Research on the films of American director Terrence Malick traditionally operates between two poles: On the one hand, the conceptual depth of his films is analyzed within philosophical, theological, and anthropological discourses; on the other hand, the focus lies on the unique visual language and the immersive experience of his cinematic worlds. However, there is still a lack of systematic approach that not only describes the tension between these two poles but methodologically decodes it as the genuinely aesthetic potential of the medium of film - a potential that is fully realized in Malick’s films.

My dissertation takes this as its starting point, developing a model that understands Malick’s cinematic language as an integrative interplay between concept and image. The aim of the work is to develop a coherent analytical method for Malick’s aesthetic strategy, which captures both the discursive depth structure and the procedural organization of his visual worlds. In doing so, a hermeneutics of Malick’s films emerges, revealing why they allow for such diverse and sometimes contradictory interpretations, while simultaneously creating a basis for their productive, dialogical connection - while preserving the discrepancies. I refer to this approach as a hermeneutics of polyphony.

The work aims not only to establish a new methodological foundation for Malick research but also to offer innovative impulses film studies by establishing the tension between concept and image as central analytical categories. Additionally, the role of source work as an integral component of cinematic world-building and filmic reception will be highlighted, creating a methodological link between film analysis and cultural memory.

(ChatGPT was employed as a supportive tool in the linguistic and structural refinement of this abstract.)