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The New World
The New World “The famous tale of a beautiful
  American Indian princess who saves
  the life of a 17th Century English sailor
  on the barely-discovered American
  continent is consigned to history and
  the many films and dramas that follow;
  but a new, re-imagined movie takes
  the legend one step beyond in the
  extraordinary and visually-exciting
  The New World...”

SPECTACULARLY RE-IMAGINED AND ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING, The New World is inspired by history; but the story of the beautiful American Indian princess Pocahontas (delightfully played by Q'Orianka Kilcher in a performance described as revelatory) has been given a new dimension that takes the viewer to a unique and poignant new level.

With the arrival of a large ship bringing strangers from a far land in 1607, the natural people of the land known as America are both excited and a little fearful of the "floating islands" that bring strange white men to their land. As well they may be, for their lives will never be the same again.

“Taking the story
of Pocahontas
one step beyond…
The New World
is a visual delight with
likeable characters
and beautifully-
composed sets that
ooze creativity and
the charm
of a bygone age...”
Arriving with the ships, John Smith (Colin Farrell) ventures out to explore the new world and is captured by Indians. The fearsome chief Powhatan (August Schellenberg) is about to execute him when his daughter Pocahontas (Q'Orianka Kilcher) steps in and begs her father to allow him to live.

She falls in love with John Smith and as they spend much time together he comes to understand and respect the ways of the Indians. Pocahontas is a young woman in love, vibrant and mischievous, but when John Smith returns to England it seems as though he will never return and she sadly accepts that she will never see her first love again.

Much later Pocahontas meets the kindly John Rolfe (Christian Bale) who marries her and brings her to England. Baptised as Rebecca, Pocahontas finds happiness with him and their son.

The New World imagines their meeting and their life together in England, living in a beautiful home, visits from friends and meeting King James (Jonathan Pryce) and Queen Anne (Alexandra Malick). Fate takes a hand and Pocahontas sees John Smith again and is drawn between the two men she most cares for.

Tragically, Pocahontas is never to return home as she becomes very ill and dies, mourned by her husband and son and buried in English soil at Gravesend in St George's churchyard.

Taking the story of Pocahontas one step beyond, into her imagined life in England with her husband John Rolfe, The New World is a visual delight with likeable characters and beautifully-composed sets that ooze creativity and the charm of a bygone age. Looking into the Indian psyche, the film explores possibilities and delves deep into the imagination as two worlds merge.

Proclaimed as a film of "uncommon power and technical splendour" that re-imagines the apocryphal story of Indian princess Pocahontas and British explorer John Smith, The New World does indeed demonstrate Terrence Malick's visual and creative abilities.

The New World also features: Christopher Plummer as Captain Newport; Wes Studi as Opechancanough; David Thewlis as Wingfield; Yorick Van Weigeningen as Captain Argall; Noah Taylor as Selway; and Ben Mendelsohn as Ben.

Music Composed by James Horner; Director of Photography is Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC; Costume Designer is Jacqueline West; Produced by Sarah Green; and Written and Directed by Terrence Malick.

* The New World is released in the UK on Blu-ray on 14 December 2020. Running Time: 172 Minutes | Language: English and Algonquin with English Subtitles.

Special Edition Features (Director Approved) — New 4K digital restoration of the extended cut of the film, supervised by cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and director Terrence Malick, featuring material not released in theatres with both theatrical and near-field 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio Soundtracks | High-definition digital transfers of the 150-minute first cut and the 135-minute theatrical cut of the film, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks | New interview with actors Colin Farrell and Q'Orianka Kilcher | New programme about the making of the film, featuring interviews with producer Sarah Green, production designer Jack Fisk, and costume designer Jacqueline West | Making The New World, a documentary shot during the production of the film in 2004, directed and edited by Austin Jack Lynch | New programme about the process of cutting The New World and its various versions, featuring interviews with editors Hank Corwin, Saar Klein and Mark Yoshikawa | Trailers | PLUS: A book featuring an essay by film scholar Tom Gunning, a 2006 interview with Lubezki from American Cinematographer, and a selection of materials that inspired the production.

Chapters: Virginia 1607: 1 Virginia 1607 | 2 A New Start | 3 Captain John Smith | 4 The Stranger | 5 Pocahontas | 6 We Rise | 7 Wingfield | 8 The President, Fall 1608 | 9 A Secret Crop | 10 Mutiny | 11 Return of the Floating Islands | 12 Drowned | 13 A Proposal | 14 Far To The North, Spring 1614 | 15 London Summer 1618 | 16 And Last.

"Taking the story of Pocahontas one step beyond… The New World is a visual delight with likeable characters and beautifully-composed sets that ooze creativity and the charm of a bygone age" — **** Maggie Woods, MotorBar

THE MOVIE: The New World is hailed as showcasing Terrence Malick "at the height of his visual and philosophical powers". He is credited with giving this vision of early Seventeenth Century America an "astounding elemental beauty; a poetic meditation on nature, violence, love and civilisations" and his work is seen as "a romantic idyll between spiritual equals", complemented by Art Director Jack Fisk's remarkable re-creation of the Jamestown colony, Emmanuel Lubezki's splendid, naturally-lit cinematography and a fabulous music score by James Horner.

THE REAL POCAHONTAS: The Algonquian-speaking tribes around the established settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, were ruled by the mighty Chief Powhatan. According to the journal of John Smith, his life was saved by Powhatan's daughter Pocahontas (the name is actually her nickname). Pocahontas married another John — Rolfe — who took her to England. She is believed to have died of pneumonia or tuberculosis in 1617 as she and her husband prepared to return to the New World. Her grave can be seen at St George's Church, Gravesend.
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