The Master - Spoiler-Free Thread

[P Heat]

Yeah if PT decided to stop production because of Renner and other issues and considering is past with hard eight, it shows PT is in control.

Also i was wondering if he was ever going to do something related to war since Kubrick did 4 movies about it. I'm liking the news   and Laura Dern  for the win.

[RegularKarate]

So, from what I understand, this is no longer based on Scientology.  Maybe he felt that was too on the nose.

[cinemanarchist]

So, from what I understand, this is no longer based on Scientology.  Maybe he felt that was too on the nose.

Is this based on what you read in the article or something else that you've heard? I didn't get that from the article.

[Pozer]

me neither.

[polkablues]

I'm sure there will still be parallels to Scientology, it may just be less of a 1:1 comparison as it might have been in its early incarnations.

[RegularKarate]

I'm sure there will still be parallels to Scientology, it may just be less of a 1:1 comparison as it might have been in its early incarnations.

This is what I'm thinking.

The article I read (badass blog) phrased it  "the new version is still about a guy who starts a religion – originally this was based on L Ron Hubbard and Scientology – but now his impetus comes from seeing unbelievable horrors in WWII and returning home to a suburbanized America in the 50s."  I think I just read too much into that (or maybe Devin did).

[modage]

The way I'm reading into it is the Hoffman character may be more tragic/sympathetic than before when he was more of a manipulator?  But I'm just squinting really hard at the same sentence as everyone else, I never read the original script.

[socketlevel]

***MILD SPOILER***

There was actually a nice balance in the original script. Times when I thought it would demonize the Master, it ended up playing more sympathetic.

There was an obvious tone that suggested manipulation, however it wasn't until late into the script it becomes more apparent.

It would be sad if the script got toned down due to PTA's own desires to do so. With a Billionaress funding you, and she loves your shit, why make it safe for the sake of it? I guess it could be his own attempt to make a more subtle film, but it didn't seem over the top to begin with.

[Pubrick]

i'm squinting at the whole article trying to find mention of reese who?therspoon.. and she's not there!  

in regards to what is said in that article i think we shouldn't be too quick to jump the gun and say it's changed that much especially based on uninformed blogs. the byline given in the article is still a perfect description of the beginnings of scientology, but don't take my word for it, i have here a copy of "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health" which i will briefly quote from, this is found in the About the Author section:

He became one of the most prolific and well known authors of the heyday of popular adventure and science fiction in the 1930s and 1940s, interrupted only by his services in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Partially disabled at the war's end, Ron continued his research, making breakthroughs and developing techniques that enabled him and others to regain their health and to achieve greater happiness and ability. It was from this research that the basic tenets of Dianetics technology were codified.

so there you have it. the post war spiritual emptiness in america has always been part of the reason why scientology was able to get a foothold. and we should be aware that plot descriptions may not always use the word scientology, this doesn't mean that the film has changed completely or in any way other than the natural transformation that occurs with recasting and polishing of drafts. it's a normal process. this description may have been taken from an official press release which would only state the official premise, and at no point has PTA ever come out and said "yeah i'm making a documentary on Scientology".

and as fanboys i think it's very important to realise this film is NOT going to be about scientology.. in the same way that CMBB was NOT a strangelove-like satire of big oil. that is just a superficial reading. so far it appears to be a companion to CMBB.. where PSH will play a character who is the spiritual equivalent to Daniel Plainview: the self-made success story of an extremely ambitious individual who sees opportunity in people's ignorance. isn't that also the story of Barry Egan? working backwards, the horrors of WWII from which The Master returns are akin to the deserts and vast empty lands Plainview scavenges and the dark, silent, and odd emptiness around Barry at the start of his film.

he's not just randomly choosing to make movies on topics that interest him, otherwise he would just make a documentary. the setting for the film also offers the opportunity to tackle one of his core themes of family at its heyday.. at a time when the american ideal of the nuclear family and family values were at the top of the public consciousness. it's also interesting to me that with this being made before inherent vice, and inherent vice being set in the late 60s, he's gradually returning to modern times again after some incredible blast into space (lena was an alien and jeremy blake's transitions were a prolonged stargate sequence) which landed him sometime in 1898.

and hey, no witherspoon!

[Reel]

as fanboys i think it's very important to realise this film is NOT going to be about scientology.. in the same way that CMBB was NOT a strangelove-like satire of big oil. that is just a superficial reading. so far it appears to be a companion to CMBB.. where PSH will play a character who is the spiritual equivalent to Daniel Plainview: the self-made success story of an extremely ambitious individual who sees opportunity in people's ignorance. isn't that also the story of Barry Egan? working backwards, the horrors of WWII from which The Master returns are akin to the deserts and vast empty lands Plainview scavenges and the dark, silent, and odd emptiness around Barry at the start of his film.

I like that hypothesis, P.

[Stefen]

I wonder who the DP is going to be?

[P Heat]

Like Pubrick said , have some confidence on PT.  I want a companion piece to CMBB anywayz =]

also the question on who the DP will be is still a mystery =[.

[Pas]

as fanboys i think it's very important to realise this film is NOT going to be about scientology.. in the same way that CMBB was NOT a strangelove-like satire of big oil. that is just a superficial reading. so far it appears to be a companion to CMBB.. where PSH will play a character who is the spiritual equivalent to Daniel Plainview: the self-made success story of an extremely ambitious individual who sees opportunity in people's ignorance. isn't that also the story of Barry Egan? working backwards, the horrors of WWII from which The Master returns are akin to the deserts and vast empty lands Plainview scavenges and the dark, silent, and odd emptiness around Barry at the start of his film.

I like that hypothesis, P.

+1 (btw two awesome posts about PTA and QT today Pubrick)

[Jeremy Blackman]

I like this hypothesis more:

it's also interesting to me that with this being made before inherent vice, and inherent vice being set in the late 60s, he's gradually returning to modern times again after some incredible blast into space (lena was an alien and jeremy blake's transitions were a prolonged stargate sequence) which landed him sometime in 1898.

[Pozer]

shooting in the Bay Area?

some guy on imdb claims to have inside scoop that production in June will begin in the bay area (town of Crockett). 

these recent notices for 40's/50's era folks are for an "Untitled Feature Film." I'm guessing it's a different production.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They're for http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1560747/

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423455/board/thread/181910681?d=182384274&p=2#182384274)