Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life
The viewer’s experience of Malick’s cinema can be arguably approached from the notion of dwelling. As Toles points out, the essence of this dwelling derives from the use of the medium’s capacities to reveal the world as something real. In contrast with earlier films, The Tree of Life (2011) opens up...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Church, Communication and Culture |
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23753234.2019.1616579 |
| _version_ | 1827332374854107136 |
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| author | Pablo Alzola Cerero |
| author_facet | Pablo Alzola Cerero |
| author_sort | Pablo Alzola Cerero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The viewer’s experience of Malick’s cinema can be arguably approached from the notion of dwelling. As Toles points out, the essence of this dwelling derives from the use of the medium’s capacities to reveal the world as something real. In contrast with earlier films, The Tree of Life (2011) opens up the possibility of transcendence by pushing the limits of the world revealed by the film medium: here the world is no more an absolute presence, but the visible sign of a further presence, that of its Creator. The chain of revelations is thus expanded: the filmic dwelling holds the world’s presence and, in turn, this screened world points towards God’s presence. In this vein, the image of Jack O’Brien standing at the enigmatic doorframe in the wilderness might well illustrate the experience of the viewer of The Tree of Life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:59:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7308c486529a4d4283e5555773edf6a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2375-3234 2375-3242 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T16:59:02Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Church, Communication and Culture |
| spelling | doaj.art-7308c486529a4d4283e5555773edf6a92024-03-03T03:28:35ZengTaylor & Francis GroupChurch, Communication and Culture2375-32342375-32422019-05-014215217110.1080/23753234.2019.16165791616579Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of LifePablo Alzola Cerero0Universidad Rey Juan CarlosThe viewer’s experience of Malick’s cinema can be arguably approached from the notion of dwelling. As Toles points out, the essence of this dwelling derives from the use of the medium’s capacities to reveal the world as something real. In contrast with earlier films, The Tree of Life (2011) opens up the possibility of transcendence by pushing the limits of the world revealed by the film medium: here the world is no more an absolute presence, but the visible sign of a further presence, that of its Creator. The chain of revelations is thus expanded: the filmic dwelling holds the world’s presence and, in turn, this screened world points towards God’s presence. In this vein, the image of Jack O’Brien standing at the enigmatic doorframe in the wilderness might well illustrate the experience of the viewer of The Tree of Life.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23753234.2019.1616579Faith and cultureTerrence MalickChristianityStanley Cavellfilm spectatorshipdwelling |
| spellingShingle | Pablo Alzola Cerero Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life Church, Communication and Culture Faith and culture Terrence Malick Christianity Stanley Cavell film spectatorship dwelling |
| title | Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life |
| title_full | Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life |
| title_fullStr | Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life |
| title_full_unstemmed | Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life |
| title_short | Standing at God’s threshold: film viewing as dwelling in Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life |
| title_sort | standing at god s threshold film viewing as dwelling in terrence malick s the tree of life |
| topic | Faith and culture Terrence Malick Christianity Stanley Cavell film spectatorship dwelling |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23753234.2019.1616579 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pabloalzolacerero standingatgodsthresholdfilmviewingasdwellinginterrencemalicksthetreeoflife |