The Thin Red Line by Jordan Kulm

Title/Year: The Thin Red Line/1998
Director/Birth Country/Year Born: Terrence Malick/USA/1943
Budget: $52 million
Gross: $98,126,565
Synopsis:  Director Terrence Malick's adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War. 
Narrative and Visual Keywords: war, suffering, nature, death
Characterization/ Dialogue Characters are relatively flat typical war characters as Malick is a heavy visual director
Camera/lighting/editing technique: Heavily cinematic variation including wide shots and tighter shots for action
 Political/ Social Commentary The unavoidable destruction of beauty brought by war
Historical Relevance/ Recognition WWII
Random fact, Etc.  The original cut of the film was just under 6 hours in length. Over a million feet of film was shot. 



1. Are they any evident elements of an evolving group integration?

The group of men from company C are pretty divided as they are bunked up in their tiny little ship, but once they hit the battle field, things are different. When life is on the line they get smart real quick and truly become a unit with a singular goal. Whether it be life or liberty, victory is the catalyst in this unit.

2. Are there any scenes where self-sacrifice is apparent?

The biggest self-sacrifice in this movie is what each individual soldier left behind in America while they are out risking their lives to protect it. One scene in particular shows a flashback of Private Bell having intimate moments with his wife as he says "My dear wife, you get something twisted out of your insides by all this blood, filth, and noise. I want to stay changeless for you. I want to come back to you the man I was before." showing that he is protecting his wife and country at the cost that he will never be able to enjoy them the same way after the brutality of war.

3. Answer TWO of the following question on analyzing characterization:

*Identify the central (most important) character or characters. Which characters are static and which ones are developing? Which characters are flat and which ones are round?

Private Witt would be the central character of the story while there are many cameo characters played by big shot actors like John Travolta and Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars.

*Which minor characters function to bring out the personality traits of the major characters? What do they help reveal?

Right from the beginning the main character, Private Witt, is living in a tribe of simple people. This is his happiest moment and the time he is truly exploring himself to find spiritual enlightenment.