Paul Thomas Anderson

[Antoine Doinel]

The Secret History of Paul Thomas Anderson

[flyonthewall2983]

Cool piece, especially the Alan Parker part. Didn't know he had a hand in the snowball effect of Paul's career.

[Antoine Doinel]

Ebert says Magnolia is a Great Movie.

[Narshty]

For all Boogie Nights fans and more besides: Exhausted: John Holmes The Real Story (part 1)

Frankly, I'm amazed he wasn't sued.

[exte]

For all Boogie Nights fans and more besides: Exhausted: John Holmes The Real Story (part 1)

Frankly, I'm amazed he wasn't sued.

This was once available on the criterion laserdisc of Boogie Nights. "Excerpts from Exhausted; John C. Holmes, the Real Story with commentary."

[inneyp]

Anderson's greatest defining talent is one rooted in personal despair, and it is one which can't be achieved through imitation. All of his characters eccentric idiosyncrasies, all their seemingly fucked up compulsions, serve as compensation for one uniting ill- they're lonely.

[Tom Hagen]

The porn industry is apparently borrowing its latest business and litigation strategies from the Mattress Man's playbook.

[mfunk9786]

Shit, I think I've downloaded that movie

[LavaLamp]

My favorite P.T. Anderson film is Hard Eight (1997). The minimalist approach & storyline was quite compelling. The anonymous urban landscape of casinos, diners on the side of the highway, & motel rooms is used to great effect here. I also liked how the theme of redemption/making up for past sins was explored in the film.

Spoiler

The last scene with Sydney in the diner where he notices the tell-tale stain on his shirt & then slowly covers it up is perfect.

I'm guessing a lot of people haven't even seen this film due to it's OOP status on DVD, and also since it was PTA's first feature. Here's hoping for a decent Criterion BD release somewhere down the road...

[HitchcockLang]

My favorite P.T. Anderson film is Hard Eight (1997). The minimalist approach & storyline was quite compelling. The anonymous urban landscape of casinos, diners on the side of the highway, & motel rooms is used to great effect here. I also liked how the theme of redemption/making up for past sins was explored in the film.

Spoiler

The last scene with Sydney in the diner where he notices the tell-tale stain on his shirt & then slowly covers it up is perfect.

I'm guessing a lot of people haven't even seen this film due to it's OOP status on DVD, and also since it was PTA's first feature. Here's hoping for a decent Criterion BD release somewhere down the road...

I love Hard Eight as well. I have the DVD which is decent (2 directors commentaries -- weird and a little redundant, and some deleted scenes if I remember correctly). Is there any legitimate possibility that Criterion may release this? Do they have rights? I ask because you're the second person I've seen mention it.

Hopefully if Criterion did get a hold of it, they could keep all the old extras (including both commentaries), and add perhaps a new series of interviews with Anderson, Hall, Reily, Paltrow, Jackson, etc. and they would absolutely HAVE to include a high def scan of Cigarettes and Coffee (PTA's student film which is in some ways almost a rough draft of the themes and characters of Hard Eight).

Question: Would Criterion release it as Hard Eight (the only title it has ever been released under) or the director preferred title Sydney?

[mfunk9786]

You recently said that you’re working on the “Punch-Drunk Love” Blu-ray this year. Any plans for “Hard Eight” to follow (or precede) it and is there any chance of a Criterion release for either title?

We are trying to track down lots of elements regarding Hard Eight/Sydney. It would be ideal to get a tune up/re-transfer, etc on that sooner than later. Be great if Criterion would put it out but they haven't said anything to me about it.

[Roger Ryan]

Question: Would Criterion release it as Hard Eight (the only title it has ever been released under) or the director preferred title Sydney?

Despite Anderson's preference for SYDNEY, I think it mistakenly puts the emphasis on Phillip Baker Hall's character from the get-go. One of the charms of the film is the gradual realization that he is central to the story.

[knives]

Also in recent years Anderson has shied away from his initial zealousness over the title.

[John Cope]

As much as I love all of Anderson's work I do kind of wish sometimes that he would return to this mode once in awhile and make something very small scale and intimate again. We know he's capable.

[mfunk9786]

The Master felt that way to me, and so did Punch-Drunk Love. Perhaps we have different definitions of small scale and intimate, though!

[flyonthewall2983]

As much as I love all of Anderson's work I do kind of wish sometimes that he would return to this mode once in awhile and make something very small scale and intimate again. We know he's capable.

I'd actually like to see him do genre films. He could do a Great horror film.

[Matt]

Depending on how elastic your definition of "horror" is, I think There Will Be Blood fits the bill nicely.

[med]

If it stays true to the source material, Inherent Vice will be a genre film.

[Sonmi451]

I'd actually like to see him do genre films. He could do a Great horror film.

Absolutely. Why more contemporary auteurs, especially American, don't attempt horror I do not know. What's the last great American horror film, The Shining? Amazing really. P.T. would fit the bill perfectly.

[knives]

The House of the Devil probably qualifies.

[Sonmi451]

While I liked The House of the Devil very much, I wouldn't quite call it a great film. Besides, Ti West is a genre filmmaker, I'm thinking more of contemporary masters trying their hand at horror (a la Kubrick).

[mfunk9786]

Fifteen Years Later: Tom Cruise in Magnolia

[Movie-Brat]

I'd actually like to see him do genre films. He could do a Great horror film.

Absolutely. Why more contemporary auteurs, especially American, don't attempt horror I do not know. What's the last great American horror film, The Shining? Amazing really. P.T. would fit the bill perfectly.

Well I do know Nicholas Winding Refn is doing one called I Walk With The Dead. Though I'd love to see Paul Thomas Anderson try a Horror film himself.

[mfunk9786]

Why does Nicolas Winding Refn belong in an [overdone] discussion about American contemporary auteurs, again?

[Zot!]

He's arguably part American....

I grew up in New York so I’m not very Scandinavian. I have a Danish passport but I’m a New Yorker by heart now, said the director, who immigrated to the U.S. when he was 8 years old.