Topping many critics ‘best of 2007’ lists There Will be Blood is Paul Thomas Andersons 5th feature film and one that came without great fanfare or anticipation, in retrospect this was a well conceived move, the unfussy nature of the film’s arrival is echoed in its execution, the project exudes a quiet confidence throughout. This is really back to basics filmmaking simply telling a great story with good characters efficiently and powerfully, and deserves all the plaudits it received early in the year.
The film concerns itself with Daniel Plainview, an oil prospector in the early 20th century who’s ambition and drive are documented through the years as he seeks to find his fortune through exploiting a small town who’s land happens to be rich in black gold. Very loosely based on Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel Oil!, There Will Be Blood is a brooding and often disturbing portrait of greed and power anchored by an irresistible performance from Daniel Day Lewis. Capturing the heart of Plainview, Day Lewis towers over this film filling its frames with his hulking presence, his twangy accent both bizarre and utterly perfect for the role and the malevolence that lies just behind his eyes ever-present especially during his tussles with the local town preacher, excellently played by the weasely Paul Dano. In fact whilst it was Day Lewis that received all the plaudits at awards season (and rightly so) Dano also impresses providing the foil to Plainview’s plans of running the town, his self-righteous religious fervour is shown to be just as corrupting in a different way. The conflicts between the two are spread throughout the film and anchor it, culminating in the darkly humorous and downright bizarre ending.
The film as a whole moves at its own pace, but the faithful re-creation of the town and the attention to detail make it utterly fascinating and compelling. The first 15 minutes or so are a masterclass in setting up the story with virtually no dialogue, pitting man against nature, the cold bleak visuals offset perfectly by Radiohead collaborator Johnny Greenwood’s unsettling score. Throughout the film much of the mood is carried by the music, rising and falling and unexpectedly dancing around the action it is as much as character as anything else in the film and is plays perfectly against the slightly oddball nature of writer director Paul Thomas Anderson who once again cements his name as one of the most daring and exciting talents in Hollywood at the moment.
The film will not be to everyone’s tastes however, it can be slow in places and anyone expecting a standard 3 act structure of neatly tied up character arcs will do best to look elsewhere, but for those seeking something truly different, an antidote to the Hollywood production line I urge you to check this film out. There Will be Blood is a brave, challenging and compelling character study and one that stays with you long past the ending.
A fantastic film pure and simple, anchored by great performances and with a slow burning menace this is arguably Paul Thomas Anderson’s best film to date. Challenging yet entertaining and fascinating in equal measure this is a film that, like its protagonist, is hard to ignore.
Topping many critics ‘best of 2007’ lists There Will be Blood is Paul Thomas Andersons 5th feature film and one that came without great fanfare or anticipation, in retrospect this was a well conceived move, the unfussy nature of the film’s arrival is echoed in its execution, the project exudes a quiet confidence throughout. This is really back to basics filmmaking simply telling a great story with good characters efficiently and powerfully, and deserves all the plaudits it received early in the year.
The film concerns itself with Daniel Plainview, an oil prospector in the early 20th century who’s ambition and drive are documented through the years as he seeks to find his fortune through exploiting a small town who’s land happens to be rich in black gold. Very loosely based on Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel Oil!, There Will Be Blood is a brooding and often disturbing portrait of greed and power anchored by an irresistible performance from Daniel Day Lewis. Capturing the heart of Plainview, Day Lewis towers over this film filling its frames with his hulking presence, his twangy accent both bizarre and utterly perfect for the role and the malevolence that lies just behind his eyes ever-present especially during his tussles with the local town preacher, excellently played by the weasely Paul Dano. In fact whilst it was Day Lewis that received all the plaudits at awards season (and rightly so) Dano also impresses providing the foil to Plainview’s plans of running the town, his self-righteous religious fervour is shown to be just as corrupting in a different way. The conflicts between the two are spread throughout the film and anchor it, culminating in the darkly humorous and downright bizarre ending.
The film as a whole moves at its own pace, but the faithful re-creation of the town and the attention to detail make it utterly fascinating and compelling. The first 15 minutes or so are a masterclass in setting up the story with virtually no dialogue, pitting man against nature, the cold bleak visuals offset perfectly by Radiohead collaborator Johnny Greenwood’s unsettling score. Throughout the film much of the mood is carried by the music, rising and falling and unexpectedly dancing around the action it is as much as character as anything else in the film and is plays perfectly against the slightly oddball nature of writer director Paul Thomas Anderson who once again cements his name as one of the most daring and exciting talents in Hollywood at the moment.
The film will not be to everyone’s tastes however, it can be slow in places and anyone expecting a standard 3 act structure of neatly tied up character arcs will do best to look elsewhere, but for those seeking something truly different, an antidote to the Hollywood production line I urge you to check this film out. There Will be Blood is a brave, challenging and compelling character study and one that stays with you long past the ending.
A fantastic film pure and simple, anchored by great performances and with a slow burning menace this is arguably Paul Thomas Anderson’s best film to date. Challenging yet entertaining and fascinating in equal measure this is a film that, like its protagonist, is hard to ignore.
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