Movies

Hands Through Hair: Intimate Moments With Terrence Malick

To the wonder
By  · Published on November 15th, 2017

The wheat-loving poet creates touching interactions between his characters.

While they may not technically be quiet fields and heartfelt voiceover, the actors in director Terrence Malick’s flowy films share the same intimacy as Malick himself and things like grain or khaki cargo pants.

The small brushes of fingertips or the camera’s quiet movement to focus on a hand resting on a shoulder – these are the things Malick concerns himself with when it comes to human interaction. Looking at the color contrasts and similarities, especially when it comes to skin contact, it’s easy to see how the director tries to convey a tactile sensation through images and movement.

Essayist Zach Prewitt‘s video essay explores Malick’s delicate cinematography of these moments throughout his filmography. Many hands, many hugs.

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Jacob Oller writes everywhere (Vanity Fair, The Guardian, Playboy, FSR, Paste, etc.) about everything that matters (film, TV, video games, memes, life).