tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post1009739395206448645..comments2024-02-10T01:22:29.316-08:00Comments on Hugo Stiglitz Makes Movies: The MasterKevin J. Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-31564657918880844642012-11-06T09:21:10.937-08:002012-11-06T09:21:10.937-08:00FWIW, I finally managed to finish my deep-focus es...FWIW, I finally managed to finish my deep-focus essay on THE MASTER. Readers and comments are welcome:<br /><br />http://gatewaycinephiles.com/2012/11/05/the-cause-cannot-fail-it-can-only-be-failed-the-master-and-the-inadequacies-of-ideology/The Caustic Ignostichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08573539801150336099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-37656791261305722052012-10-01T11:26:16.384-07:002012-10-01T11:26:16.384-07:00Thanks, Patricia! I admit, it took me three drafts...Thanks, Patricia! I admit, it took me three drafts before I realized I just needed to post thoughts, no matter how confounding, and get it out there, hoping that people would comment and keep the discussion going so that I could further articulate my feelings on the film. I consider the comments here a much needed addendum to my jumbled-up thoughts about THE MASTER. It's been a week, and I'm still wrestling with it; although, I think I'm getting a lot more certain about waiting until the DVD to give it another go. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-32478360099446713162012-10-01T11:19:59.549-07:002012-10-01T11:19:59.549-07:00And so, Jason, I think I really like your observar...And so, Jason, I think I really like your observartions about what this particular discussion (and others around the blogosphere) looks like. It reminds me a lot of two groups arguing about music. It doesn't matter much what the album's up to thematically if aurally it doesn't appeal to me. <br /><br />Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-16036453907622754462012-10-01T11:17:26.063-07:002012-10-01T11:17:26.063-07:00And thus the inherent flaw of a movie like this is...<i>And thus the inherent flaw of a movie like this is that a filmmaker needs to overcome our natural aversion to the things we normally find problematic in order to turn them into strengths. And that's a mighty challenge to overcome.</i><br /><br />Okay. I'm back. Jason, your comment is interesting because I think it gets to a lot of how I feel about music. I know some people who could listen to a lot of the music featured on Pitchfork, let's say, and recommend that music to me. These people are my friends, and I trust their opinion...so I try it out. Usually I can get through it once out of respect for my friends, but a lot of the time I just plain just don't like it. If I were <i>more</i> of a music person, perhaps I could make it through some of those albums and understand the nuances of what's happening on the album, but what good does it do if they music doesn't engage me (or to use a music term, hook me) enough to give the album repeat listens. <br /><br />I understand the <i>why</i> in terms of people liking those types of albums -- and let's face it, the kind of albums praised to the heavens on Pitchfork is akin to something like a PTA movie -- but they just don't move me. BUT because fans of those kinds of albums like those artists so much -- and often have been with them since the beginning -- it's easier for them to catch the nuances that make the album great in their opinion. <br /><br />So, it's interesting, Jason, that you bring up the director here. I think a lot of people may see what I say about THE MASTER and think: "But you liked his other movies...how could you not like <i>this</i> one?" And that reminds me of when I listen to certain albums that I don't like, and my friends say, "Wait, you like this or this band" or "this or this album from the same artist, but you don't like <i>this</i> band?" <br /><br />I realize that this example is applicable to any medium, but I like the music analogy because I've always felt that music is the one art form that appeals to our emotions more brusquely than film or television or art. Music is short and to the point and is designed to quickly (relatively speaking) engage the listener and manipulate emotions. <br /><br />So to return to your quote that I put at the top of this comment: I'm always up for expanding my music listening experience, but it's a lofty task for any artist that works within a subgenre I don't like to engage me enough to give the album the appropriate amount of listens to try and see what that musician is up to. And I think I've given enough thought to Anderson's films that I can say with enough "authority" that there isn't as much here in THE MASTER as there was in his previous films to entice me enough to come back for multiple viewingsKevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-22819312313057147892012-10-01T08:04:09.008-07:002012-10-01T08:04:09.008-07:00Kevin -
I really enjoyed reading your review and ...Kevin -<br /> I really enjoyed reading your review and appreciate your honesty in grappling with the meaning and substance of this film. I admire anyone who can put together a coherent review of THE MASTER because I have trouble putting together two coherent sentences about it. Patricia Perryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15394997608325540950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-17423680137799031612012-09-27T17:32:19.577-07:002012-09-27T17:32:19.577-07:00One final note: I love any review that uses the te...One final note: I love any review that uses the term "fingerbangs." Hadn't heard that one in a while. Jason Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-90809017489528086242012-09-27T17:31:31.406-07:002012-09-27T17:31:31.406-07:00Theme 2: THE MASTER is Intentionally Problematic a...Theme 2: THE MASTER is Intentionally Problematic and I Find That Problematic<br /><br />Clearly, this builds from an element of Theme 1. <br /><br />For many of us, and I think I'd put myself in this camp at the moment, there is little doubt that THE MASTER is an "intentional" work (at least mostly; I don't think PTA needs to have a specific meaning thought out about EVERYTHING on the screen), but the intentionality of the work isn't enough to offset the fact that an intentionally "problematic" and/or otherwise unsatisfactory movie is by rule "problematic" and unsatisfactory. <br /><br />I mean, that's not it exactly, but you know what I mean: if PTA wants us to feel the frustration of incompleteness, his movie must remain incomplete. And for many, that's a letdown, especially when it's coming from a filmmaker who is capable of such 'completeness.'<br /><br />People in this camp are essentially saying, "Look, I know PTA did exactly what he wanted to do, but I'm just not moved by those intentions." It's the same thought many people would apply to any movie that does exactly what it wants to do but just doesn't appeal connect, compel, stir us. And thus the inherent flaw of a movie like this is that a filmmaker needs to overcome our natural aversion to the things we normally find problematic in order to turn them into strengths. And that's a mighty challenge to overcome.<br /><br />Again, I'm not saying this is what's happening. Just observing themes of the reactions to this film.Jason Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-7082634358382813162012-09-27T17:10:38.219-07:002012-09-27T17:10:38.219-07:00In the discussion above, and elsewhere certainly, ...In the discussion above, and elsewhere certainly, too, there are two recurring themes ...<br /><br />Theme 1: THE MASTER is Intentionally Problematic<br /><br />That heading goes a bit far, but many of the film's fans, and even many of its detractors, have suggested that THE MASTER is aimless, distant, unresolved, unsolvable, etc, on purpose. To shove all of that into one not-exactly-accurate-but-close-enough-for-the-purpose-of-this-argument phrase, they have implied that the film is intentionally problematic, in that many of those descriptions (aimless, distant, etc) are often used in the pejorative when applied to other movies. And that creates an interesting scenario, because if we agree that THE MASTER achieves all those qualities intentionally, then those qualities seem not so problematic at all, and yet if THE MASTER achieves them unintentionally, then the movie is ACCIDENTALLY problematic, and if it's accidentally problematic, can it be a great film?<br /><br />That leads here: Many cinephiles, me included, take great pleasure in feeling the control of an expert filmmaker exerting his/her will: we respond positively to the comfort of knowing that we're in a filmmaker's steady hand, even if we have reservations about where the filmmaker is taking us. Thus, it's not surprising that many who trust PTA's skill feel that THE MASTER delivers on its exact intentions, realizes its design, and therefore is a SUCCESS for realizing qualities that in another movie would be considered "problematic."<br /><br />So my question is this: What if they're wrong? :et me be clear: I'm not saying that I think they are wrong. I'm just raising the possibility en route to this: If some of the film's fans are wrong, and THE MASTER is "problematic" (aimless, distant, unresolved, unsolvable...) ACCIDENTALLY, does it matter? After all, the film doesn't change. The experience you have with the film doesn't change -- so long as you still BELIEVE that PTA is doing exactly what he wanted to do, at least. So intention really shouldn't have anything to do with it. And yet if we're honest about it, for many of us it does -- it matters a great deal.<br /><br />I have no great answer here. But it's interesting that a movie that inspires this reaction is, in part, about religion and belief. Because to some degree what many are saying is, "I realize this looks like a movie with problems, but I have faith that those 'problems' were entirely intentional -- intelligently designed -- and thus they aren't 'problems' at all."<br /><br />Is someone who sees THE MASTER's "problems" as assets exhibiting a kind of faith? To some degree. And just like someone can feel the spirit of Jesus even if God doesn't actually exist, someone can be awed by the mastery of the film's construction and depth of meaning even if PTA, like Lancaster Dodd, just made shit up as he went along and isn't himself sure that there's any true meaning to all of this.<br /><br />Again, because I can't say this enough, I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S DEFINITELY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. But, unless we want to get all "Pigfuck" defensive about it, we have to recognize it as a possibility.<br /><br />This whole scenario and its nagging questions isn't unique to THE MASTER, of course. But it's especially interesting in this case.<br /><br />Theme 2 coming up ...Jason Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-35613635986595603772012-09-27T13:56:05.618-07:002012-09-27T13:56:05.618-07:00Thanks, Tim. I eagerly await your take on it. Thanks, Tim. I eagerly await your take on it. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-40035873693749630472012-09-27T13:55:33.129-07:002012-09-27T13:55:33.129-07:00Damn, I missed your comment from a couple of days ...Damn, I missed your comment from a couple of days ago, Craig. Sorry about that. I can't speak to <i>Margaret</i> because I've been a lazy bastard and haven't watched it yet. I don't have much to add to your comment, unfortunately, because it seems like we're saying the same things. So at the risk of sounding redundant, I'll just say, "here, here!"<br /><br />Thanks for the comment!Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-17633063493378958002012-09-27T12:29:52.314-07:002012-09-27T12:29:52.314-07:00I'm still trying to get my own review out - it...I'm still trying to get my own review out - it is, as you've noted, not an easy thing to do - but in the meantime, thank you for being, at this point, the only critic I've read who seems to have watched the exact same version of this film that I did. More thoughts when they are more settled.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09491952893581644049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-76319544306200788712012-09-26T09:57:22.939-07:002012-09-26T09:57:22.939-07:00It's interesting by the way that the two times...It's interesting by the way that the two times I've written about an Anderson film on this blog, I've received the most comments. 40+ on my <i>Punch-Drunk Love</i> and fast approaching that number with this piece. Not important, by any stretch, but just interesting. <br /><br />Anyway, one last comment, also from my piece on <i>Punch-Drunk Love</i>, that will perhaps spark a little more conversation:<br /><br /><i>[T]he harmonium also acts as a key symbol for Barry's journey from loneliness and darkness to reciprocity, love, and companionship. Barry finds the harmonium on the side of the road, a piece of junk that some people were too lazy to deal with, but Barry finds it intriguing and that it's something worth saving (much like Lena finds Barry interesting, not the piece of junk that his sisters and other have given up on, and worth saving) so he carries it into his office and begins working on it (a metaphor for his life). As the film progresses, so does the restoration of the harmonium (Barry's soul), so that by the end of the film when Barry and Lena are ready to embark on their journey, we see Lena coming into frame as the camera pans with her to find Barry playing the harmonium, in tune.</i><br /><br />I think this sums up best what I'm not getting out of <i>The Master</i>. Anderson is so good at mixing the idiosyncratic with the poignant, yet he's removed the poignancy completely from <i>The Master</i>. Barry/Lena are exactly like Freddie/Lancaster just with heart. When Barry restores the harmonium, it's a clear line we can follow through to the end -- a clear symbol for Barry's own restoration. I didn't anything like that in <i>The Master</i> in what is a similar story about two people in a relationship where one tries to see the hidden good in the other. <br /><br />I'm not saying I want Anderson to <i>only</i> make films like this or even that all of his films have to be alike, I think what frustrated me about the emptiness I feel at the end of <i>The Master</i> is that I see the parallels to his other films and their themes and wonder if he could have still said what he wanted to say in <i>The Master</i> by giving us a more engaging/affecting/compelling second and third act. <br /><br />If the allegory is buried, as Carson suggests, and the symbolism is a little more hidden than in his previous films, then I look forward to explicating this particular text even further and trying to find those things; I look forward to a second viewing in hopes that it will engage/compel/affect me enough to want to sift through it and find those elements that keep me coming back for more. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-91862508494753490882012-09-26T09:46:09.639-07:002012-09-26T09:46:09.639-07:00[He] is a complex, socially inept person whose soc...<i>[He] is a complex, socially inept person whose social skills seem completely utilitarian (he's not a bad salesman when he wants to be, and he can channel his inner rage at opportune times); he's also deeply disturbed and alien in a world that is inhabited by seven sisters that constantly nag him –needling him about remembering embarrassing past stories until his rage boils over – and wonder why he always wears the same blue suit. This is a tricky character, always on the verge of exploding yet delicate and in desperate need of some reciprocated love.</i><br /><br />Obviously that's an explanation of Barry Egan, the protagonist of <i>Punch-Drunk Love</i> who, like Freddie, is a slouched enigma of a man. Barry's motives are a <i>little</i> more clear than Freddie's, but the primary similarity is that they want to be loved; they want to feel connected to someone or something. Barry collects frequent flyer points because it's a loophole that he feels he has to take advantage of. But when he begins the process, he has no one to go with. It seems like a fleeting (I'll use that word here since I used it to describe <i>The Master</i>) exercise to rack up all of these points but not be able to share them with someone. <br /><br />Barry and Freddie both are need of something/someone to settle them down/give them meaning. However, I think the major difference -- and the reason I am more affected by the former than the latter -- is that Barry is shown, in between his fits of rage, to be a really shy, tender, kind of loveable guy. Freddie seems to be nothing more than a man who is capable of drinking and having sex. Anderson has stripped away the sentimentality of Barry Egan and given us Freddie Quell. I get what Anderson is going and the purpose behind the iciness of it all; I just respond more to the hopefulness of Barry Egan than the helplessness of Freddie Quell. <br /><br />Barry tries to connect himself to something much more solid whereas Freddie tries to connect himself to something more elusive. I like that idea, and I like the idea that the film actually shares more with <i>Punch-Drunk Love</i> than <i>There Will Be Blood</i>. Quell's character isn't as overt as Egan, and I'm curious to see if I see anything more in him with subsequent viewings. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-18218730785337840882012-09-26T09:32:53.288-07:002012-09-26T09:32:53.288-07:00That's a great explanation, Carson. I'm go...That's a great explanation, Carson. I'm going to respond below so that my longer comment doesn't get buried. But I think you're onto something that I may not be giving the film enough credit for. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-89647406994636436062012-09-26T09:31:31.389-07:002012-09-26T09:31:31.389-07:00I like that you use the word "compel." P...I like that you use the word "compel." Perhaps that is a better word than the one I've been using, "engaged." Since I think it's more than possible to be "engaged" by the imagery on screen and the performances, but whether those things compel me to think about it more deeply or reach for something that I personally cannot find (and that is not affecting me), I don't know. Time will tell whether or not I warm up to this film (as much as one can warm up to it). I'll use another Kubrick example: EYES WIDE SHUT was a film I greatly admired but never felt compelled to rush out and see it again. However, in recent years, I've found myself returning to it a couple of times, seeing it through new eyes and finding myself being greatly affected -- both emotionally and in an eerie, horror film kind of way -- by Bill Harford's strange, dark journey. Perhaps I will feel the same about Quell's journey at some point in the future. <br /><br />Thanks for the comment, Hokahey!Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-67929469650280256102012-09-25T23:12:02.870-07:002012-09-25T23:12:02.870-07:00I just realized I had misspelled Freddie's las...I just realized I had misspelled Freddie's last name. Quell, Kevin, not Quill. Jesus. Okay, be back to tomorrow to respond to the comments today by Carson and Hokahey. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-84801227492569338962012-09-25T22:55:02.178-07:002012-09-25T22:55:02.178-07:00Thanks for the great comments, everyone. I'll ...Thanks for the great comments, everyone. I'll get to these bright and early tomorrow morning. Right now, my brain is too fried from work to give this the thought that it needs. I will say this: I went back and read my review for <i>Punch-Drunk Love</i> and noticed some similarities, thematically, between the two films. I've been sporadically thinking today about why I like that film so much - and responded to it so strongly when I first saw - as opposed to my feeling for <i>The Master</i> and what it is attempting to say (and the execution of its theme). <br /><br />More tomorrow, but I see some things I wrote in that review for <i>Punch-Drunk Love</i> that I so clearly didn't have problems with that seem to be tripping me up with <i>The Master</i>. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-33938602179404204812012-09-25T17:08:42.400-07:002012-09-25T17:08:42.400-07:00Kevin, I share your frustration with this film. My...Kevin, I share your frustration with this film. My comments have been similar to yours. There are great performances and great filmmaking to watch, but there isn't enough story to compel me. Totally agree that tension and conflict rise in the middle of the film - a dramatic conclusion seems promised - and then Quell wanders and the film wanders toward nothing. I found <i>There Will Be Blood</i> much more compelling and complete as a film. I am a very big fan of <i>Magnolia</i>. Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-50751059075763689282012-09-25T12:23:44.505-07:002012-09-25T12:23:44.505-07:00Understood, Kevin. Of course, at the end of the da...Understood, Kevin. Of course, at the end of the day, people have their taste, but what's important is to at least see the same things in a film, to acknowledge what's actually there onscreen and not what one's subjectivity leads them to see (or hear). It can be a hard thing to do, but it's the critic's job to do it. Carson Lundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10164962777812861110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-73471933336478830862012-09-25T12:18:27.500-07:002012-09-25T12:18:27.500-07:00Why did Freddie gravitate towards Dodd? Why does a...Why did Freddie gravitate towards Dodd? Why does any person gravitate towards religion, cult, consumerism, or even a certain political party? Because they're searching for a sense of belonging, trying on different hats to feel out what their identity might be. It makes complete sense to me why Freddie, a lonely, self-destructive dude with no family or friends, would jump at the opportunity to do "work" for someone who takes an interest in him. As for the characters in general, whether or not they are considered "pathetic" is up to the viewer. They're just people, flawed (that is to say, human) though they may be, and Anderson never takes any opportunity to judge their behavior. <br /><br />Duncan Gray's got a good comment over at MUBI on Ignatiy Vishnevetsky's piece that y'all should read. This is a film whose "point" is apparently very easy to miss. It's not a sturdy drama so much as a multilayered allegory. Carson Lundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10164962777812861110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-45292500206648664932012-09-25T06:35:33.850-07:002012-09-25T06:35:33.850-07:00I'm also reading a lot about The Master's ...I'm also reading a lot about <i>The Master</i>'s "pointlessness" being the whole point,. This argument is, from many, very well articulated, I've seen it applied to other films (e.g., <i>Margaret</i> isn't messy, it's about messiness), and I've certainly applied it less articulately myself. I'm starting to question this sort of thing, though. I think a good film is ultimately <i>about</i> something other than how it goes about itself. It may not be clear at first glance (or second, or third), but it's there. And we have all seen examples of movies about pointlessness that do not feel, in themselves, pointless. I'm all for extending and challenging film grammar, but to me too much of <i>The Master</i> feels like gibberish. Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01450775188328918558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-26294509160735374382012-09-24T22:49:30.891-07:002012-09-24T22:49:30.891-07:00I understood what PTA was getting at with his whol...<i>I understood what PTA was getting at with his whole theme about "being your own Master" and committing to a specific lifestyle, but I didn't think this theme was strong enough to carry the whole movie. Subplots went nowhere, characters made little sense, and my emotions were often cold.</i><br /><br />Yup. Sounds like we're on the same page, Adam. After one viewing, I'm right there with you. I like your comparison to <i>Prometheus</i>; I haven't seen that movie yet, but I'm aware of the conversations that surround it. I know I will see <i>The Master</i>, but I'm almost with you in the sense that of all of Anderson's other films, this is the one that I'm least enthused to run out and see again. <br /><br />Also, <i>Gorgeous to look at, and never boring, but when it's over you find yourself asking... so what?</i>. Amen, Adam. <br /><br />Thanks for the great comment!Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-30491150798665832902012-09-24T22:46:28.869-07:002012-09-24T22:46:28.869-07:00Interesting comment from David got me thinking abo...Interesting comment from David got me thinking about this anecdote, and I was curious what you guys thought: I'm thinking this comes down to something I tried to mention in my piece about admiration versus love for a film. It also meshes with what I wrote in my Sight and Sound piece last month (and what Jason Bellamy has been talking about on his blog for the last month with his Sight and Sound piece). So, the anecdote: my friends and I often debate Kubrick. One film we really disagree on and debate a lot about is <i>Full Metal Jacket</i>. I claim that the last half of the film is a mess; meandering and pointless. Again, much like Anderson's film, that's part of what Kubrick is saying about war. My friends often point to the ending with the sniper as a landmark in war films. I find it, again, tedious and drawn out. I understand where my friends are coming from. Just because I don't like it and am not drawn in by what I see on screen, doesn't mean I don't admire what it is I'm seeing and what the filmmaker is trying to convey; it just doesn't do anything for me.<br /><br />Another example: my brother and I often discuss the merits of <i>Miami Vice</i>. I have made him watch it twice; he understands what I see in the film, and why it's one of my all-time favorites. However, he doesn't respond to it the same way that I do. He understands Mann's motives/intentions -- he gets how the aesthetics represent more than just pretty images -- he just doesn't respond to it. And that's okay. I don't think he's missing anything other than seeing the film through my eyes which is an unfair thing to ask of someone. It's just a matter of taste. <br /><br />I'm sure there are a lot of examples I could use, but I just think, for me, Kubrick is the best example considering how much Anderson's last two films have felt like the old masters. So, I just want to be clear: You guys don't sound trite. You are simply explaining what drew you in; I just happen to have a different reaction to it.<br /><br />So, again, and I can't stress this enough, I admire what Anderson is up to both aesthetically and thematically -- I get it when there's something to get -- but just because I didn't respond to it initially doesn't mean I'm not onto what Anderson is up to. I just think my ruminations about it are on much shakier ground than David, Andrew, and Carson. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-54876773127368959602012-09-24T22:14:38.627-07:002012-09-24T22:14:38.627-07:00I knew parts of it working at times because I didn...I knew parts of it working at times because I didn't know what in the hell I was watching, and I would laugh out loud at what was happening because -- as I often did in some of the bizarre moments of <i>There Will Be Blood</i>, especially that ending -- I didn't know what other emotion to feel, and laughter is often the fall back emotion for most people when we're uncomfortable and don't know what else to do. Freddie's seemingly endless "processing" session bordered on the comic when I don't think that was Anderson's intent. It's frustrating because I felt that Anderson's (purposeful?) elusiveness in regards to letting us in so that we could understand either Quill's or Dodd's methods/intentions/motivations. You make a good point about Freddie: are we to believe that he's so willingly going along with this? If so, why? Is it all rooted in how good he felt in that initial "processing" session? Is he going through the motions because it's a place with free room and board and food -- just another pit stop in his wandering journey? The fact that it all takes place in the "heart of the film" as you suggest, makes it all the more troublesome. Kevin J. Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17275402809912728035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8785859730868628316.post-20945754211952535652012-09-24T21:20:10.918-07:002012-09-24T21:20:10.918-07:00Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch Drunk Love, tho...<i>Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch Drunk Love, those movies were interesting because the style and narrative coalesced so effortlessly. His last two films are arguably better crafted than those; they’re just missing heart.</i><br /><br />Well, I love <i>There Will Be Blood</i>, and I think it's full of heart. Full of heart in the sense that it plunges you deep into Plainview's evil, greedy mindset and never shakes you loose from it. I don't fault you for not admiring it on your first viewing -- I'm just saying that I don't think Anderson's last two features are all that comparable. <i>There Will Be Blood</i> definitely ranks with those other great PTA films you've mentioned. Based on my first impression, I'd argue that <i>The Master</i> doesn't.<br /><br />Maybe after 1 or 2 more viewings of it I might embrace it as a work of greatness, but right now I can't say I'm all that anxious to run out and see it again. With PTA's other films (excepting <i>Hard Eight</i>, which I haven't seen), I've always been able to easily detect his purpose, and what he finds so fascinating about those worlds his characters live in. <i>Boogie Nights</i> works because we, like Dirk, are seduced into that free-spirited porno lifestyle. <i>There Will Be Blood</i> works because we share Plainview's power-hungry lust to get to the very top. Both films ends in a kind of enthralling chaos when the characters realize how badly they've wasted their lives.<br /><br />With <i>The Master</i>, I was never seduced into the characters' world. In fact, I can't say I was ever truly convinced that these were anything other than pathetic people, their lives going in circles, offering no enticing luxuries beyond the occasional yacht party. I didn't understand what Freddy found so fascinating about Lancaster Dodd's world. I understood what PTA was getting at with his whole theme about "being your own Master" and committing to a specific lifestyle, but I didn't think this theme was strong enough to carry the whole movie. Subplots went nowhere, characters made little sense, and my emotions were often cold. <br /><br />I didn't dislike the movie, but as of now I might be so cruel as to deem it the art-house cinephile's equivalent of <i>Prometheus</i>. Gorgeous to look at, and never boring, but when it's over you find yourself asking... so <i>what</i>?Adam Zanziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524618281515322239noreply@blogger.com