The Master - Spoiler-Free Thread

[Kellen]

So, I ended up reading the whole damn thing. I'm kind of mad I did just because I didn't want to spoil anything in the future.  However, with that said I am so fucking psyched now.  PSH is going to kill it!

[Gittes]

For those who have read it, which PTA film is it most reminiscent of, if any?

[Robyn]

For those who have read it, which PTA film is it most reminiscent of, if any?

PDL in terms of originality. It's unlike anything he had done before.

[Kellen]

A lot of people will probably think TWBB because of the dynamic between the two main characters, plus because the general public thinks its a scientology movie.  But I have to agree with the previous poster, I can't really get a feel on which pta film it reminds me of.  I'm still trying to let it sink in...

[bluejaytwist]

[matt35mm]

Well, I wanted to read it because I wanted to read the first draft of something that I had confidence would be eventually be a masterful film.  I'm in the midst of writing a first draft, and I keep running into the advice to let it be sloppy in the first draft.

This was definitely rough and sloppy, but I don't say that as a criticism--it was what I had hoped for.  It's given me more confidence to shrug off the parts of my screenplay that I don't know how to write yet (rather than stopping, trying to figure it out and losing steam).  The roughness actually marks it as a good first draft, because in not trying to get everything all there exactly right, he's able to take some risks that feel almost stream-of-consciousness-based.  Some of that stuff is really inspired/strange.

I'll try to give a bit of my impressions without giving too much away, but you should read on at your own risk, because I will be discussing some character stuff.

I agree that Renner would work well; I certainly was picturing him while reading the script.  That said, I think someone else could pull it off.  Not Dano (who I don't think was actually ever considered, but merely assumed by some to be in the running).  Renner's age is not really that big of a hindrance, so they could go with him and it would be fine.  It feels like a role that any actor would be able to bring really interesting things to--he would just have to be able to sell us on being a punk who has lived pretty hard.

I don't really agree that it's not reminiscent of his other films.  I recognize themes and character/relationship patterns from all of his previous films.  Firstly, the surrogate family with a focus on the father-son bond.  Especially in the final film, I expect this father-son idea to be strengthened, because the connection between Freddie and Master is one of the things that needs to be more developed from this draft.  Currently, their strange bond is not as tight as I know PTA can write it to be, but it's still got the hints of surrogate father-son bond.  That we follow an aimless kid into this world is reminiscent of Boogie Nights.

Its strange tone and some of the character behavior links it to There Will Be Blood.  The way it doesn't ever fully let us into the mind of the main character.  Some of the simmering hatred and sudden outbursts of violence.

I do think that the connection with Scientology is there.  Mormonism is explicitly mentioned.  But also, I think The Cause that this cult is built around is also drawing from things like The Secret, or any of the recent popularized self-help things.  Even Transcendental Meditation.  It's a supernatural, pseudo-scientific self-help cult like those more than it's like a religion.  The Master is not taken as holy, but as a really, really smart man who can educate those who want to learn about the real truth of our potential.  It's not exactly fair to say that the film is all that focused on why people feel the need to follow these things--that's sort of taken for granted, in this draft, anyway (if you preach, they will come).  The real drive and concern of the film is with following Freddie as he sort-of-but-not-really gets sucked into this cult, and how his relationship with this queer and powerful Master shapes this moment in his life.

I'm particularly interested to see how PSH is going to play this, if that is indeed who will play The Master.  It's a super hard character to pin down, and I don't recall seeing PSH doing anything like this before, but he's a great and smart actor who'll make interesting choices.

Yeah, that's all I can really think of to say about it right now.  It's an interesting story with two really interesting characters at its center, told with a very aggressive forward drive.

[Gittes]

Thanks for the impressions!

On a related note, I haven't seen The Hurt Locker yet, so the only reference point I have for Jeremy Renner is this psychotic vampire that he once played on a somewhat memorable episode of the Joss Whedon show, Angel:



It's kind of interesting to see how much he's blown up since then, status wise.

Also, I'm still really hoping that PTA works with Daniel Day-Lewis again and fulfills his dream of working with Robert De Niro. If he were to give De Niro the opportunity for an especially memorable and sui generis performance, that would be pretty grand.

[Stefen]

Matt once again shows why he's one of the best posters on this site.

I'm hesitant to read it the whole thing. I read the draft of CMBB that was floating around and I kind of wish I hadn't. I read the first 6 pages or so then stopped. I got a very Bukowski vibe from the beginning. It was awesome. I had to stop.

[Gittes]

I remember I found out the final line of TWBB before I saw the film. It didn't destroy the experience for me, though. Especially given that it was so removed from the any sense of detail or context.

Incidentally, I also came across an excerpt from this film that apparently takes place close to the end but it is also divorced from context, and it's an early script, so I'm not too worried about it. I actually posted that excerpt, with spoiler warnings, earlier in this thread.

I wonder how PTA feels about his script being leaked onto the internet. Was this a conscious, awareness building move on the part of his agent? Or himself, even? If so, it would be slightly akin to how he uploaded the first, and oh so amazing, TWBB teaser trailer through YouTube without any permission from Paramount Vantage.

[socketlevel]

people willing to read a PTA script before the movie comes out are a small demographic. if he does mind, which he shouldn't, i'm sure it's not to the same extent as the situation with the early VHS prints of boogie nights leaking. he should be honored that people love his work so much to dedicate that kind of fandom and time. i would be in his shoes.

also i'm sure the script will change. i'm torn on whether or not i should read it, i think i'll chose not to in the end.

[Convael]

Matt once again shows why he's one of the best posters on this site.

I'm hesitant to read it the whole thing. I read the draft of CMBB that was floating around and I kind of wish I hadn't. I read the first 6 pages or so then stopped. I got a very Bukowski vibe from the beginning. It was awesome. I had to stop.

No one can send me this early draft of TWBB?  I'll give you a Knuckle Sandwich.......

[socketlevel]

Matt once again shows why he's one of the best posters on this site.

I'm hesitant to read it the whole thing. I read the draft of CMBB that was floating around and I kind of wish I hadn't. I read the first 6 pages or so then stopped. I got a very Bukowski vibe from the beginning. It was awesome. I had to stop.

No one can send me this early draft of TWBB?  I'll give you a Knuckle Sandwich.......

ya i'd be interested in it too

[tpfkabi]

I have a TWBB script on my computer now, but it is labeled as Final Shooting Script.
7/25/06 seems to be the last update according to the first page.

[Stefen]

Matt once again shows why he's one of the best posters on this site.

I'm hesitant to read it the whole thing. I read the draft of CMBB that was floating around and I kind of wish I hadn't. I read the first 6 pages or so then stopped. I got a very Bukowski vibe from the beginning. It was awesome. I had to stop.

No one can send me this early draft of TWBB?  I'll give you a Knuckle Sandwich.......

I don't have it anymore. This was years ago. I wish I did. I never had Knuckle Sandwich, either.

[The Perineum Falcon]

Well, I wanted to read it because I wanted to read the first draft of something that I had confidence would be eventually be a masterful film.  I'm in the midst of writing a first draft, and I keep running into the advice to let it be sloppy in the first draft.

I don't typically read scripts, at all, much less First drafts, but I share this sentiment with Matt, so I am not totally opposed to taking a few peeks at the script - if only to end up reading the whole thing. I'm also in the very rough stages of a first draft and I've had the same difficulty and hesitation, so I hope to find that same confidence in reading this, for how often do we have the luck and opportunity to do so?