The New World

With his films Terrence Malick he explored themes such as transcendence, nature and the conflicts between reason and instinct. They are works typically characterized by extensive philosophical and spiritual reflections, as well as by the use of meditative voiceovers of the protagonists. To bring out the thematic heart of his works, Malick therefore shuns solid narrative plots and developments to rely rather on contemplation, images, light and sound. In 2005 he made one of his less cited but more explanatory films of his poetics, the title of which is The New World – The new worldbased on the true story of Pocahontas.

He conceived the screenplay already in the seventies, but the project remained in an embryonic state for a long time until, after directing The thin red line in 1998, the director decided to shape it. He thus traces the history of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, drawing inspiration from the historical figures of the captain John Smith, Pocahontas of the Powhatan tribe and English John Rolfe. The film, which marks the first collaboration between Malick and the Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezkideeply divided critics and audiences, between those who despised it and those who instead indicated it as one of the best films of the decade.

For fans of Malick’s cinema or contemplative cinema, which is more a visual and sensorial experience than a narrative one, The New World – The new world it is undoubtedly a title to be recovered, capable of arousing great emotions and profound upheavals of mind. Before embarking on a vision of the film, however, it will certainly be useful to deepen some of the main curiosities relating to this. By continuing to read here, it will be possible to find further details relating to the plot and al cast of actors. Finally, the main ones will also be listed streaming platforms containing the film in their catalog.

The New World – The new world: the plot of the movie

The film is set in 1607, when Pocahontas, the adventurous daughter of Chief Powhatan, and other members of her tribe witness the arrival of three ships sent by the British royal charter to found a colony in the New World. On board a ship is the captain John Smithsentenced to death for rebellious behavior, but once on land pardoned by the captain Christopher Newport, head of the expedition. The men involved in that expedition, however, are unprepared to face the natural adversities present in the new continent and soon have to abandon their dreams of glory, rather fighting for their own survival.

When Captain Newport sends John Smith and his men to look for supplies, the group is attacked by members of the Powhatan tribe, who kill all but John, taken prisoner and taken to the village. There he meets the boss’s daughter, Pocahontas, with whom he soon develops a profound relationship that will change their lives forever. The clashes between the British and the Powhatans, however, are far from over and when the two peoples come to arms again, Pocahontas will be forced to make very hard decisions, which will compromise her place in the world and everything she believes in.

The New World – The new world: the cast of the film

Known for his obsessiveness to make everything as authentic as possible, from lighting to acting, Malick long sought the right actors for the lead roles, then worked with them to make their respective characters more realistic. Casting for the character of Pocahontas proved particularly difficult, however. The producers surveyed over two thousand actors before deciding to extend their search criteria to all indigenous actors in both North and South America. In the end, he got the part Q’orianka Kilcher, at the time fourteen. To prepare for her role, the actress had to learn to speak a reconstructed form of the extinct Powhatan language.

In the role of John Smith there is instead the actor Colin Farrell, who to play this character decided to read all the books written by the real Smith, concerning his travel experiences. To preserve the spontaneity between them, Farrell and Kilcher had to avoid meeting on set until it was time for their first scene. Christian Bale instead he is present in the role of John Rolfe. The actor was wanted by Malick as he had participated in the dubbing of the Disney film Pocahontas, of which the director was a fan. The Oscar winner Christopher PlummerFinally, he plays Captain Christopher Newport. The actor, after seeing the film and the way in which his presence had been reduced to editing, was very furious with the director.

The New World – The new world: the trailer and where to see the film in streaming and on TV

You can take advantage of The New World – The new world thanks to its presence on some of the most popular streaming platforms on the net today. This is indeed available in the catalogs of Google Play and Amazon Prime Video. To see it, once you have chosen the reference platform, just rent the single film or sign up for a general subscription. In this way you will be able to watch it in total comfort and at the best of video quality. The film is also present in the television schedule of Friday 24 June at 21:00 On the canal Iris.

Source: IMDb