Paul Thomas Anderson isn’t done drinking faith and religion’s milkshake, and is traveling to the 1950s in order to do it again. PTA has written Philip Seymour Hoffman a role that Mike Fleming describes as “a charismatic intellectual who hatches a faith-based organization that begins to catch on in America in 1952.” Hoffman’s character, referred to as “The Master” hatches a relationship with a young devoted follower, Freddie. As Freddie becomes The Master’s “lieutenant” he starts reconsidering his position in the increasingly successful cult (I smell a troubled father/son dynamic a brewin’).
Anderson is apparently interested in delving into the human need for god-like figures and unexplainable higher beings, as well as how religious devotion forms out of beliefs and spiritual fulfillment. While the cult movement connection (specifically with Scientology) is obvious, I’m inclined to believe PTA will deliver a more nuanced and decidedly ambiguous look at these ideas. The brilliance of There Will Be Blood partly lies in its ability to read as a criticism of so many things (organized religion, capitalism…) yet none of the characters exist as simple 1:1 allegorical figures. It’s a complexity I hope PTA can achieve again.
Universal is still waiting to put eyes on a script before putting pen to a (35 million dollar) check, but I’m sure we’ll hear more from this soon.
13 comments
I'm already in.
sweet
Bring back Jonny Greenwood!
I just hope he keeps ending these movies with someone getting bludgeoned to death with a bowling pin.
It sounds a bit like the birth of our current favourite cult. Scientology.
Scientology, or the born-again wackos trying to change the definition of science and mold national politics?
I don't think I've seen a better film than There Will Be Blood since There Will Be Blood, so am looking forward to this.
cheque
ooh – if it's about Scientology, Tom Cruise is going to give PTA a good talking-to.
You guys have no idea HOW MANY of these weird "cults" arose in the mid-century. But most of them never grew past 20 or 30 members, and died out when the guru died. Scientology is one that persevered. But there is much to mine in this subject matter. I'm just super excited for another PTA period piece.
I will most likely see this as I am a huge fan of PTA. However, I am disappointed to see Phillip Seymor Hoffman in the lead role……..Can we please have Daniel Day Lewis do this and put Hoffman in that musical? That way I would definately have one movie I want to see and one that I could avoid.
Best news of the year. PTA is the reason I got into film, and I will be there opening day. He is a genius, our Kubrick. Question: Why do they do midnight showings of pieces of shit like Twilight, when they should be doing them for brilliant masterpieces like anything PTA has done? I have never understood that.
"Question: Why do they do midnight showings of pieces of shit like Twilight, when they should be doing them for brilliant masterpieces like anything PTA has done? I have never understood that."
Very good question. At first I thought, "Because pieces of shit like Twilight make a lot more money, therefore it's in the interest of theaters and studios alike to show them earlier and more frequently." But then I remembered that there's no way money would have anything to do with how movies are screened. Besides, that is such an obvious answer that it can't possibly be true. If it was that simple, then those two sentences you wrote would be completely pointless, and you're too bright a guy to waste people's time like that.
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