Subscribe
Copied to clipboard
Share
Share
Copied to clipboard
Embed
Copied to clipboard
Movies We Like
Trailer
Bonus
Episode 5
Season 4
The Thin Red Line • A Conversation with Cinematographer Ross Riege
“We're living in a world that's blowing itself to hell as fast as everybody can arrange it.”
Talking About Terrence Malick’s 1998 film The Thin Red Line with our guest, cinematographer Ross Riege
Talking About Terrence Malick’s 1998 film The Thin Red Line with our guest, cinematographer Ross Riege
While Terrence Malick’s war film came out five months after Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, it couldn’t be more different. They’re both exceptional films, but Malick’s takes a more pensive, thoughtful, esoteric approach with his. At its basest level, the story follows a military unit on the Melanesian island of Guadalcanal as they work to take it from Japanese troops. While that story’s there, in Malick’s hands, the film is more about the balance between man and nature and how the war machine destroys men’s souls.
Not only is the way Malick crafts the story haunting, it’s also done in a way that fits perfectly with his themes and views. Cinematographer Ross Riege is a big fan, having first seen this and a number of other Malick films when prepping Redland, an early film he worked on, as well as his big break as cinematographer for The Kings of Summer. It’s fitting then that that film’s look was described as feeling Malickian.
We talk more with Riege about his career, starting with smaller films and moving up to films like Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and the TV series The Afterparty. We also get some impressions from him on the switch from film to digital, working with his crews, and more. It’s a fantastic conversation about a great movie with a great cinematographer.
Film Sundries
- Learn more about supporting The Next Reel’s Movies We Like through your own membership with The Next Reel.
- Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!
- Ross on the web and on Instagram
- Watch this on Apple or Amazon, or find other places at JustWatch
- Script Options
- Theatrical trailer
- Poster artwork
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
Learn how to support our show and The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts by becoming a member. It's just $5 monthly or $55 annually. Learn more here.
Follow the other podcasts in The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts:
- Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and Movements
- The Film Board
- The Next Reel Film Podcast
- Sitting in the Dark
Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world in our Discord community!
Here’s where you can find us around the internet:
What are some other ways you can support us and show your love? Glad you asked!
- You can buy our movie-related apparel, stickers, mugs and more from our MERCH PAGE.
- Or buy or rent movies we’ve discussed on the show from our WATCH PAGE.
- Or buy books, plays, etc. that was the source for movies we’ve discussed on the show from our ORIGINALS PAGE.
- Or renew or sign up for a Letterboxd Pro or Patron account with our LETTERBOXD MEMBERSHIP DISCOUNT.
- Or sign up for AUDIBLE.
Chapters
- Welcome to Movies We Like • The Thin Red Line
- Meet Cinematographer Ross Riege
- Digital vs. Film
- Each Project's Look
- Reputation with His Keys
- Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line
- Malick Voiceover
- Trusting Audience or Artistic Confidence
- Maintaining Artistic Integrity in a World of Commerce
- Capturing Pristine Nature Again and Again
- Overall Thoughts of the Movie
- John Toll and This Film's Look
- Property and the Soul
- Recognizing You're Capturing Greatness
- Actors and Their Director
- Malick's Vision
- Stepping Away
- The Post-Color Process
- Performances
- Documentary Feel
- Great Contemporary War Films
- Capturing the Malick Look
- Awards
- Box Office
- Wrapping Up