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Eric - 2008-01-12 07:34:34
And you HAVE to mention the massive "accident" set piece-I know there are several accident scenes, but this was the big one about an hour in. Just the scope of that scene, along with the combination of that percussion music and that creepy theme music, led for a very chilling five minutes both times I saw the movie. Even if you didn't get as much out of the movie as I did, you have to admit that was an extremely well done portion.
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Paula - 2008-01-12 08:44:52
All the accidents were good, especially since everyone involved was covered with bubblin' crude (oil, that is...black gold...Texas tea.)
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grigorss - 2008-01-12 14:47:03
Personally, the first hour didn't drag for me at all -- but then again, I really enjoy stories that un-spool in a totally visual way (without too much reliance on dialogue) -- and the first hour of There Will Be Blood was particularly satisfying in that regard -- telling a story that way almost always results in a longer runtime, though. It was, for me, just very pleasing to see the film unfold at a gradual, but steadily building pace; sometimes it's harder to pull that off than a really tight, fast-paced tempo throughout. I have to agree with you that if the film does have a flaw, it's Paul Dano's performance -- not that he's bad, mind you -- but he doesn't quite provide an impressive enough counter to Lewis' Planview character; although maybe that was intentional...? At any rate, it would have been interesting to see any of the actors you named in the part -- maybe just anyone who has to try and share the screen with Day-Lewis appears to be a piker in comparison, though.
Also, I predict that the line, "I drink your milkshake", will become the "who loves ya', baby? (or god forbid, even the "Oh, behave") of the 'oughts. Try it in your own conversations yourself and see -- IT'S FUN!!!**
**beating person to death, optional
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grigorss - 2008-01-12 15:04:50
Also, I must take issue with your Yukon Cornelius/Daniel Plainview comparison -- here are just a few reasons why:
� While the Plainview character sports a number of ridiculous hats over the course of the film, at no point does he wear a "toque"
� While the character is indeed hunting for "silver and gold" at the beginning of the film, he never appears to lick his ice-pick to see if he's found any
� At point during the course of the film does he wrestle a 'Bumble.
In point of fact I feel that a more revealing contrast could be drawn between the character and that of Yosemite Sam.
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grigorss - 2008-01-12 15:10:09
OOPS! My third "�" should read, "at no point"
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Paula - 2008-01-12 16:03:32
Your observation about the unspooling is nice--patience is not one of my virtues, although David Lynch's The Straight Story is one of my favorite movies, and that makes TWBB look like an MTV video in comparison, so go figure.
As for Yukon C.--it seems to me that DD-L was doing a credible impression of a b-b-b-blustery puppetoon the whole time. At one point, he even says, "B-b-b-b-l-a-a-r-gh!" after he comes out of the water.
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grigorss - 2008-01-12 17:09:41
I think The Straight Story is one of Lynch's best films; I have the DVD -- in fact, the only DL film I don't own (or particularly like, for that matter) is Wild At Heart -- which somehow seems like a parody of a DL movie; this, despite the fact that he himself made it. Alot of fans kind of want to disown Straight Story because it's not as "dark" as many of his other films -- but to me, it complements them perfectly -- and at the same time, is completely consistent with them (despite its gentler tone), as well.
As for Yukon C. -- yeah, DD-L's performance is completely over the top, I'll grant you; but all the more effective when he gets subtle with it. So sure, compare him to a puppetoon -- them puppets put on a mighty fine show, sez' I.
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Sharon - 2008-01-12 23:46:59
Paula-I know I'm a broken record, but I really enjoy reading your movie reviews whether or not I see the films or even like them! Especially liked this turn of phrase..."the swords of their anger and intensity (and co-dependence) would have carved more interesting shapes.."//And what is it about those Rankin/Bass (or as we used to say "rank" and "base") productions that stay in your psyche long after childhood?Don't they seem weird and surreal now?//Daniel Day-Lewis always strikes me as more fascinating as a person than any character he plays. I think he was born into a very cool and talented noble family of poets and members of parliament. I'd rather see a documentary like "A Year in the Life of Daniel Day-Lewis than see "My Beautiful Laundrette" or "The Gangs of New York" or whatever for a tiny glimpse.
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2fs - 2008-01-13 00:43:55
I believe The Onion already nominated "I drink your milkshake" as a new catchphrase - somewhere in the A.V. Club, in the last couple of weeks.
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Tom G. - 2008-01-13 01:27:23
Sharon, as chance would have it, I just came across this interesting interview with DDL from the UK Guardian. Also, I think the resonance of the Rankin/Bass and other stop-motion productions comes from the filming of a 3 dimensional process. There's a depth to them that somehow elicits some sort of emotional depth in us?
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Sharon - 2008-01-13 11:44:34
Oh, Tom G, Thank you so much for the Daniel Day Lewis interview. It really hit the spot! Your comment about how the filming of the 3D process may evoke something different emotionally than 2D is really intriguing. Could explain the impact of the work of the Brothers Quay? Other stop-motion Christmas productions which never made it into the American collective unconscious: Santa Claus is Coming to Town and The Little Drummer Boy--both kind of scary-drug-experience bad. Lowlights: Mrs. Claus' "reflection" in the fountain. "Why Can't the Animals Smile?" (sung by my sisters as "Why Do the Animals Smell?" At least my sisters got into the television business after watching gobs of 60s TV, I'm just a useless font of information:)
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Paula - 2008-01-13 18:15:41
Tom, thanks for the article. I like actors who take their craft so seriously, and yet have the good humor and humility to be embarrassed to talk about it too much.
"...he also learnt to live off the land and forest...by spending six months learning how to camp, fish and skin animals. By the end of his training he had built himself a canoe...."
I hear that Adam Sandler did the same thing to prepare for Little Nicky.
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