I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

Club Members:
- Captain Spaulding
- Cobpyth
- Daniel M
- Deadite
- Godoggo
- mrtylerdurden
- The Sci-Fi Slob
- Seanc (President)
- Skepsis93
- Swan

So with Inherent Vice coming out in December I wanted to get this fan club started. I want to watch all six of Anderson's movies in the next few months leading up to the release of his new film. I am hoping some will join me and we can write about them here. I have not done the exact math but I think if we watch one every three weeks that will be fine. I am going to start this weekend with Hard Eight of course.

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

I just noticed this thread now! Maybe you should add the members of the fan club to the first post.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I'm going to rewatch all his films in this period, because I've rewatched some of his films fairly recently, but I'll definitely watch a few of them with you. ;)

Here's an appetizer for your PTA marathon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwcZo_lhhR8

Thought of that later on. I will rectify. Thanks for the clip. I will check it out in a bit.

"It's always good to meet a new friend. I'll see you later."

"I know three kinds of Karate: Jujitsu, Aikido, and regular Karate."

"You know the first thing they should've taught you at hooker school? You get the money up front!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOPB9c4t0Ok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uai6j_Y6CPU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiWrkLJDQCQ

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

here is my review of Hard Eight. Still hoping a couple people will join me. I will be watching Boogie Nights in about three weeks.

Seanc Hard Eight Review

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

Hey i'm new here. i would like to request access into this club. I am an avid believer in the Church of PTA.

I'll add you to the list.

If you'd like to "join" some other fan clubs, you can post it in this thread:

http://www.movieforums.com/community...ad.php?t=35848

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

There Will Be Blood might be my favorite film of the 2000's. By favorite I mean the one that most impressed me, amazed me, and the one I think might be the best film over the past fifteen years. I saw it two days in a row in the theatre and a few times more on DVD, but I haven't seen it in a while. Part of the reason might be that I think less of PTA than I once did. Every time I watch Magnolia, I like it way less. I hope that's okay to say in a fan club thread, because I do think Anderson is a major director to pay attention to.

How I'd rank his films (today):

There Will Be Blood A+
Boogie Nights B+
Punch-Drunk Love B (Hasn't held up on repeat viewings, but still I'd recommend it)
The Master B (I need to watch again)
Magnolia C+ (It was much, much higher several viewings ago)
Hard Eight C- (I've no desire to sit through it a second time)

:up: :up: :up: :up: :up:

Shameless PTA devotee, right here. A few come close, but he's pretty much my favourite director. Here's how I'd rank his films, right now:

Magnolia
Punch-Drunk Love +
The Master
Boogie Nights
There Will Be Blood -
Hard Eight

http://images.static-bluray.com/prod...36_1_front.jpg

I'm not really in the business of watching films over and over (even my favourites), but I've seen them all at least twice except for Hard Eight, which is sorely in need of a rewatch on my part. The second time I saw Magnolia was an enormously powerful emotional experience that shot it straight to the top of my all-time list, and while subsequent viewings haven't been as profound (wouldn't expect them to be), it holds up beautifully and I find new things to love every time. The slight, subtle, offbeat rom-com, Punch-Drunk Love is my second favourite. It punches (no pun intended) way above its weight emotionally despite its inherent weirdness and contains one of the most surprising, funny and (for me) relatable performances of the century so far. The Master is his most enigmatic film, for sure, but it has so, so many things going for it: the stunning performances (Joaquin Phoenix gives one of the best by a male of the new millennium), the visuals and the endlessly, mysteriously compelling characters. Boogie Nights showcases his wonderfully Scorsese-esque ability to perfectly marry image and sound and an Altman-esque proficiency in elegantly corralling a huge ensemble cast. It's dark, vibrant, funny, energetic, provocative and above all, brilliant entertainment. There Will Be Blood is the only one of his films that hasn't quite held up on rewatches. I still enjoy and respect it and DDL's performance enormously, I just don't think I can say I LOVE it like I once did.

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

I'm also a shameless PTA fanboy. I LOVE everything he does. I think he's one of the most talented and skilled filmmakers around these days and he might be my absolute favorite director from the '90s generation.

I'll shortly give my personal opinion about his films, while Seanc is watching them. Let's start with his first one.

Hard Eight (1996)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KficD27TssU

PTA didn't have full creative control over this film, so in the end, the result wasn't completely what he had in mind beforehand, but I still think it's a delicious little film with some flashes of filmmaking genius in it. The scene above is my personal favorite moment from the movie (together with PSH's cameo at the craps table). It contains a simple, long tracking shot and we're basically just spending a little time with Sydney, the main character, but there's so much atmosphere and mood in it. The music, the camera, the environment, Philip Baker Hall's acting... It's all so incredibly smooth and classy. I love it.
The overall film probably doesn't reach the same level as PTA's other films (over which he had full creative control), but there are a few scenes that do have that PTA magic. I'm also a big fan of films about casinos, because I think those places have something poetic and devilishly charming about them, so that's why Hard Eight also gets a special place in my heart.
All in all, it's a wonderful filmmaking debut. It's very relaxing to look at, even though there's a strange kind of tension underneath the whole story that only gets revealed at the very end.

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

Yeah I didn't even mention Hoffman's scene in my review but it might be my favorite although I really love the opening as well. Hoffman's scene though is just stuck in the middle, could easily be removed without anyone noticing. I mean what we get from that scene is basically what Jimmy has already told us about Sydney earlier. It is fantastic though. Hoffman being as boisterous as possible, Hall couldn't be more mellow. The kind of gunmen showdown of it all. You just know Hall's reaction would have been the same even if hard eight hit. Really fantastic scene.

I agree with you about Casinos as well Cob. There is an atmosphere that they automatically bring that is mesmerizing. I also love how film makers can use them to be the most glamorous places in the world, the most seedy, or the most low life. All depending simply on the lighting and the type of clientele that they populate them with.

I didn't know that about this not being completely PTA's vision. I don't read up on such things normally. You could have fooled me though, I think it feels completely like where he goes as a film maker. In tone, character, and narrative. Shows how ignorant I am, but We all knew that already.:dizzy:

Jep, a classic PSH scene. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOPB9c4t0Ok

Rewatching these scenes again, make me remember how much I love the music score of that movie. So deliciously moody.

Exactly.

Well, I think the greatest part of this film was his vision, but he didn't have final cut and there were some frustrating limitations because of the lower budget. The film could've been cut worse, though. He ultimately was still able to make the cuts himself and put the film together himself within the limits of the studio and under the studio's title Hard Eight instead of Sydney (which he preferred himself). In the end, I personally think the final version of the film is still a succes and I don't mind the new title at all.
It was at least good enough to earn him full creative freedom for his other pictures.

I actually agree with you a bit Skepsis on There Will Be Blood. I think it was #11 on my last top 100, and when I first watched it I was blown away, but I've seen it a few times, last time was with my brother, and whilst I still think it's really great, I wouldn't have it anywhere near #11 on my next list, although that's to do with how many other films I've watched too.

My favourite film of his is, of course, Boogie Nights. I wrote quite a bit about it when I did my top 100 and I included it as my favourite films, it's still one of my very favourite films and I always try and watch bits when its on TV, and it holds up every time. It has a great sense of humour and exuberance about it that makes the whole film a blast, it has the normal PTA touches in terms of direction and cinematography (some great long shots, especially the last scene with Bill) and interesting characters, some fantastic performances, especially from the mother and father figures in Reynolds and Moore, and a perfectly cast Mark Wahlberg. Then there's the soundtrack, and the many great individual scenes, I love Alfred Molina's show stealing scene, yeh he's known for overacting, but it's a brilliant, intense scene that captures the desperation of the characters and the world they're involved in.

I'd rank his films right now, perhaps:

1. Boogie Nights

2. The Master

3. Magnolia

4. There Will Be Blood

5. Punch-Drunk Love

6. Hard Eight

I love PTA. Big influence on me, although he always felt more like an unbelievably talented peer. When I was really into him, I could have written a book on sexuality in his films.

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

I think There Will Be Blood will be considered his best film over time (at least from what he has made up until now). In fact, that's already the case. It's constantly ranked as one of the top 3 best films of the 2000s decade. All the elements for a great classic are there.

I personally rank it as my fourth favorite film of his (like Daniel), but I wouldn't argue against anyone who says There Will Be Blood is "objectively" PTA's greatest cinematic achievement yet. I feel like it MIGHT become my third favorite of his after another rewatch. It's been quite a while ago.

My rankings:

1) The Master -
2) Boogie Nights -
3) Magnolia - +
4) There Will Be Blood -
5) Punch-Drunk Love - (+)
6) Hard Eight - (-)

I will discuss the films a little more in depth on the same pace as Seanc is watching them. ;)

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

For fans of Magnolia:

This is a great article about Cruise's experience as PTA's character Frank "T.J." Mackey in Magnolia (and it's also a brilliantly written analysis of said character). It really makes you want to see the film again and especially Cruise's performance!

Seanc, definitely read this before you rewatch Magnolia!

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

I like Magnolia but I'll stay out of this thread to avoid retaliation :)

Re: I Walk Through The Valley: The PTA Fan Club
 

Good stuff Cob, thanks for sharing. I used to suscribe to that blog but have not looked at it in a very long time. I had no idea about that story. I really like the little nuggets about letting Cruise change things as well. Might be part of the reason you don't see bad performances in PTA films.

Watch his movies along with me Rauldc. You might change your mind about PTA.