"There Will Be Blood" - RANT

Stephen David Smith · July 29th, 2008, 07:53 AM

I thought the film was absolutely amazing! Dey Lewis was spot on with his acting. I give the man mad kudos for what he goes through when he develops his characters. He nailed everything down to the guys nervous twitch to the way he walks- it was excellent and some of the best acting I have scene in a while.

The film sort of poses the question- who is worse, Eli the preacher, who tells everyone he has been ordained by god and is doing the lords work, when really he is hungry for money and power. Or is Daniel Plainview more evil. Plainview is very upfront with what he wants and how he goes about getting it.

What I take away from it is that you have to be a deceptive, lying, cheating SOB to make it to the top. And that the whole oil theme is basically greed.

I loved this movie and like a good painting there are many layers. I think both Anderson's writing and DDL's acting worked extremely well together. It gave me the same feeling that I got after reading Steinbeck's East of Eden. And if you have read a novel like East of Eden and have seen the Elia Kazan version of the book-and how it tanked! I think you will have respect for what Anderson and Dey-Lewis did. To me There Will be Blood is right up there with a good book, painting, or sculpture. It truly is a work of art.

Matt Newcomb · July 31st, 2008, 04:15 PM

There is a reason that many critics called this a must miss movie. It's definitely not for everyone. I loved it, probably more than NCFOM. Great that they can still make a film like this that doesn't appeal to a mass audience.

Bill Ravens · July 31st, 2008, 09:43 PM

I'd LOVE to jump in here, except I don't have anything meaningful to say .......exept this thread is a truly GREAT thread.

Sherif Choudhry · August 15th, 2008, 05:49 PM

I was overwhelmed when i read the reviews of TWBB and DDLs performance, but I waited to get the DVD. I went home clutching what i thought would be gold and it wasnt. But it was an amazing movie. I do remember reading that the 1st 15 minutes were supposedly "incredible" so I told my wife. After 15 minutes she said "wheres the incredible bit?" And thats the thing, there is no real incredible bit, there are eye-opening scenes (the last scene, the bit where he kills his fake brother etc) and as a movie it is powerful.

Interestingly though I have watched it only twice and probably wont for a while. I watched the relatively under-hyped Michael Clayton 4-5 times because I just found the lawyer on the edge of madness so compelling. And Clooney playing a relative looser that redeems himself (yes its hollywood) but cant connect with his son or brother, a fixer for a corrupt law firm, a much more compelling study of corruption, ambition, failure and greed.

July 29th, 2008, 07:53 AM	#16
Stephen David Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Flint/Davison MI Posts: 37	There will be blood!!! I thought the film was absolutely amazing! Dey Lewis was spot on with his acting. I give the man mad kudos for what he goes through when he develops his characters. He nailed everything down to the guys nervous twitch to the way he walks- it was excellent and some of the best acting I have scene in a while. The film sort of poses the question- who is worse, Eli the preacher, who tells everyone he has been ordained by god and is doing the lords work, when really he is hungry for money and power. Or is Daniel Plainview more evil. Plainview is very upfront with what he wants and how he goes about getting it. What I take away from it is that you have to be a deceptive, lying, cheating SOB to make it to the top. And that the whole oil theme is basically greed. I loved this movie and like a good painting there are many layers. I think both Anderson's writing and DDL's acting worked extremely well together. It gave me the same feeling that I got after reading Steinbeck's East of Eden. And if you have read a novel like East of Eden and have seen the Elia Kazan version of the book-and how it tanked! I think you will have respect for what Anderson and Dey-Lewis did. To me There Will be Blood is right up there with a good book, painting, or sculpture. It truly is a work of art. __________________ Stephen Smith

July 31st, 2008, 04:15 PM	#17
Matt Newcomb Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 212	There is a reason that many critics called this a must miss movie. It's definitely not for everyone. I loved it, probably more than NCFOM. Great that they can still make a film like this that doesn't appeal to a mass audience. __________________ Talenos Productions at http://www.talenos.com

July 31st, 2008, 09:43 PM	#18
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	I'd LOVE to jump in here, except I don't have anything meaningful to say .......exept this thread is a truly GREAT thread. Last edited by Bill Ravens; July 31st, 2008 at 09:45 PM. Reason: I can't stand a spelling error

August 15th, 2008, 05:49 PM	#19
Sherif Choudhry Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: London Posts: 222	Compare to Michael Clayton? I was overwhelmed when i read the reviews of TWBB and DDLs performance, but I waited to get the DVD. I went home clutching what i thought would be gold and it wasnt. But it was an amazing movie. I do remember reading that the 1st 15 minutes were supposedly "incredible" so I told my wife. After 15 minutes she said "wheres the incredible bit?" And thats the thing, there is no real incredible bit, there are eye-opening scenes (the last scene, the bit where he kills his fake brother etc) and as a movie it is powerful. Interestingly though I have watched it only twice and probably wont for a while. I watched the relatively under-hyped Michael Clayton 4-5 times because I just found the lawyer on the edge of madness so compelling. And Clooney playing a relative looser that redeems himself (yes its hollywood) but cant connect with his son or brother, a fixer for a corrupt law firm, a much more compelling study of corruption, ambition, failure and greed.