INHERENT VICE (No Major Spoilers)

[AntiDumbFrogQuestion]

I think it's 'round about time to finish the book before any clues about the film version color my imagination...although, so far, RDJ is perfect for the lead, and I'm okay that my brain is using him to represent Doc Sportello.

[Pubrick]

i think this time it's perfectly fine to read the book. with Oil i don't think PTA actually gave a shit about the actual story of that snoozefest. this time it looks like he's really invested in the book and he has reverence for the author. i want to read it cos all i've ever heard is that it's MINOR pynchon. so why make a movie about it?

i think PT wanted to do a detective story on one level (for the reason listed in the primer) but he jumped on the chance to also explore an even bigger mystery that is Pynchon himself. what's there to talk about so much that they've been meeting all these times? they're not just talking about the book. PTA set out to make friends with one of the most elusive authors of our time. he always seems to set himself this kind of challenge.. observe:

he wrote Frank TJ Mackey for Cruise. he stalked him out, of all the actors we've heard about in that film, the most intestesting pre production bit that we never got to see in the making of doco was when he went to the set of freaking EWS to talk to Cruise.. was mark rance there? he must've at least tried. but they don't even mention it! of all the preproduction madness from script writing to rehearsal to shooting post production and everything else he covered in That Moment, that has to be the most juicy bit in the legend that is the making of magnolia. to say nothing of the fact PTA was also seeking to encounter that certain Pynchon of directors, maybe befriend him too.

the fact it emerged as such a memorable event highlights the specific focus he had put on Tom Cruise as a pivotal part of this film. Cruise is himself one of the most elusive big name actors around. and PTA made a huge effort to win him over. what's next.. Sandler is not so much inaccessible as he is hard to take seriously, he is arguably on the same celebrity status as Cruise which grants him special "outsider" status in society by virtue of being so rare, but i think the real elusive character he was hoping to befriend in PDL was Sean Penn who passed on the role of mattress man.

during this time we have come to learn that he also was trying to court Joaquin Phoenix in some unknown capacity. this dude is ALSO famous for being inaccessible. but i'm skipping ahead. after PDL he decides to go after this amazing actor who has all but retired into a farm somewhere save for indulging his wife in that one film of hers and helping his buddy Marty make some money. i'm talking about DDL of course. and the way i described in the primer that he talked to DDL is very similar to the kind of affection he showed for Sandler in . PTA LOVES to befriend the outsiders in his world.

Downey Jr is no longer an outsider but he definitely has been, regardless of how much the teenagers making him rich these days are unaware of it. he spent years in the wildnerness. clearly he's well suited to the role of some pot smoking detective on the hunt for who knows what, some woman probably, but the real star of this film i think will be the phantom presence of the author. he's continuing to bring the outsider to light.

this is why PTA loves character actors so much, as far as to transform them into leads through sheer force of will. his early films are populated almost exclusively by actors who have no reason to believe they are the centre of the world. PDL was an interesting experiment because sandler was indeed that, but that's another topic, i'll just briefly say that was a perfect way to show someone who gets no respect in some circles playing someone who gets no respect in his familial circle finding his inner strength through a lifelong fan. With DDL and JoaqP he summoned the KINGS of the fringe (of sanity?). this is different to what Tarantino does when he shoehorns random forgotten actors into his films and revives their careers that should have in most cases stayed dead. he's a fanboy, nothing more.

what PTA is doing is much more sophisticated than what that hack does, PT is putting things in their proper place, showing us things as they were meant to be, actors in roles they were meant to play. not some stupid gimmick that only trash-loving neckbeards really care about. so read the book, read ALL of Pynchon's books.. they deserve to be read, and you have PTA's blessing.

[AntiDumbFrogQuestion]

the observations about PTA accessing the inaccessible really hits the nail on the head about what he does as a filmmaker, and one can only assume as a person. He tries to pay respect to the misunderstood, even painting Dodd, who could be an evil, selfish guy, as someone trying to find his way as much as Freddie.
In the case of adapting this novel, respecting the vision of an author who's alive and well, there's a lot less wiggle room than in the case of "Oil!", and I think PTA has the right idea getting to know the source of his inspiration one-on-one.

As for the book, anyone else look up the names of bands/songs mentioned on YouTube while reading? And then maybe realize that some of them are just made up?

[Cloudy]

THE PLAYLIST: Robert Downey Jr. Out, Joaquin Phoenix In For Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Inherent Vice'

Joaquin Phoenix may come off as somewhat mercurial, perhaps even unapproachable, but his talent is unassailable, and it seems he forges strong creative connections. One need look no further than the four film he's made with James Gray, and now it looks like he's ready to re-up with his "The Master" director Paul Thomas Anderson.

THR reports that Robert Downey Jr. has passed on the upcoming "Inherent Vice," and Phoenix is now in talks to join. Damn. While this is exactly the kind of role we were hoping RDJ would take after basically playing Tony Stark for the past few years, it's hard to argue with Phoenix slotting in for what could be a total gear shift. Based on the book by Thomas Pynchon, the story follows a private detective uncovering a plot to kidnap a billionaire land developer in drug-kissed 1960s Los Angeles.

Earlier in the month, Charlize Theron was tipped as a potential co-star with the promise of more big names to come in rounding out the cast, but obvoiusly, things are still coming together. But it does seems as if this is quickly coming together in what might be the fastest turnaround between pictures for PTA. But as always, we'll see how it shakes out. But Anderson and Phoenix back together to tackle a "Big Lebowski"-esque crime tale? Um, yeah, that works. And yes, Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures are producing.

Wowowowowowowowow.

Reelist:

*should get a new title soon

[picolas]

damn. i thought rdj and pta would be a perfect combo. i wonder if rdj wanted too much money or something.

[matt35mm]

It may just be a scheduling issue.

[polkablues]

I'm fine with this.

[Neil]

if JP can channel the character he played in, "I'm still here," this may be just right.

[socketlevel]

he can do it, dude's a chameleon.

too bad no RDJ, cuz then he worked with junior and senior.

[jenkins]

i wonder if rdj wanted too much money or something.

nfw. or like, maybe. only in the way that anything's possible. green is everywhere.

i saw rdj sing pt's praises at cinefamily's telethon -- rdj said he saw the master at the arclight in la and that he was blown away by people's reactions to the movie. he said iho pt was making masterpieces. the subtext was that rdj and pt were right. you know rdj. he sings praises with total conviction. and rdj appreciates pt's reverence for rds, in public.

just saying there are certain accusations i wouldn't make and this is one.

[DocSportello]

I'm stoked on this.

After the Cannes press conference and Joaquin's animosities towards the Oscars and awards in general, a part of me worried that PTA may have felt a tad burdoned by JP. I wondered if perhaps he was thinking something like, "we made a movie, and there was magic, but maybe we should leave it at that and let The Master be my time with Joaquin." I'm glad to hear that PTA and company are unfazed by all that has been discussed in the press about Joaquin. Although, I should have knowned that would be the case. Mr. Phoenix, Ms. Elisson and Mr. Anderson are the film industries' true punk rockers!

I hope they make this movie together. There is obviously a great bond between these two men. One might say not unlike Dodd and Freddie. JP will be a great Doc. Full steam ahead.

[BB]

To recap:

nfw rdj pt's rdj la iho pt rdj pt rdj rdj pt's rds

[jenkins]

gj bb ;)

[BB]

thx

[ElPandaRoyal]

I don't care who the main actor is. We're only have to wait probably until 2014 for the next PT Anderson picture, and that's the best news ever.