Paul Thomas Anderson Films-The worship arena

Just watched Inherent Vice loved this movie....but is Shasta dead?

What a great director. Matter of fact, my favorite modern director (when I say modern...like the last 30 years or so).

Hard Eight...right out of the gate, and with Phillip Seymour Hoffman, need I say more? Regardless, I have to. P.T.A. in the DVD commentary says he wanted to make a film about these gangsters like in White Heat or Scarface that had to live to face the people that they impacted with the victims that they killed. It really does sum it up as well as the movie having a common theme of empathy and loss that P.T.A. would hit again and again (and very much thinking of this with Inherent Vice). I love when directors make films this good right out of the gate. Just a glimmer of what is to come. DVD hard to find, but serviceable. Love the Canne's story where P.T.A. assembled his own cut using workprint/dupe. Yeah this movie should be called Sydney. Music...love the Clementine Loop (used again in Boogie Nights and Magnolia)...John Brion is such a badass and I think of him the most in Punch Drunk Love music. The perfect marriage is the Christmastime song performed by Aimee Mann and Michael Penn (which reminds me of the work with Brion and Jeremy Blake in Punch Drunk Love being so perfect). The commentary has the soundtrack and I am thankful for that. This is supposed to hit Criterion eventually.

I could go on and on about his films, so I am going to stop there because I would rather discussion spiral if it does. And if it doesn't...well I am going to be shamelessly bumping this one.

 

By the way some other things about that first movie. If one hasn't seen it, check out this:



Great little short film that is a nice precursor to Hard Eight. Notice the actor Kirk Baltz is the cop that gets his ear cut off in Reservoir Dogs.

 

Hard 8: great
Boogie Nights: one of those movies I could tell would be awesome from the trailer...and it was better
Magnolia : my fav film of his, couple people walked out of the theater when I saw it, I guess an acquired taste
its a work of true art (very altmanesque with altman regulars Philip baker hall, henry gibson and julianne moore)
Punch Drunk - great but my dislike of adam sandler almost tainted it....

hes made some great films after that but those early ones were my favorites

 

He's the current Master of the cinema. It's either Anderson, Inarritu, or Cuaron.

 

There Will be Blood, probably my favorite film of the last 20 years. Yes Daniel Day Lewis is incredible, but PTA molded the story, incredible visuals, directed a lot of young locals in supporting roles who hadn't acted before, and the decision to use atypical music by Johnny Greenwood.

 

Boogie Nights will likely always be a favorite film of his for me because of the sentimental value it has.

I came late into the Pulp Fiction/Clerks world because I had kinda given up on new directors. I missed the boat because I was still stuck on DePalma/Scorsese.

Boogie Night (and in lots of ways Requiem for a Dream a little later) changed all that. While Fincher was hitting hard with Seven, this was the one that had me going. I remember seeing an article on Boogie Nights (I think Rolling Stone) and how this dude was up and coming, and I was salivating.

I was enthralled with the subject matter, but was equally getting into the Beach Boys and E.L.O. all over again. What a one two punch ending soundtrack!

NO TALK AOOUT PORN PLEASE, I DON'T WANT THIS DELETED!!!

When it came out on Laserdisc, I was floored with all the extras especially PTA's commentary talking about the Frontline Documentary on Shauna Grant being an influence. Also the On the Prowl video as well. The rise and fall story that was like Raging Bull (and if you want a good laugh here PTA talk about Eddie Adams being a complete idiot at the end with his delusions!) and the all around personal way he goes through it all, really makes this such a great supplement.

I got the Dirk Diggler Story and was also dumb founded by how quick this director was putting out quality. While I am sticking to picture number 2, I really didn't know what was coming down the road. Boogie Nights is truly something special when you think of all the spiraling stories. Like Pulp Fiction from Quentin Tarantino, I think naysayers really want PTA to just stay at this point. I cannot disagree more. While my focus right now is with this fine ass movie, he is so much more than that.

Regardless, I could talk about Boogie Nights forever. There is so much there. Phillip Seymore Hoffman breaking down with the "I'm and idiot" is heartbreaking. The break down of roller girl as well (like a weird alternate universe of what was going on with Shauna)....well I will just have to stop there for now.

 

I haven't seen all his films, but he's a really talented filmmaker.

 

What have you seen? Just curious.

 

I just want a name that can cut glass, y'know, like razor sharp...

 

Only 3

Hard eight
Boogie nights
Magnolia

 

You want to know my suggestion on next?

Inherent Vice and watch it no less than 3 times...maybe even in a row.

Not only is this movie a comedy, but I find it truly a head scratcher.

 

Agreed. PT Anderson is a maestro.

 

One of my favorites too. I remember people walking out during Tom Cruise's seminar. Ironically that kind of language seems less shocking in these times.

 

Because people are wimps!

Seriously, watching a bunch of Kevin Smith movies and extras recently reminds me of his disdain for Magnolia. When you look at the gobs of stuff cut out of Dogma and how he tries to compare it....uh no. Love him, but...uh no.

First of all, I think Tom Cruise really stepped out here. I think of him crying, and being mad all at the same time. That has got to be very difficult to do. I was thinking of the story about P.T. Anderson meeting Kubrick on the Eyes Wide Shut set and casting Tom Cruise because of it. To me, it is very easy to see why.

I think Jason Robards gets a lot of flack because of being like an Apocalypse Now Brando over the top thing...and like that movie, I just don't get it. He played the part as it needed to be played. The whole film being based on child abuse and how people cope with it as adults is very telling.

Phillip Seymoure Hoffman is another stand out, playing it back for a change (but seriously, isn't he always a stand-out?). The Aimee Mann soundtrack songs are so superb. To the people that don't get it, I post this link, and want to laugh at you even more. I feel the same way about Joyce in this clip. At 2:58...Roger Ebert's look sums it up.

 

Magnolia was the first one I'd seen. Blew me away. No acquired taste here.

Think I saw Boogie Nights next, and Punch Drunk Love was the first one I saw in the theatre. Still haven't seen Inherent Vice (it just missed my radar at the time). The Master is the one that made the least impression on me, but I really need to give it a second viewing. I watched it a little late in the evening and was struggling to keep awake--not because of the movie but because I was just sleepy.

What amazes me most about him is how the scale of the film doesn't seem to make any difference to him: chamber pieces like Phantom Thread and Hard Eight are every bit as spellbinding as the symphonic Boogie Nights and Magnolia.

 

Magnolia was such a different step (lucky you for seeing it in the theater. The biblical ending must have been AWESOME!), I admit I didn't truly appreciate it until second watch. While I make fun of the woman, as someone pointed out she likely only saw it one time. Her apprehension probably reflects this.

Punch Drunk Love is a masterpiece to me and the Criterion package is simply awesome. So much information there especially in regards to special feature on Jeremy Blake. Sad ending, but I am glad I learned about him all the more. Adam Sandler needs more movies like this. It shows how much depth he has, and while he pulls from his past performances, he also brings it to another level. Phillip Seymoure Hoffman is an acting beast, and to see these two clash is just pure art.

As for The Master, this film is hard for a lot of people. I myself after just losing a dog was hit like a hammer when seeing this in the theater (I should have saw it in 70 mm damn it!). The "dog" outgrowing his master had such an impact on me, and the ending where the two come together in such a way...gets me. I remember another viewer saying that the big detail of the movie was how those two were never closer than they were in that moment and Freddie's tear shows a side of him that you wish you could see more of.

While my wife cut it to the quick went she says "takes one to know one"...in regard to their eccentric behavior. I hate that. So precise, all I can do is copy that statement, and not pull it up and apply it so perfectly.

 

When people say Tom Cruise is not a good actor, just point them to this movie.

I saw Magnolia at the cinema on release and it was a wonderful experience. You knew you were seeing something special.

 

I'm surprised that there isn't more love for There Will Be Blood. That's in my top five of all time; every shot in that movie is perfect. And DDL is incredible.

 

Dude I got lots of love...just trying to go in order but still engaging comments.

TWBB is probably #2 on my list.

For sure, but he had me at Rain Man. Overshadowed critically by Hoffman...but no less great in his role.

 

I think Punch Drunk Love is a modern masterpiece. The use of sound and colours to represent emotions was really interesting. I agree Adam Sandler could have been a distraction but I found he did really great.

 

I loved Boogie Nights and Inherent Vice; don't believe I've seen the others. One thing that bugged me about B. N. was the dvd commentary track. they all sounded bored and pissed that they had to be there, and took phone calls while sitting there.
Inherent Vice was a dream come true for this Pynchon freak, though why didn't they use Pynchon's voice as the narrator rather then that vocal-fried waif?

 

I thought she was a nice touch, but I have not read the book. I do think a part of the book that I did read with the sun on his face at the end pretty much nails that the woman didn't come back.

 

I know Shasta Fay came back because I wanted a happy ending. Less ambiguous than the fates of Tyrone Slothrop or Brock Vond. Gimme a happy ending, Tom!

 

I think there is a lot of evidence that she didn't though.