"The New World"

   Ok, movie spotlight time! "The New World" has a certain place in my heart for a few reasons. I do admit, it used to be the joke of our house for its strange editing and long periods of time walking in a field, but I watched it all the way through two years ago, and I have completely new eyes for it. There's something about it that takes me back to a time and place I feel is so familiar, if you've ever had that experience. Like as if when I think of it, and the music, and pace of the film, I feel like I'm in a comforting, dream-like state of mind. It's quite a relaxing movie actually. Anyways, I LOVE the historical aspect of it as well and that it takes place during the later Renaissance melding into the Stuart era with the reign of James VI. The age of expansion and exploration has already been set in motion and England is prospering from new discoveries.

     Elaborate and frivolous clothing had just been during Queen Elizabeth's reign, and some hints can still be seen in the English clothing of the Stuart era. I particularly love the hats like the velvet flat caps with the ostrich feathers, and there's something about the doublet with the detachable sleeves I find so appealing. I can already see how the shoes of the 17th century evolve into the Georgian era shoes by seeing the movie. Pocahontas (Rebecca) sure must have been patient for putting up with the heels when she was practically bare foot all her life.
       The music of "The New World" is a whole other subject to dive into. Now I love the Mozart, Beethoven, and especially Wagner that was incorporated in the movie, but once you hear James Horner's score he wrote, you'll think Terrence Malick's crazy for not using it more. The theme alone is breathtaking and it's a score you can listen to over and over again. It transports one back to that world. It captures the essence and heart of the movie through sounds and rhythms too beautiful to describe- sounds of woodwinds, trumpets, even birds. I truly think it's Horner's best.

     Some things to take note are that they did get an actress ( Q'oriana Kilcher) who was the perfect age at 14, since the real Pocahontas was 12 when she met John Smith and 19 when she married John Rolfe so they had to choose an age somewhere in the middle. And I'm so glad they stuck to history when she ends up truly loving and ending up with John Rolfe. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Rolfe (Christian Bale) and Pocahontas work on his tobacco plantation and their relationship develops there. Historical accounts like John Smith's journal tells us there was no romance between Pocahontas and Smith, but only with John Rolfe. Other than that extra love story, they stuck to the timeline almost perfectly as far as we know of what really happened.
     So nevertheless, outstanding performances from all and what an AMAZING movie!