843 Punch-Drunk Love

[ianthemovie]

Ah, right. For a second I wondered whether PTA had gotten into some sort of spat with Megan Ellison over cutting the film that I had never heard about!

I had completely forgotten about Renner being in talks for Freddie Quell. Judging from past experience (Joaquin Phoenix replacing Renner and Robert Downey Jr. in Inherent Vice) we should cross our fingers that PTA's first casting choices continue to fall through.

[mfunk9786]

I didn't mean to get all pop psychologist about it - I just think recording a feature length commentary for a film prominently featuring someone close to you who recently died unexpectedly/tragically/in a way that was closely associated with work you did together (Hoffman had his first drink in more than two decades at the wrap party for The Master) might not be something anyone's lining up for, whether it be this film or The Master

[mfunk9786]

I had completely forgotten about Renner being in talks for Freddie Quell. Judging from past experience (Joaquin Phoenix replacing Renner and Robert Downey Jr. in Inherent Vice) we should cross our fingers that PTA's first casting choices continue to fall through.

Considering the density of the dialogue, I would have loved to see the Robert Downey Jr/Charlize Theron incarnation of Inherent Vice - I like Joaquin Phoenix in most roles but his mumbling didn't do that film any favors, particularly when the sound was being blasted at max volume at the NYFF premiere to the point of complete incomprehension at times

[flyonthewall2983]

I had completely forgotten about Renner being in talks for Freddie Quell. Judging from past experience (Joaquin Phoenix replacing Renner and Robert Downey Jr. in Inherent Vice) we should cross our fingers that PTA's first casting choices continue to fall through.

And Sean Penn was originally going to play Hoffman's part in this.

[mfunk9786]

Thank God for small favors.

[ianthemovie]

Phoenix's mumbling in Inherent Vice worked for me, as did just about every other aspect of the performance. He reminded me of an R. Crumb cartoon. I've also never been a fan of Downey, so there's that.

In any case it's unfathomable to consider a Renner/Penn Master. Phoenix and Hoffman are staggering in that film--I don't know that Hoffman in particular was ever better. His rendition of "Slow Boat To China" and Phoenix's reaction shots are so strange, sad, and somehow chilling that they leave me in a cold sweat every time I watch that scene. I don't know of another pair of actors who could have played that moment as well (nor another writer who could have devised it in the first place).

[diamonds]

Yeah but PT Anderson was going through the Tati phase when making PDL.

Can someone explain this? It seems to complement the official description that refers to the film channeling "the whimsy of Jacques Tati," though I don't really see the similarities between this film and Tati's.

[mfunk9786]

In any case it's unfathomable to consider a Renner/Penn Master.

Sean Penn was considered for Philip Seymour Hoffman's role in Punch-Drunk Love, not The Master.

[ianthemovie]

Well that makes slightly more sense...

[Red Screamer]

Yeah but PT Anderson was going through the Tati phase when making PDL.

Can someone explain this? It seems to complement the official description that refers to the film channeling "the whimsy of Jacques Tati," though I don't really see the similarities between this film and Tati's.

Me neither. As far as slapstick goes, the film and, especially, Sandler's performance are more in the vein of Jerry Lewis.

[knives]

Yeah but PT Anderson was going through the Tati phase when making PDL.

Can someone explain this? It seems to complement the official description that refers to the film channeling "the whimsy of Jacques Tati," though I don't really see the similarities between this film and Tati's.

Anderson's always claimed that the film was inspired by his mutual love of Sandler films and Tati.

[swo17]

There are certainly some comic moments having to do with where people are positioned in the frame. The scene where Barry breaks the window at the family party seems somewhat indebted to Tati as well.

[mfunk9786]

Guys, let's all watch Punch-Drunk Love

[domino harvey]

Guys, let's all eat Healthy Choice products

[colinr0380]

Of course the best thing about this release is that we are getting a small section of another Robert Altman film and Shelley Duvall performance when the soundtrack quotes from Popeye!

[djproject]

Yeah but PT Anderson was going through the Tati phase when making PDL.

Can someone explain this? It seems to complement the official description that refers to the film channeling "the whimsy of Jacques Tati," though I don't really see the similarities between this film and Tati's.

There are moments of simultaneous and parallel actions that are similar to Tati. The best example of this is the scene when Lena and Elizabeth meet with Barry to arrange a group date. As the conversation continues and Barry's nervousness and agitation bubbles more and more, accidents occur within the warehouse.

[Another thought: Barry's blue suit can be seen as a nod to Hulot's pipe and hat.]

I would say the Tati film that comes close to this is M. Hulot's Holiday.

[djproject]

Guys, let's all eat Healthy Choice products

Better than Dunkin' Donuts or Oreo's or whatever else was advertised to us on Jack & Jill.

[mfunk9786]

I always prefer when real products turn up in movies as opposed to (almost always) goofy imitations. Takes me right out of the realism every time.

[cdnchris]

That never actually bothered me because the incident that the whole frequent flyer points thing is based on actually involved Healthy Choice products.

[ianthemovie]

The (wonderful) moment when the phone booth in Hawaii lights up at the exact moment that Lena finally picks up on the other end is another bit of Tati-inspired comic timing.

[djproject]

Oh yeah, the use of the iris is another Tati moment.

[flyonthewall2983]

Hopefully this opens the doors for other PTA's movies to get the CC treatment. Namely Hard Eight/Sydney, but one can hope for others too.

[mfunk9786]

There'd really be no reason for the others, though

[swo17]

Doesn't the There Will Be Blood BD suffer from heavy edge enhancement?

[mfunk9786]

Doesn't the There Will Be Blood BD suffer from heavy edge enhancement?

I always thought it looked pretty good for an early Blu-ray era transfer - I'm sure it could use a new coat of polish, but would Paramount ever license it out? And I get the impression that by releasing a 1 disc DVD and a 2 disc special edition DVD, any extras PTA wanted to be released have been already.