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I had the same experience at the cinema this week. About 20 people left the theatre before the film finished. Most left even in the first hour. I think the problem (for the lack of a better word) is that the film was heavily marketed with Brad Pitt and Sean Penn being attached to it, which seems to have attracted a lot of people who would not normally watch such a film. This raises interesting issues, bordering on ethics and stardomship, of how the distribution and marketing of a film can (un)consciously target an audience that will not enjoy the film. The fact that the film is being shown at major Cineworld branches in London is another contributing factor. Personally, there were many instances when I was quasi-hypnotised by the sequences (it reminded me a lot of Jiri Menzel's "One Moment"), although, I thought the attempt to show macrocosm (literally) and microcosm simultaneously resulted in one film being split in two parts by another film (the cosmos and evolution sequence). A very bold film, thematically, stylistically and distribution-wise. --- Catalin Brylla Filmmaker - Editor www.catalinbrylla.com Lecturer, Film and Video University of Wales Newport www.newport.ac.uk/catalinbrylla Mobile: 07789004745 Skype: cbrylla ________________________________ From: John Matturri <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Sent: Tue, July 12, 2011 10:47:33 PM Subject: Re: [FILM-PHILOSOPHY] Tree of Life/ Film Philosophy I thought that the film was weakened by seeing the others. The special effects seemed to function in a way analogous to the stereopticon scene in Badlands, but in a more literal and I think overblown way. But people I respect have really liked the film so I'll give it another try. Don't think multiplex audience reactions are much of an indication of anything. I would hate to see the reaction of a typical audience to Brakhage's Text of Light, which I love. I suspect that those who have had such negative reactions to the film aren't attuned to any film with a degree of abstraction -- how could they be given what they've experienced -- and aren't going to make distinctions between instances. j On 7/12/11 4:09 PM, russell manning wrote: >Saw Tree of life last night in a suburban multi-plex. At the >conclusion there was a literal and audible groan of relief, one >elderly woman yelling “Thank God for that”. They were clearly not >impressed by the film and its themes. I have many questions, but the >overarching ones are. (1) How helpful is it to have seen all Malik’s >films to appreciate this one?(2) If you have seen all the films, is >this the most Heideggerian of them all? Surely most of the questions >that this forum (film philosophy) provokes would be revealed by this >cinema experience? >Russell > -- Film-Philosophy After hitting 'reply' please always delete the text of the message you are replying to To leave, send the message: leave film-philosophy to: [log in to unmask] visit: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/film-philosophy.html For technical help email: [log in to unmask], not the list -- Film-Philosophy journal: http://www.film-philosophy.com/ Film-Philosophy Conference (6-8 July 2011): http://www.film-philosophy.com/conference/ Contact: [log in to unmask] -- -- Film-Philosophy After hitting 'reply' please always delete the text of the message you are replying to To leave, send the message: leave film-philosophy to: [log in to unmask] Or visit: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/film-philosophy.html For technical help email: [log in to unmask], not the list -- Film-Philosophy journal: http://www.film-philosophy.com/ Film-Philosophy Conference (6-8 July 2011): http://www.film-philosophy.com/conference/ Contact: [log in to unmask] -- -- Film-Philosophy After hitting 'reply' please always delete the text of the message you are replying to To leave, send the message: leave film-philosophy to: [log in to unmask] Or visit: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/film-philosophy.html For technical help email: [log in to unmask], not the list -- Film-Philosophy journal: http://www.film-philosophy.com/ Film-Philosophy Conference (6-8 July 2011): http://www.film-philosophy.com/conference/ Contact: [log in to unmask] --