Days of Heaven - Parker Sealy

This movie was well done artistically. It was a smart move to choose to shoot the film at the “magic hour” or dusk (Giannetti). This is a term used by photographers and matches what Terrence Malick and the cinematographer, Nestor Almendros, were trying to accomplish with this film, which they conveniently called Days of Heaven. They were trying to get the viewers to see this place that they lived in as a “Garden of Eden” or a lost paradise, which is accomplished almost solely through the cinematography such as the filming during the “magic hour,” which gives it a golden look which looks mystical, for lack of a better word (Giannetti). It gives the idea that no one wants to leave. The crickets were biblical imagery of the plaques that destroyed something good. The “Garden of Eden” was destroyed and they were forced to leave which literally killed them, either mentally or physically. All of these things visually translated and worked together to deliver the film that served as a way to explain the joys a child has when everything is set and secure but then has everything taken away from them and then lets it pass without feeling anything. I agree with this but I didn’t come up with this on my own. I got it from Roger Ebert. It is a recollection of events told from the perspective of Linda. She is narrating it after the fact so it is her recollection through naïve eyes. The way she tells it almost sounds like it doesn’t pain her to think about it later which is how this could be seen as the “message” or point.” All-in-all, this movie is visually dynamic and takes risks that work and force the viewer to feel the way they want them to feel.