One classic ‘either or’ question is: would you rather have fortune, or fame? I always go for fortune, because for the most part it looks like fame really sucks. There is real power in being able to do the stuff you want to do, but still walk down the street in total anonymity.

Terrence Malick, director of films such as The Tree of Life and Days of Heaven, has always sought that sort of lifestyle — he could have given J.D. Salinger lessons in avoiding the press — and now we know he has truly achieved it. Because when he and Benecio Del Toro were out walking, TMZ caught up to them, and the tape of the encounter proves that the crew had no idea they had stumbled into a stupendously rare interview with one of the most reclusive talents of the past fifty years. Check it out below.

Collider clued us in to the existence of this TMZ tape; the Malick appearance starts at 3:15.

Really, it would be a lot more strange if TMZ did know who Malick is, but I would love to hear what inane questions they’d throw at him. Probably something about Christian Bale’s ability to rant on set.

Just to make the forwarding of a TMZ video easier to bear, here are some shots of Christian Bale and Imogen Poots on the set of Knight of Cups, which is the second new Malick film announced last year, and one of three new movies he has coming down the pipe. (The others being To the Wonder and the film formerly called Lawless.) [via ChristianBale.org]