Paul Thomas Anderson – Past, Present and Future

Introduction

There are certain “event” directors, where when their film is pending release, it’s considered a “must-see” event. Regardless of whether it turns out to be good or bad. You work your schedule around it, and you plan on seeing it opening weekend. A handful of directors fall into this category. Some are obvious – Tarantino, Scorsese, Spielberg, Nolan, Fincher, and some select others. Paul Thomas Anderson is one of those directors.

After the run he has had for the last 25 years, the always a bridesmaid and never a bride auteur, Paul Thomas Anderson needs to be in this category. Going back to Sydney aka Hard Eight, released in 1996, Anderson has been nominated for an Academy Award eight times. The maverick visionary has had his foot on the independent gas pedal since the mid-1990’s and hasn’t let up since.

Boogie Nights and Magnolia

Anderson followed Sydney with a pair of ambitious, over-the-top ensembles. Boogie Nights (1997), arguably Burt Reynolds greatest performance, and Magnolia (1999), arguably Tom Cruise’s greatest performance. the director had taken what he had learned from such masters as Scorsese, Kubrick, and De Palma, and swung for the fences.

These two movies cemented Anderson as our modern-day Stanley Kubrick. Both directors had similar styles, especially when it came to their shared love of one-point perspective and their fondness for perfectly centered and long tracking shots. The opening crane shot that goes into the club at the beginning of Boogie Nights is truly spectacular.

Again, much like Stanley Kubrick, Anderson tends to take his time between movies. Sometimes as much as a five-year hiatus. You can clearly see why. Anderson’s movies are an absolute sight to behold visually.

Punch Drunk Love

In 2002, the director teamed up with unlikely indie darling Adam Sandler to make a quirky and brilliant film. The grossly underrated Punch Drunk Love. Anderson’s use of color (Barry’s blue suit worn throughout the entire movie), objects (the Harmonium) and symbolism, make the film more than just a bizarre and violent love story. It borders on something taken straight out of the French New Wave.

The chemistry between Sandler and Emily Watson on screen is absolutely titanic. It drives the movie. Without it, Punch Drunk Love would have fallen flat. While Anderson won the Palme D’or for Best Director at Cannes. The film barely broke even at the box office. Punch Drunk Love would also be Sandler’s first foray into more dramatic roles. 

There Will Be Blood

Anderson then took a five-year break to work on what many consider his masterpiece, 2007’s There Will Be Blood. The director’s film was based on the Upton Sinclair novel Oil! from 1926. The source material is largely told from the 3rd person narrative, and somewhat dry. Yet Anderson truly makes the material his own.

There Will Be Blood is by far Anderson’s apex as a filmmaker, and the director is in full Kubrick mode. He gives the viewer some of the most gorgeous tracking shots you’ll ever see on film. Daniel Day-Lewis also turns in one of the most iconic (and most quotable) performances in film history, easily winning the Academy Award for Best Actor.

The Master

Anderson followed up this with 2012’s The Master, starring longtime collaborator Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and his new muse Joaquin Phoenix. Both turn in very dark and stunning performances. It’s truly a disturbing movie at times (the World War II beach scene) and failed to earn its money back at the box office.

Regardless of its commercial success, like all of Anderson’s movies, The Master was a critical darling and earned numerous Oscar nominations. The comparisons between Lancaster Dodd’s cult “The Cause” and Scientology are undeniable and must have inflamed a lot of people, including friend and collaborator Tom Cruise.

Inherent Vice and Phantom Thread

Anderson’s next film was 2014’s Inherent Vice, again starring Phoenix, as well as Josh Brolin and Reese Witherspoon. While the film was met again with largely positive reviews from the press, the plot is confusing and at times incoherent. Once again, the film failed to make its money back at the box office. 

Anderson’s most recent film was 2017’s Phantom Thread, starring Danial Day-Lewis in his final screen role before the 3-time Oscar winner went into retirement. Lesley Manville and Day-Lewis both turn in spectacular performances in this 1950’s London period piece about the fashion industry.

Throughout the film, Anderson drives home the concept of co-dependency and family drama. There’s a lot of Alfred Hitchcock’s themes contained within Phantom Thread. This is clearly the reason that Manville’s character is named “Alma,” Hitchcock’s wife and longtime creative advisor.

Soggy Bottom

Anderson, as per his usual routine, has been on a now four-year hiatus. During this time the director has been directing music videos for the band Haim, and working on, what we hope will be his next masterpiece, “Soggy Bottom.” There’s not much to go on with regards to the plot or theme of this latest work.

What we do know about Anderson’s latest project is that it’s once again another period piece set in 1970’s San Fernando Valley, a callback to Boogie Nights. The film centers around a high school student who becomes a famous child actor. This is literally all we know about PTA’s newest endeavor. The lid on this project is being kept shut tight.

Principal photography on Soggy Bottom began on August 2020 in Encino, California. The cast includes a bearded Bradley Cooper playing a film director, Alana Haim, and Benny Safdie. The most intriguing aspect of this film is that the 18-year-old lead will be played by Cooper Hoffman, son of late screen legend and longtime collaborator Phillip Seymour Hoffman.

This is Cooper’s first film role. Much like the character he’s playing, the teenager is being thrust into the spotlight almost overnight. This has to be very cathartic for Anderson, as the elder Hoffman was his greatest on-screen partner, and they were close friends for 20 years. Anderson told pod-caster and actor Marc Maron on the WTF podcast:

“…I knew what love at first sight was. It was the strangest feeling sitting in a movie theater and thinking, ‘He’s for me and I’m for him.’ And that was it…”

Anderson is working off an original script, which is always a good thing. Principal Photography on Soggy Bottom wrapped up in November 2020 and is currently is post-production. The film is set for a limited release on November 26, 2021, and a wide release on December 25, 2021. It’s being distributed by United Artists Releasing.

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