Terrence Malick’s ‘Voyage of Time’ Will Be Released in ‘Ultra Widescreen’ Version
This year, two films by Terrence Malick received a theatrical release. The first was “Knight of Cups,” an experimental drama about a depressed screenwriter (Christian Bale) who embarks on a journey for love and self, and the second was “Voyage of Time,” a documentary film that celebrates the universe. Malick created two versions of the film: a 35-mm feature-length version that premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival and a condensed version for IMAX theaters. The IMAX version was released in 15 theaters this past October, but now the film is coming back to theaters, only this time it’s in an “Ultra Widescreen” format.
READ MORE: Why Terrence Malick Still Believes You Should See Movies On the Big Screen
The new version of the film will be presented in a 3.6:1 aspect ratio and will no longer feature voiceover from actor Brad Pitt. According to Variety, Malick had not intended to use voiceover, preferring only music and sound effects, but Pitt’s narration was included in the IMAX version to reach a broader audience. This version, officially titled “Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience in Ultra Widescreen 3.6,” will be in all-new locations, each of them at multiplexes.
“It’s something in cinematography that’s quite common now. You’re framing for 1.85:1 or 2.35:1, but there’s also a television version,” says director of photography Paul Atkins says. “I was in the grading suite and Terry came in a couple of times so excited and he said, ‘Look at this,’ and we looked at this super widescreen version and looked at a lot of the shots with it. We were stunned at how it affected you emotionally and how immersive it was.”
READ MORE: Why Terrence Malick’s ‘Voyage of Time’ Must Be Seen On IMAX — Toronto Analysis
The Ultra Widescreen version of “Voyage of Time” will be released on on 21 screens nationwide beginning on December 9.
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