviezal were deepest characters. Ben Chaplin and adrien brodys thoughts were divulged too but not to that extent. They had a character for each personality of man
Rest in peace, Siskel & Ebert. Great review!
RIP Siskel and Ebert
I’m absolutely with Siskel on this one. This movie is transcendent in a way that few films of its genre are able to achieve.
i thought it was an excellent movie,there really isn't too many truly great war films,this is one of the great ones for sure,the performances are fantastic,esp nick nolte,man,he killed this role,by far my favorite in the movie,i watch this about once a year or so and get lost in the movie like it's my first viewing of the film.
Siskel was right. Best war movie ever made. Number two, however, is NOT Apoc Now or Platoon or Saving Private Ryan. Number two is Full Metal Jacket, and it's not even close.
marc80s Paths of Glory?
Nameless Paladin Can't comment as I have not seen.
marc80s Come and See is as good as Thin Red Line. In fact, it's pretty apparent that Malick stole from Klimov, which is fine of course. They're both geniuses.
Ferenc Toth Have not seen that one. Malick is one of my fave directors, so I might look Klimov's film up.
marc80s He said best "Contemporary" not "ever."
IMO, this is the best war film ever made. I never thought anything would top Apocalypse Now, but this did. It is beautiful, poetic, savage, and heroic. A very realistic view of what war is and always has been.
Yup
Siskel was diagnosed with a brain tumor may 8 1998. I looked this up because he struck me right away in this video as having slurred and troubled speech. It's something I didn't notice back then but it seems so clear now.
Man, you can tell Siskel was not doing so well at this stage...
I know it was hard to watch
Yet he soldiered on. Can't help but admire and be in awe of him.
Yes, he's a game fella. It sucks, what happened to him. I like both Siskel and Ebert, but always favored Siskel.
Siskel was spot on.
This is one of my favorite movies.
God, it's painful watching Siskel right before he died. It's like he's a different person.
Stinks this movie was much of a successful when it got released, hope Malick does another big budget movie soon
Oh, I’d take this, “Apocalypse Now”, and “Paths of Glory”, just to name a few, over “Platoon” any day.
I actually agreed Siskel more than I did Ebert, although it was essentially 60-40 for me.
Saving Private Ryan was the best film of 1998, hands down. Nothing displaced it for me.
Malick doesn't care about oscars. The guy's a recluse that just does what he likes - making films. SPR was a well made film but it just didn't resonate as deeply with me TTRL did. I do think it's a fair argument to say TTRL was 'pretentious' but remember Malick makes more art house styled movies than the mainstream Speilbergian stuff. And art house films are not as easily accessible for the general public. But take nothing away from this film - it was a masterpiece.
Siskal and Ebert. Both gone now but the only real decent movie critics there ever were in my opinion.
this film had everyone the biggest cast in Hollywood history for a film
Nick Nolte was pure brilliance
Nolte was nuts
I actually enjoyed this picture better than Saving Private Ryan....Nick Nolte was just intoxicating to watch in this movie...
Lay off the drugs, son
Ivan Belinsky That's Funny...Lol
TheGimpPimp1 dont mind ivan. he's just compensating for something that he is lacking in the real world, he needs an ego boost lol
Nolte usually delivers the goods.
I would watch the thin red line and paths of glory
I always appreciated Gene Siskel's takes more than Roger Ebert's. Looking back now, I was right. How could Roger put it at the same level as Platoon? The Thin Red Line is the greatest movie I've seen. I used to watch it regularly once it was on ....VHS. Yes, VHS.
Interesting, Ebert did a show with Scorsese where they ranked their top 10 films of the decade(90's) where Ebert ranked The thin red line #2 and Saving Private Ryan was nowhere to be found in that list.
I guess he had a change of heart. He's entitled. Glad he ultimately got it 'right'. 👍
That was Martin Scorsese who put the The Thin Red Line as number 2 of the 1990s he was Rogers co host on that episode
the finest war movie, because it is so much more than that
from a combat infantryman who made the mistake of reading the Iliad in Iraq
Salo was a film that provoked much debate almost 40 years after it was made, evidenced by the fact that we are talking about it on a review for The Thin Red Line which is largely forgotten and nobody is talking about. :)
I saw this film in the theaters three times. People walked out of the theater in every viewing. But I absolutely loved it.
I think the key to loving this movie is whether you can get past the idea that these soldiers can speak so eloquently.
I myself couldn't get past it and I think Roger Ebert was the same. If I could, I would love to watch this film again.
Late to the game here but your comment seems to suggest all soldiers are ignorant. Even if that were true of joiners the draft would have assured a cross section of all types.
The author of this story was a soldier on Guadalcanal and the book was presented by him as fiction to protect the feelings of his fellow fighters.
Lots of other eloquent books written be veterans out there. Take a look.
@@Coldwarrior7781 Wrong. We’re talking about eloquence, not ignorance. You read my comments wrong.
@@September2004 Perhaps. It's the part that says "if you can get past the idea"......
Nothing to get past IMO.
I found Roger’s question of “Why does every anti-war movie have our side winning?” to be puzzling. As I watch them, I get the sense that these movies make the point that no side really wins in war.
He is talking about the point of view. And he’s right. Too often the point of view of the victors is emphasized rather than the losers/victims of aggression.
Well America literally won ww2
great movie
I agree.
I was left with so many questions about the main character. he seems so disconnected from it all even when the horror or danger is staring him in the face. he is always calm and in deep thought and sort of distanced from the reality of the other characters. like near the end when everyone is scared shitless and some people has to go scouting, no one wants to but he does it without a second thought and not in the typical heroic way but just so he can be there in case something bad happens. why? so he can witness it or does he have some special skill that makes him useful in a situation like that? also, before and when he gets killed. all of a sudden he is running around like Rambo and when surrounded... calm. he is so damn interesting but I have no clear thoughts of what to think of him. I have only seen the film once so I cant be sure but I don't think we ever see him kill. he is always in the thick of it but we only see him in between shots of normal people freaking out, killing etc... he seems almost mythical... I dunno
The character is a symbolic Christ-like figure. Take a look at the way you described his actions and ask yourself, what would Jesus do? haha
I too think that this is better than Saving Private Ryan and Platoon but in terms of war movies Apocalypse Now is untouchable
I agree. Apocalypse Now is the greatest war movie ever made but The Thin Red Line and Platoon give it a hell of a run.
Exactly what I was thinking!
Apocalypse Now is overrated as fuck. SPR is much better
+Ivan Belinsky
saving private ryan is the overrated one man
I would agree. Apocalypse now is a masterpiece through and through. The thin red line is up there too. So is Full metal jacket.
I agree with Roger across the board. Apocalypse Now is the best.
I'm going to say this, just because these 2 films are WWII films does not necessarily mean they are the same! With that said these 2 films mentioned are incredible in their own right! Malick's film as is Malick's style is very much more relating on a spiritual level while Spielberg has always been more contemporary and always has been elevated to be a brilliant storyteller! They're completely different but brilliant methods of filmmaking! And I'd have to say it be a crime to compare the two
Yeah.
Why after all these years do people think thin red line is a work of art does malick have compromising information on you all
Enemy patrol walking along a ridge line nicely backlit? Counter mortar fire landing within 10 seconds? Battalion CO arguing with his XO in front of the men? Over how many they are willing to kill? Love the realism.
It was such a sad thing to watch Gene push himself to do the show week after week despite his brain tumor.
He died less than a year following this show.
I remember noticing back then, before we knew how sick he was, that he was having trouble enunciating words.
You really have to give him credit for soldiering on.
3:32 Gene is absolutely dumbfounded by what is coming out of Roger’s mouth and I agree with Gene. The Thin Red Line is a much more visionary and provocative movie than Saving Private Ryan. I’m not even sure SPR is even an anti war flick. The Thin Red Line actually asks all of the deep dark secrets that Private Ryan glosses over with its Hollywood violence and chest thumping patriotism. Just to set the record straight here I love SPR but let’s not kid ourselves about what a propaganda set piece SPR is. TTRL is visually striking, subversive, existential, and powerful film. It did not get the credit it deserved.
Yeah, Spielberg ain't no Malick.
Propaganda piece? I mean it's portraying the soldiers who defeated the Nazis. You don't have to go very far to make yourself look good when the enemies are literally being led by Hitler.
interesting They liked this movie. I remember everyone in the audience hating this movie almost entirely because of the baby duck scene. I agree with Siskel. This was better than SPR
Except it wasn't
oh but it was. SPR is for people to go to watch a movie and eat popcorn. ATRL is an art form, a conversation piece about humanity and war.
machngunjoe It's a snooze fest for hipsters with a superiority complex
or its actually a film that some people like.
+machngunjoe
if u like it you like it but i prefer badlands & days of heaven as far as malick films go
i agree with Ebert: Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, would come before Thin Red Line. But TRL is a terrific film.
Other Great War films would be Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai, Das Boat, The Deer Hunter, and Patton, among others.
Black Hawk Down, The Hurt Locker, Hacksaw Ridge, Dunkirk, …
The Thin Red Line is one of my favorite movies. I liked it better than Saving Private Ryan for sure.
Other great war movies are Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima.
I didn't realize john Travolta was a lawyer aswell
I found Ebert's comment about the Americans winning in all anti-war films rather misplaced, especially given that they mention two Vietnam films, "Platoon" and "Aplocalypse Now", during the review. Furthermore, most good anti-war films tend to tackle war's traumatizing impact on its soldiers, which I reckon supersedes the importance of the actual outcome of the depicted combat/war campaign. Great review nonetheless. I just finished watching the Thin Red Line for the first time, and although it is sluggish at times, the overall impact of the film was heartfelt.
I agree on all counts. Especially the "all anti war films", completely ignoring non US antiwar films, e. g. the excellent German film Stalingrad.
Don't forget paths of glory
I love Thin Red Line and think Siskel was right in most of what he has to say about the picture. But it's still so sad to see a man so torn down in this video.
This is when Siskel was operating with some of his brain missing. Poor guy.
Roger! This was a much better film than Saving Private Ryan. As much as I always enjoyed your reviews, you frequently got it wrong. Lol
This is the correct list of the best war films ever made. 1. Apocalypse Now 2. Paths of Glory 3. Saving Private Ryan 4. Full Metal Jacket 5. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly 6. Platoon 7. Dunkirk 8. The Thin Red Line 9. Casualties of War 10. Master and Commander.
I think Spielberg just REALLY wanted that 2nd Oscar.
Ok. You win.
I've forgotten what we were even arguing about anyway. lol. :)
I still have a problem with the slow pace in the final hour, it's like a balloon deflating, but I watched it again last night for the umpteenth time, so Malick must have got something right.
I loved this movie. So much better than Private Ryan.
Look up the Nostalgia Critic’s farewell to Roger Ebert. It’s a pretty touching tribute to the man.
Gene was seeing clearly near the end.
4. @Trekiefreak - In a great pretentious movie, the author’s fervor intoxicates us. We root for him to make it, even as we watch the noble ideas he’s reaching for slip out of his grasp. A great pretentious movie is human, all too human. A great pretentious movie is so pretentious it’s profound. I admire TTRL for the balls Malick took to take an artistic gamble and create a masterpiece for so many who admire this film.
@Patrick Fairfax I don't have that 1. It used to be on CZcams, but it was taken down.
I'll admit, I like Private Ryan more than Thin Red Line. But when it comes to WWII movies in the Pacific Ocean, I think this movie is the best, above other films like Flags of Our Fathers or Hacksaw Ridge.
hello again i have just watched this movie for the fourth time, hoping repeated viewings
would help me understand it and maybe change my original opinion. it did not
and listening to this video of siskel and ebert reviewing it, makes me wonder did we
really see the same movie.
The book made sense, but I found some of the casting in the film unusual at beat. Some of the ages of the cast were right out of wack.
There were viscerally shocking scenes of the terror of combat and there was excellent insight into the bleakness of command responsibility.
But the film as a whole left me slightly cold. It did not do what it said on the tin.
The Thin Red Line is part of a series of books written by James Jones. It says its fiction, but my writing professor always said write what you know. All fiction is based on fact. Personally I don't think it was fiction because SOME of the things he talks about is similar to what my Great Uncle talked about. He was a Marine with the 3rd Division. There was a lot of censorship back then, that would be one way to get around it wouldn't you think? He didn't watch movies he had an aversion to Hollywood. How some vulnerable people would end up prostituting themselves. The porn industry would prey on people ...that sort of thing. He didn't watch movies.
These are the Best War Films.1. Apocalypse Now .2. Paths of Glory. 3. Saving Private Ryan. 4. Full Metal Jacket .5. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. 6. Platoon. 7. Dunkirk .8. The Thin Red Line. This is the correct list.
No Oddball though, WOOF WOOF!
1. The characters in TTRL are metaphors for certain philosophical ideas. TTRL uses war simply as a background to tackle the theme of the nature of man. So the characters are not personalities, instead they represent ideas. So I understand how it can be inaccessible to someone. My next point is how TTRL is ‘pretentious’.
Ebert liked the movie, but I think he's holding back his criticisms to avoid arguing with Siskel who sadly was losing his health.
Im not going to compare Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line because they are totally different films.
Hard to watch Siskel in his final months here -- getting Nick Nolte mixed up with John Travolta. Still a great review by him.
I agree it's hard to see Siskel sounding unwell, but he did NOT get Nick Nolte mixed up with John Travolta. Travolta has a small part in the movie as Nolte's not-very-likeable commanding officer (General Quintard), and there's a ton of irony in their conversation as Travolta praises him for staying in the service during peacetime long past when most men would have quit because there was no war to fight, and how most men in his position just "goes along to get along" to try and make general - which is in fact precisely what Nolte is doing during the scene. Here's the two parts of their conversation:
czcams.com/video/2oEJSl3NkVE/video.html
czcams.com/video/NDwsNSHoYjg/video.html
3. @Trekiefreak - Every pretentious movie starts with an individual with a pretentious idea. Pretentious movies are never corporate. They’re always intensely subjective and individualistic: the author has a passionate sentiment, something that surpasses his own ability to communicate, something that he struggles to translate into narrative and image. Great directors like David Lynch, The Coens, Lars Von Trier, Stanley Kubrick, etc have been criticized by some of being pretentious...