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Days of Heaven

PG Released Jan 1, 1978 1h 35m Drama List
94% Tomatometer 64 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
A screen poem about life in America at the turn of the century. A story of love and murder told through the voice of a child and expressive images of nature in 1916. A steelworker flees Chicago after a fight with his boss; he takes his little sister and girlfriend with him.
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Days of Heaven

Days of Heaven

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Critics Consensus

Illuminated by magic hour glow and wistful performances, Days of Heaven is a visual masterpiece that finds eloquent poetry in its spare scenario.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher Times (UK) The plague of locusts scene, achieved by dumping thousands of peanut shells from a helicopter and playing the eventual footage backwards, is a knockout. Rated: 5/5 Feb 2, 2024 Full Review Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com Terrence Malick’s ethereal, windswept ballad of love, lust, and nature’s wrath remains an otherworldly triumph. Rated: 4/4 Oct 19, 2023 Full Review David Sexton London Evening Standard Simply one of the most ravishing films ever made, luminous in a way that no other movie has been. Rated: 5/5 Sep 2, 2011 Full Review Ray Pride Newcity Malick’s haunting, painterly variation on Biblical stories in the wheat fields of the Texas panhandle just before the First World War is a voluptuous masterpiece, an equation of ironies. Drawn with myth’s simplicity. Rated: 10/10 Jul 4, 2024 Full Review Bianca Garner The Film Bee Even though the film’s length is a slick 94 minutes, it feels so much longer (in a good way). It’s the type of film that leaves you craving more; but Malick deliberately leaves certain scenes and plot points ambiguous. May 16, 2024 Full Review David Harris Spectrum Culture Even though the story is simple, Malick uses his camera to elevate the tale into something more cosmic, more glorious than a synopsis could ever allow. Mar 12, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jason G Saw this on Criterion channel and didn't like it at all. The script is inert and Malick can't handle actors (how many times a day does the Richard Gere character shave?). The massive editing (cutting) prevents the rhythms of nature from coming through, and the clumsy close-ups of the characters look like insets, along with the nature creatures. The music is great (it must be borrowed by Harry Potter) and the cinematography/lighting is well-respected. I suppose it looks better on a big screen, and the blend of noise and silence might be artistic (the locust noises are cool) but I'm glad Malick doesn't make many movies. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/12/24 Full Review Luca D One of the most beautiful films you'll see. The fire in the fields scene was amazing. Definitely holds up well, considering it's age. The only part I wasn't to happy about was the lackluster ending. Kind of ended on a weird note. Other than that the sets, costumes, music, and acting were all 10/10. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/08/24 Full Review Hao Ian L While the premise of the love triangle story is rather simple, the poetic and meditative approach is what sets it apart. <i>Days of Heaven</i> is not a film driven by plot, it avoids traditional narrative structures and opts instead for a dreamlike quality that invites viewers to immerse themselves in the world on screen with visual poetry that is unparalleled. Malick captures the vastness and beauty of the Texas Panhandle with breathtaking imagery, the golden fields of wheat, fiery sunsets, and imposing thunderstorms create a visual symphony that complements the film's emotional depth, it's an experience much more magical than a synopsis would ever allow. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/01/24 Full Review David C I saw it last night at Music Box theater. It is a beautiful film to look at with a solid cast but the story is just lacking and the ending was so bad that I heard people laugh out loud. Good but not best ever film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/28/24 Full Review Nathan T Another great and classic film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/17/24 Full Review Tim O My "memory" of having initially seen this decades ago, was a much stronger film than I see now. Beautiful cinematography, and some really impressive scenes of period mass-harvesting in the giant kerosene tracters era (heh, big hit for the small community of fans of old tractors and machinery [grin]). But the characters haven't aged well, and I now find pretty shallow and unengaging. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A screen poem about life in America at the turn of the century. A story of love and murder told through the voice of a child and expressive images of nature in 1916. A steelworker flees Chicago after a fight with his boss; he takes his little sister and girlfriend with him.
Director
Terrence Malick
Producer
Bert Schneider, Harold Schneider
Screenwriter
Terrence Malick
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 1, 1978, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 22, 2016
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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