Criterion's 'The Tree of Life' Will Be an Entirely Different Movie

It's not just a director's cut — it's 188 minutes of new material

BY Josiah HughesPublished Aug 31, 2018

Terrence Malick's magnum opus The Tree of Life is the perfect candidate for release on the Criterion Collection. While the film is on schedule to arrive through the venerable organization, however, it will be a decidedly unorthodox release.

Rather than include a "director's cut" of the original film, Malick has assembled a 188-minute alternate version of the film.

Speaking with Indiewire, Criterion's Lee Kline said Malick wants viewers to see this as simply "another version" of the film. 

"Terry likes to tinker and he likes to change things around," Kline added. "He said that, 'No one asked Bob Dylan to play a song the same way every night. Why should I have to make one film?'"

The Criterion Collection release of The Tree of Life will arrive on September 11 and will feature the 139-minute theatrical cut of the film as well as the new 188-minute version. The latter, longer version will also debut at the Venice Film Festival next week.
 

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