There Will Be Blood
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.36 You Save: $10.63 (71%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.87 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of There Will Be Blood
Movie Review: Dark visions of American capitalism and evangelism
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an exceptional film that explores America's unique obsessions with driving ambitious industry and evangelical religion. Loosely based on Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel, Oil, the film is a stand alone excellent product that is independent of the novel. The complex subject matter can be explored because of the film's narrative structure that is chronological and straight forward story telling as well as the exceptional acting demonstrated by all the main characters. The film may be interpreted as fascinating character study and it may also be interpreted as an exploration of the darker side of capitalism encountering the darker side of evangelism.
The film begins in 1898 with scenes of Daniel Plainview, a silver miner, discovering silver and simultaneously breaking his leg through a nasty fall down a mine shaft. We see this man literally crawl to stake his claim before he discovers oil in his second attempt at exploration. Gradually this man hires a crew and begins a series of discoveries of oil until in 1902 an accident kills a driller and Daniel informally adopts the orphaned child HW as his son. In 1911 Plainview and his business associate are approached by a California sheep herder, Paul Sunday, who reveals for a small payment where oil can be found on his family farm. Daniel and his adopted son act like hunters and visit the Sunday farm and find the claims are true. From this point a struggle begins between Daniel Plainview and Eli Sunday, the charismatic evangelical preaching son in the Sunday family. This tension builds as the Sunday family is pushed into the sidelines as Plainview's wealth and dominance builds. Multiple dramatic episodes unfold as a derrick explosion and fire leave young HW deaf. A long lost younger brother of Daniel appears only to eventually be revealed to be less than he promises. Eli Sunday establishes the Church of the Third Revelation and becomes a force that Daniel must compromise with to maintain control of property rights and workers.
As character study, the film is exceptional. We see Daniel as a man of amazing drive and determination. He is ambitious and crafty. These characteristics lead to outstanding industry and internal corruption. He moves from a speculator who strategizes to get oil out of the ground to a man obsessed with control of the land rights of the oil fields and the maneuvers needed to outwit his competition and maintain power. He cares for the orphan HW but his parenting skills and priorities are out of order. HW is rendered deaf in a derrick explosion and eventually Daniel is able to get him into a school for the deaf where he learns sign language allowing him to communicate. Daniel also opens up when he thinks his long lost younger brother, Henry, joins him and wishes to work in the oil field. In conversation with Henry we hear Daniel's philosophy with such comments as: "I have a competition in me. I want no one else to succeed." He also states: "I hate most people." Later he says: "I look at people and I see nothing worth liking." Prophetically he says:"I want to make enough money to get away from everyone." It is with Eli Sunday that we see revealed the most amazing sides of Daniel's personality. Daniel relishes in humiliating the evangelist and his family until through the Church of the Third Revelation, Eli gains power over the local landowners and Daniel must become `saved' and part of the congregation to gain access to their land-rights. Daniel must undergo the trial of acting like his soul has been saved by Jesus so as to gain financial advantage. This humiliation further buries his soul under his unresolved inner demons and pain, twisting him further from human experience and compassion. Daniel Day-Lewis plays this role with attention to every small detail of expression which paints a frightening portrait of fierce heartless greed and lust for power driven by some inner absence of recognition of his fellowman's dignity.
The character of Eli Sunday, played by Paul Dano, is only a bit less complex. This young man gains power through evangelical fundamentalism and after several years of humiliation and beating from Daniel, seeks his revenge is forcing Daniel to become saved by Jesus to gain property rights. But Eli knows that Daniel is not really saved, for Eli also is prideful and uses his church as a theater to degrade and belittle Daniel when he knows Daniel is desperate for the land rights to take his oil to the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to an astute character study, the film is also a study in American capitalism and American evangelism. We see the dark under belly of both and we see the results when the two forces clash. This is a thoughtful and exceptional film.
Movie Review: "I have a competition in me . . . I want no one else to succeed . . ."
Summary: 5 Stars
No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood have often been compared with each other. This is due to the fact that both were from the same studios (Miramax & Paramount Vintage), and were in production at the same time (and right next to each other). I don't see why people should argue which film is better than the other. They're two completely different films. NCFOM is based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, while TWBB is based on the book "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair. NCFOM is set in 1980, TWBB is set in the early 20th century. One's about violence, the other's about greed. And so on. But I do admit, I slightly prefer NCFOM over TWBB, mostly because of the silent suspense and the absolutely creepy performance of Javier Bardem. But TWBB is still a great film as well.
As I've said before, this film is mostly about greed and how it affects us and the people around us. Daniel Plainview (played by the excellent Daniel Day-Lewis) is a wealthy businessman who relies on oil for his profits. Accompanied by his adopted son H.W. (Dillon Freasier), both individuals are led to a barren California city called Little Boston. There, they discover oil that's been leaked out of the ground due to a recent earthquake. With careful planning, Daniel attempts to buy the entire city, with just a few issues at hand. A young man by the name of Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) wants $10,000 to build his church, The Church of the Third Revelation. From this point on, it's a battle between religion, hypocrisy, wealth, and family.
Like NCFOM, TWBB tends to be very slow-moving. I see this in a good way. This film doesn't move too quick because we get to see the characters being clearly and fully affected by the oil that's sleeping underground. They are fully realized, as the slow pacing helps us understand these people. Speeding it up in a Hollywoodized way won't help since this is indeed a character-driven story. With the slower and steadier way, there is no confusion on what's going on, and the partial ambiance that surrounds the movie adds to the tension between Daniel and Eli. Speaking of Daniel and Eli, I just have to say that the actors have done a splendid job. Before this, I've seen only one film that stars Day-Lewis: Last of the Mohicans. He was absolutely amazing in that film, and he is even more amazing here. You never know when he's going to lose his temper, or what he's really going to do in the next scene, which makes the character even scarier. Meanwhile, according to imdb, Dano had only four days to prepare for the role of Eli, since another actor had to be replaced for reasons unknown. Thankfully, he was able to pull it off. The quiet determination of the character is fully realized, and you can never tell if he's a hypocrite or just someone who thinks he's seen God. As for the supporting cast, they play their parts very well. The one exception here is Kevin J. O'Connor: he's seems very wooden at times. But other than that, Dillon Freasier and the other supporting actors can be very believable throughout the entire film.
Almost everything else in TWBB(cinematography, set designs, etc.) are flawless. And I say almost, because I had just one tiny problem. A few music cues that are chosen here don't seem to fit the scenes that they play in. But the music can be very appropriate at times, like Johhny Greenwood's percussive "Convergence" when both tragedy and success strike in the middle of the film. The piece itself adds greater suspense and drama in this very important part of the film. TWBB overall is one of the more marvelous films of 2007. Day-Lewis deserved the oscar, as well as Robert Elswit for the stellar cinematography.
Grade: A-
Movie Review: Blood on the tycoon's hands
Summary: 5 Stars
Although it's pretty much a given that there is violence in this film, "There Will Be Blood" actually starts off pretty innocently. Yet, the entire film eventually skyrockets with shocking twists that are amazingly accurate depictions of mining life.
"There Will Be Blood" is set in the early 1900s, with Daniel Plainview, a prospector who hits paydirt with his first oil platform. Soon enough, he builds an oil derrick, and eventually builds a strong company. After one of his workers dies, he adopts the man's son.
Daniel becomes a big oil tycoon, and begins to build up an empire with the help of a man named Paul Sunday. Paul informs him of the oil below the surface of Signal Hill, California. Daniel builds a stable oil company, after paying Paul's brother, Eli, for his church.
Then things go wrong. Daniel's son, H.W., is left deaf after an oil derrick explosion. Daniel also meets a strange man who says that he is Daniel's brother. And, of course, Eli keeps asking for more money. And what happened to H.W's mother?
There are many strange conspiracies left unsaid in the artsy film "There Will Be Blood." Daniel Day-Lewis pulls off a great performance as an oil tycoon, caught in the empty mining community in which he earns most of the profits.
Strangely enough, Day-Lewis has no wife. In fact, there are hardly any females to be seen in the movie, leading to unusual socio-sexual changes within his life. In particular, he befriends a man who identifies himself as Daniel's brother. The man is pretty much Day-Lewis's only close friend for part of the series, because of his lack of interest in women, presumably caused by his hatred of his mother. Because of the forbidden homosexual tone which this film takes later, tensions rise quickly between the two.
He also has problems with Eli, a preacher in the town, and his family. Daniel has to pay Eli to keep his claim to the oil well. However, Day-Lewis hardly gives a hoot for Eli's religious services, which leads to a fanatical transformation.
Paul Dano pulls off a stunning performance as Eli, the evangelical preacher. Ignored by the miners, he decides to attract the attention of the rest of the town through his sensational sermons. Daniel watches the sermons with scorn, but hardly realizes that his ignorance has led to Dano's erratic behavior.
The ending, however, is an awesome array of excellent back talking between Dano and Day-Lewis. And while I never imagined that these characters would make such creative use of bowling balls and bowling pins, I enjoyed watching how overly fanatical the two tycoons were.
This is a crazy film where nothing ever ends happy. This is a film about greed, but this is also a historically accurate depiction of early California life. Although we may see it as the most fantastic and devilish film of the year, it is also an extremely brilliant character study of the western mining community, with a lop-sided men-to-women population. This is Daniel Day-Lewis in what could be his best performance ever.
Movie Review: PT Anderson's Days of Heaven (Spoilers within!)
Summary: 5 Stars
If one were to reflect Paul Thomas (PT) Anderson's filmography to that of other directors I would have to say this:
'Boogie Nights' would be PT Anderson's Martin Scorsese's glitzy and glamarous gangster epics: 'Goodfellas' and 'Casino'. All three features long steadicam takes, raw and blunt Oscar worthy performances, 70's glamour setting, full of neon lights (true for both 'Boogie Nights' and 'Casino') and underrated protagonists (Mark Wahlberg, Ray Liotta and Bob De Niro)
'Magnolia' would be PT's attempt to be like his idol Robert Altman and this would be his "Short Cuts'. Taking place in a single location and 9 different people with their own individual lives that somehow are intertwined through divine intervention (death, raining frogs, freak accidents, etc.)
Finally, 'There Will Be Blood' can be viewed in many perspectives. It could be PT Anderson's take on a period piece - Scorsese style - 'Gangs of New York'. Hell, even Daniel Day Lewis' performance in that is just a rehearshal for this film. But I dare say it's more Terrence Malick's 'Days of Heaven'. 'There Will Be Blood' is biblically epic in proportion and filled with allusions to Christian themes.
Daniel Plainview can be viewed as a very flawed human being. A rouge and a knave no doubt, but still very much human with very human needs and desires. One can understand the pressure and the power that could bring about one's downfall. For a man to degenerate to that level of insanity at the end of the film goes to show how much money can be the root of evil and how it could corrupt the very essence of one's soul.
Daniel Plainview does not hesitate to murder anyone who gets in his way. By the end of the film, he had murdered two people (an imposter posing as his long lost brother and Eli Sunday, a devious bible-thumping scumbag). But he destroyed many more lives along the way. Most notable of all, his adopted son.
Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal of the man is short of perfection. He can be too 'showy' at times and I believe he may have gone too far in his method acting. Paul Dano shines in playing two characters, both identical twins. His sermons were described as being fanatical bordering on dogmatic zealousness and also betrayal. Both characters' fates are intertwined with each other. Both were trying to rip each other off and by the end of the film, trying to literally 'screw' each other up. But of course, guess who got the upper hand?
Say what you will with about this film. Plainview is beyond redemption, so is Eli Sunday, as he remained incorrigible and devious right to the very end. This is one fine film with fine period detail and shots of wide plains of early 20th century America that harkens back to 'Days of Heaven'.
Movie Review: The Plain View
Summary: 5 Stars
Something about this movie draws me in every time. I found an amazing amount of analytical philosophy in it. The beginning of the movie shows a man all alone beaten and battered by his hard work for the Geological Survey, and getting hardly anything in return for it. After a lot of hard work and perseverance he becomes a successful Oilman prospecting for crude oil, the blood of the Earth, and living the good life of luxury .... but that isn't enough for him. And if money galore isn't enough for a man then how must he relate with those around him?
A main theme through the movie is how the Oilman and the Pastor in the story get along. The music during these scenes seems to suggest what I had suspected: Battle of the Shamans. There's an odd twist to the interrelationship between these two characters. The Christian Pastor seems like a decent human being who perhaps really is a man of genuine faith, but there's no doubt that, at the same time, he is also a trickster who capitalizes on the gullibility of his churchmembers and his miracles are of course, well, less than miraculous. Not so with the Oilman, his miracles are quite real and the proof is concretely validated everywhere. Problem is the Oilman is a divided man as well; there's the sense in the movie that he has a heart and does what he can to prevent injustices and abuse, but at the same time he's extremely anti-social and when his temper flares it flares much, like a Psycho or Friday the 13th movie. The Oilman is tired of the dishonest people around him, he can't stand the way people constantly lie to get ahead instead of actually doing the gritty hard work, and the next time he meets another liar like that he just might snap ... and does, and then there is blood.
This leaves me fascinated with the story as I love & hate both men at the same time, and can't help but to relate with the both of them as well. Plus, it is worthy of noting that there is, in my opinion, much more real politics shown in this flick than there is any movie about presidents, congressmen, and senators. I found it fascinating that Standard Oil's name was dropped in the movie, a slight hint to the Rockefeller's for those who are familiar with that corrupt story. Geopolitics is a central theme in the movie and it's shown fairly well: Finders keepers & Possession is 9/10ths of the law. In addition to all this the movie has some very interesting classical music playing throughout, some Arvo Part (nice choice), a Violin Concerto by Brahms (another great pick), etc. All in all though, not everyone is going to be able to understand, relate with, and like this movie, but I definetely did. 5 Stars.