The Master - Spoiler-Free Thread

Started by MacGuffin, December 02, 2009, 10:12:15 PM

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MacGuffin

Venice: Paul Thomas Anderson, Philip Seymour Hoffman Talk 'The Master'; Joaquin Phoenix? Not So Much
BY NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor | Deadline

Paul Thomas Anderson called The Master a "love story" between its two lead characters and addressed the issue of Scientology and its relationship to the film at a press conference in Venice this afternoon. The movie screened this morning and certainly calls to mind the controversial religion, but Anderson said it wasn't the "whale in the room" that people thought. He said he based Philip Seymour Hoffman's character, Lancaster Dodd, in part on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, but added, "I really don't know a whole hell of a lot about Scientology." He also confirmed that he had shown the film to Hollywood's most famous Scientologist, Tom Cruise, who Anderson directed to an Oscar nomination in Magnolia. "Yes, I showed it to him. We're still friends and the rest is between us," he deadpanned.

The Master's stars, Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix, were also present at the standing room only press conference – Hoffman more so than Phoenix who chain-smoked on the dais, didn't answer any questions and disappeared for a few minutes in the middle. Harvey Weinstein, who'll release The Master on Sept 21, looked on from the front row. Hoffman, excellent in The Master as in his other collaborations with Anderson, called the director a friend "first and foremost... When we work together, it's kind of like gravy." Anderson noted that he had asked Phoenix "to be in every other movie I've done which is kind of a pain in the ass, but it was worth it." Though the movie is complex, and may require repeat viewings, it is being praised as a master stroke of filmmaking and a tour de force for the leads.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

jumjum


Pozer

Quote from: The Playlist on September 01, 2012, 07:38:55 AM
It may be that further viewings, and more reflection, sees the film become more narratively, emotionally and thematically satisfying. There are certainly more than enough extraordinary elements in the film, and more than enough complexities and contradictions, than we'll be seeing it again at the earliest opportunity. Or it may be that another look sees the disappointment at the familiar core of the story deepen. For the moment, we're simply pleased that the film marks an undeniable progression in the career of one of our most gifted directors. [ B ]

why even grade it after this statement? that other playlist review was much better but could have done without the grade. grades are dumb.

another note, cut out with this "we" business. pics of the entire playlist crew together for every screening or stfu.

on the awkward phoenix note, hated letterman during adams but his "bonehead" remark about this freak wasnt inaccurate. 



InTylerWeTrust

#1518
ADMIN EDIT: THESE MAY CONTAIN MAJOR SPOILERS









Fuck this place..... I got a script to write.

HeywoodRFloyd

I fucking love Philip Seymour Hoffman, thanks for the links Tyler

InTylerWeTrust

You Welcome Heywood and Happy Birthday dude!


And guys, MY BAD for not putting SPOILER ALERT on those videos, thanks to Picolas for fixing that. 


On another note, to the people who have seen the film... You think Joaquin Phoenix is still in character here? He looks just as insane as he does in the trailers   :saywhat:

Fuck this place..... I got a script to write.

P Heat

Hope PT and PSH do a charlie rose interview soon. I've enjoyed the prior ones.
Quote from: Pubrick on September 11, 2012, 06:33:41 PM
anyway it was after i posted my first serious fanalysis. after the long post all he could say was that the main reason he wanted to see the master was cos of all the red heads.
:P

InTylerWeTrust





That is my (very poor) drunk attempt at mashing all the teasers together...... I'm sure someone out there can do a better job with this idea. Go ahead and try, would love to see it.



P.S: Yeah, at one point there are 3 songs playing at the same time... and that's as Godard-esque as I'm gonna get. Feel free to say it sucks  :yabbse-thumbup:
Fuck this place..... I got a script to write.

Cloudy

Heywood,

Where did you find that pic of PTA/JP on set? Happy birthday!

MacGuffin

Venice 2012: Paul Thomas Anderson Says Tom Cruise Has Seen 'The Master' 'And We're Still Friends'
The film is greeted by raves and crowds as Joaquin Phoenix disappears from the press conference, and Philip Seymour Hoffman talks about sex in the city streets.
Source: THR

VENICE – Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master -- a fictional account Anderson said was "inspired" by Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard -- created the biggest buzz yet at the Venice Film Festival, screening four times on Saturday to packed cinemas, including one where moviegoers started lining up 90 minutes before showtime, and forcing festival organizers to turn journalists away from an over-packed press conference.

The film, which is screening in competition in Venice, stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a kind of spiritual Master in the post-World War II period, and Joaquin Phoenix as a gruff, alcoholic drifter who becomes an off-again-on-again disciple of Hoffman's character, while an unusual bond forms between the two men. Anderson, Hoffman, and Phoenix were all on hand for the press briefing, though the eccentric Phoenix did not answer any questions and disappeared for nearly half of the briefing.

Though Scientology is never mentioned by name in the film, Anderson did permit that it was "inspired by L. Ron Hubbard and the early days of Dianetics," referring to Hubbard's philosophy about the metaphysical relationship between a person's mind and body. At one point during the briefing, Anderson was asked whether he had shown the film to actor Tom Cruise, probably the most high-profile adherent to Scientology, and whether the project had damaged the friendship between the two men. Anderson was coy.

"Yes, I have shown him the film, and yes, we are still friends," Anderson said. "The rest is between me and Tom."

Hoffman cast the film as a classic sub-sub-sub genre he described as "the age-old story of a man who needs guidance, finds a mentor, they become co-dependent, the man leaves, and the one who is actually hurt is the mentor."

Hoffman also said he saw the film as appealing to the nature of human existence. "We ask ourselves, 'Why can't we run through the streets of Venice naked, and eat and shit and have sex with everyone we see?'" he said. "But no, we can't do that, and so sometimes we need a Master to help make sense of the world."

The film created a buzz long before its screening in Venice, as it was named as the "surprise" 18th and final competition film at the 69th editon of the festival, officially named around two weeks after the rest of the lineup. The Master was connected to Venice as far back as a year ago, though there was some doubt whether it would still screen on the Lido after the December departure of artistic director Marco Mueller in favor of former Italian National Film Museum head Alberto Barbera. In the end, all the speculation swirling around whether or not the film would indeed come to Venice did little but heighten interest.

The Master attracted mostly positive reviews. The Hollywood Reporter chief film critic Todd McCarthy said the film was "overflowing with qualities but also brimming with puzzlements," but in the end he called the film "a bold, challenging, brilliantly acted drama that is a must for serious audiences."

The Master will open in the U.S. after screening at the Toronto Film Festival, Sept. 21, a date moved up in recent days. Lucky Red, The Masters' Italian distributor, on Saturday announced that despite the buzz surrounding the screening in Venice that it would not open in Italy until Jan. 11, 2013.

The premiere of The Master is the second in-competition film in as many days to explore religious themes in a controversial way, following Paradies: Glaube (Paradise: Faith), from Austrian director Ulrich Seidl. Seidl's film, which explores the real-world manifestation of extreme religious faith, was called "scandalous" in the Italian press.

The Venice Festival continues through Sept. 8.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

Fernando

Annapurna just posted several international release dates on its website

Australia Nov-8
México Nov-23
UK Nov-9

http://annapurnapics.com/films/#/3/3

I have no hopes to see this on 70mm but at least it's coming this year.

HeywoodRFloyd

Thanks for the Birthday wishes Tyler & CloudAuteur :) Daunting/depressing as hell to be 4 years closer to when PTA made Boogie Nights.

I found the image by accident on twitter, I'll post it here:




polkablues

I picture him just having a weathered old crate in his bedroom with "SHIRTS" in stenciled lettering, and he's got a gross of those things in all different shades of brown and grey.
My house, my rules, my coffee

HeywoodRFloyd

Kubrick actually had like 30 pairs of the same clothing, and would just wear the same thing everyday. At least PTA's mixing it up with the different shades. Plus I like the shirts he wears, really laid back, like what you would wear on vacation.

HeywoodRFloyd

The Master has an IMDB score now:



A little thing I saw on Twitter (The booing is regarding Malick's To The Wonder audience reaction)