You probably know that David Lowery’s film The Green Knight is considered one of the best movies from 2021. You may also know that a new special Blu-ray collector’s edition is coming your way in just about a month. What you don’t know and Collider can share with you is that this special edition will feature a short film that also hails from Lowery. The Oak Thorn & The Old Rose of Love loosely ties in to The Green Knight story, and the 20-minute short film centers around two entities that exchange their knowledge in unconventional ways.
The short film stars Jackie Earle Haley (A Nightmare on Elm Street) and Sylvia Hoeks (Blade Runner 2049), and features all of elements that made The Green Knight great: symbolism, an atmospheric soundtrack, cryptic imagery, beautiful dialogue, and a final twist for good measure. Lowery told Collider how the project came together and explained why we’re only getting to see it now:
“It's not directly related [to ‘The Green Knight’], but it is based on another piece of Arthurian lore, so there's definitely a connection. I'd already been thinking about adapting this particular story, and as we were coming up with ways to make the Blu-ray extra special, I thought it would be nice to have an adjunct movie on the disc. I love physical media, and loved the idea of having this short film that would never be released online, that would only ever be available on the big screen or on this disc. I'm sure someone will rip it right away, but in theory this short film is an exclusively physical object.”
Lowery also told Collider that The Oak Thorn & The Old Rose of Love was filmed very recently, “between mid-July and mid-September of this year,” and that principal photography stretched for three days. He also revealed that the short film is kind of a secret project, since among his friends and family “no one knows we made it.” He also went on to explain everyone's role in the project:
"I edited it in LA, my friend Nick supervised the VFX in New Orleans, Johnny Marshall mixed the sound in his garage in Dallas, Andrew did the color in LA, my producers Toby and James and Lisa put everything together in Dallas, and Daniel Hart wrote the score in between recording sessions for Peter Pan & Wendy and Interview With The Vampire."
David Lowery is one of the most eclectic directors working in the movie industry right now. He’s helmed adventures like Pete’s Dragon and the upcoming Disney blockbuster Peter Pan & Wendy, but also the supernatural existential drama A Ghost Story. The Green Knight was a hit and earned nominations among countless critics’ circles and awards across the planet.
The Green Knight’s Blu-ray special edition featuring the short film The Oak Thorn & The Old Rose of Love will hit shelves on November 25. You can watch Lowery himself talk about the movie to Collider below: