PTA Interviews (on YouTube or otherwise)

Started by ono, July 07, 2011, 03:45:25 AM

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modage

Definitely the best PTA interview in years. Loved how candid it was, Maron telling him that his movies require a little work to come around to, etc. Wish it were twice as long.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

©brad

Yeah that was 100 minutes that felt like 20. This PR tour is giving us a PTA we haven't heard from in a while. It must be the breezy stoner subject matter of Vice. The Master just wasn't as fun(ny) to talk about. Or maybe it's Warner Bros. realizing the star of the movie is Paul himself and the only hope of not losing all their money is if his avid fanbase turns out in droves.


Gittes

It was good, but it was kind of irritating that Maron just blew past Punch-Drunk Love so quickly and got so little out of PTA with regards to that film. I got the sense that Maron wasn't giving that film its proper due (as one of the greatest of all time!) and was talking about it as if it were a minor curiosity in Anderson's filmography.

Well, actually, I guess the Truffaut comparison was high praise, and I appreciate that Maron was being honest about not "getting it." Still, it's unfortunate that he clearly isn't a big fan of the film and/or hadn't watched it for a long time. I'm sure there's still plenty that Anderson could say about the making of PDL (if he were asked the right questions).

Fitzroy


Reel

It took me 4 hours to listen to this interview! Not because I was preoccupied, I just kept pausing every 10 or so minutes to soak it in. We've never heard such an intimate interview with PTA, and unlike so much other press you can feel the relief on Paul's part in not being asked such run of the mill questions, but having someone expressing an interest in your work and wanting to get to the bottom of it. He likes the challenging relationship people have with his films, you can tell. You feel him smirking through the microphone when Marc does his "COME ON! WHAT'S HE DOING?! I'LL BE SEEING THAT AGAIN." What higher compliment could you give a filmmaker, really? When you walk out of a film completely satisfied, your appreciation of it will only diminish on repeat viewings, wouldn't you say? Ok, so he doesn't rake it in at the box office, but his movies create loyal fans who will support him for a lifetime.

It was cool to hear some more about his upbringing in that crazy brady bunch house they lived in. It made it so much clearer why family is everything to him. I just imagine him growing up in this bustling household full of teenagers coming and going as they please, sneaking off to do secret things, and he's watching them like "FUCK YEAH!" Having that many older brothers and sisters, you're just hipper to what's going on. You see them dating and partying and working on their little projects and think "I can't wait to grow up! what am I gonna do?" It must explain why he latched onto filmmaking so quick. Once he found 'that thing' and just ran with it, no one ever discouraged him. His Dad gave over the reigns to a state of the art, probably several thousand dollar video camera to a 10 year old! I couldn't think of a more apt metaphor for his relationship with the studios today.

So much of this conversation felt like the 'lost commentaries' of his movies! Like, how he explained that while learning his dad was dying, he said "You're telling me that frogs are falling from the sky" to the bearer of bad news. I had never known that association was so closely linked before. I immediately started thinking about my own dad, and how when he dies it really will feel like the laws of the universe have changed. The last time I watched Magnolia was with him, and that was the first time I'd seen it with anybody else. It was fun to finally show him this movie that sparked my film fanaticism, something I've almost kept a secret because of how much of an impact it had on me, and really break it down for him to gage his reaction on everything.


Quote from: Gittes on January 06, 2015, 07:35:41 AM
it was kind of irritating that Maron just blew past Punch-Drunk Love so quickly and got so little out of PTA with regards to that film. I got the sense that Maron wasn't giving that film its proper due (as one of the greatest of all time!) and was talking about it as if it were a minor curiosity in Anderson's filmography.

Agreed, because it's my favorite of his. If Maron had known better, it would've been a good segue into how he met Maya Rudolph. If you have any familiarity with WTF at all, you'd know that Marc holds a grudge like no other. I believe he was an acquaintance of Sandler, starting out in comedy, but when he blew up and hit the mainstream Marc starting doing a bit about his goofy persona. Once Sandler caught wind of that he cut off all ties with him and they've never spoken since. So, it probably makes him physically ill to see him onscreen in any capacity, let alone trying to be 'serious'. Man, how great of an episode is that gonna be when the time finally comes around?



I think I've said enough for now, I'll just leave on the note that it left me feeling truly inspired. Like, "Why am I not making movies right now?" And even though I skipped through most of it, It's the greatest promotion Inherent Vice could ever have.

Lottery

They also simplified The Master into its purest essence- about two dudes in love. I wish there was a bit more about PDL too. No one ever really talks enough about that one (and it is like my second favourite), it's a shame.

And damn, Maron mentioning that it sounded like PTA was making a film based on the Hollywood Blacklist was so on point, I could really see that in my head. Just like his idea for the 'early days of tv' film. They both look a little bit like The Master in my head.

03


best. pta. interview. ever.

best parts(some already mentioned):
. sydney getting more discussion than pdl
. pta looking for porn landmarks
. just sounds like two dudes talking
. pta getting giggly uncomfortable at pynchon questions
. breakdown of 'master' as 'two dudes in love'
. breakdown of 'cmbb' as 'a son and father have problems'
. dad talk ( i feel you on this, Reelist, but from the other side, since i actually lost my dad 9 years ago and did watch the film with him, as well.)
. shooting first parts of IV while him and joaquin 'just hanging out'
. every other part
. the whole thing

Pozer

EVER.

from cigarettes to I love yous.

true lols at Maron calling him out during Pynchon talk

"I'm gonna just uh, say no"
pause
"Whyyyy?!"


polkablues

Definitely the loosest and openest we've heard him since probably the Boogie Nights commentary.
My house, my rules, my coffee

wilder


Gittes

Quote from: Larry on January 09, 2015, 03:58:06 AM
Foster Wallace as his teacher at Emerson?! That part blew me away. fuck. that is so cool

Yeah, I had the same reaction.

I remember coming across a message board thread years ago, and the topic was about pairing up directors with their literary analogues. Someone paired up PTA with DFW. I've noticed the comparison elsewhere over the years, too, but I don't know enough about Wallace's work to thoroughly comment on the supposed connection. However, I have read Wallace's fantastic essay, "Big Red Son," which is about the pornography industry and his visit to the AVN Awards. He actually mentions Anderson and Boogie Nights in that essay.

Also, I know that Wallace was an instrumental figure in the conception of "New Sincerity." The connection between this concept (which entails the creation of works of art that expressly refuse cynicism, detached irony, etc.,) and filmmakers like Anderson are pretty obvious, and this has been discussed in academic articles. Because of all of this, DFW and PTA have been vaguely linked in my head for a while. So, finding out that the former taught the latter struck me as both surprising and totally appropriate. A neat piece of information, for sure.


Alexandro

the guy looks like he's aged 20 years since there will be blood. his face is turning really interesting, very badass.

ono


Something Spanish

Anyone know if the C&RV site is going to do a series of interviews for IV with key production players like they did with The Master?