There Will Be Blood

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:43 pm

Hey, let's make a movie with no plot. Those are awesome. This was a better-acted Royal Tennenbaums. (probably spelled incorrectly, but that movie was so fucking abysmal, I'm not looking it up.)

** out of ****

hygraed · Post by **hygraed** » Sun May 04, 2008 1:03 pm

I liked it quite a bit. I didn't expect it to be as weird as it was; it reminded me of David Lynch's movies in some ways.

Although the infamous final scene just seemed really silly to me and I couldn't keep from laughing when Daniel goes "My straw reaches acroooooooooooss the room."

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Sun May 04, 2008 1:07 pm

Yeah, I should clarify that I did like it a lot until they fast forwarded to the 1920s.

A two-hour and thirty-eight minute movie, and they couldn't squeeze something in during that time period?

I mean, yeah, it was a good movie. It was competently done. But I think it would have been a huge bomb if anyone other than Daniel Day-Lewis was the main character.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:07 pm

I can't believe I missed this thread.

PTA is my favorite director, so of course you're going to know I like this movie. The first time I saw it, though, I didn't know what to think. I went around saying it was great, of course, but as bizarre as everyone thought it was, it almost seemed reserved by his standards, and I didn't know what to do with that.

Then I watched it again, and liked it more, and the brilliance of the last scene really started to sink in.

Then I watched it again, and the brilliance of all the other scenes started to sink in.

Christ, I watched it once while I was on vacation in Myrtle Beach two weeks ago, and then HIT PLAY AGAIN right after.

I think it is safe to say that I could do nothing but continually watch this movie, on endless loop, for my entire life, stopping only to go to the bathroom, hit Safeway for some more Safeway-brand "Triple Safeway Filtered" Safeway Vodka, and the occasional romantic dinner with Kathy, and I would be a happy man.

GREAT MOMENTS IN TWBB'S LAST SCENE'S HISTORY:

Notice how Eli pours three drinks, offers one to Daniel, which he declines, then places one of the drinks back down, but keeps ahold of the other two, one in each hand. Ha haha! Are you kidding me? AWESOME!

FIVE (*****) STARS (*****) OUT OF FIVE (*****) STARS (*****)

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:12 pm

It was all great until they advanced the story 20 years. What the fuck! It wasn't even a story. It was a character sketch. I absolutely refuse to believe that the book - Oil! - did this.

You really do dig movies without a plot, don't you? DDL is pissed at a kid faith healer because his own kid went deaf. How does that make DDL become even more distant from his adopted son? Even if you HAVE an answer, they didn't fucking show one.

Yes, it's well-made, blah blah blah. But he shoots his fake brother in the head and it goes nowhere, rendering that arc pointless. There was just an enormous chunk of that movie missing.

Casual Observer · Post by **Casual Observer** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:13 pm

Pinback's right, an awesome fucking movie. I hate people just like Lewis' character and despise organized religion similarly. I was wishing this was based on a true story so I could learn more about the guy. This has encouraged me to purchase and actually read a couple of books (this one and then the Jungle).

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:14 pm

Casual Observer wrote:Pinback's right, an awesome fucking movie. I hate people just like Lewis' character and despise organized religion similarly. I was wishing this was based on a true story so I could learn more about the guy. This has encouraged me to purchase and actually read a couple of books (this one and then the Jungle).

Note that TWBB the movie is only veeeery loosely based on "Oil!" I think I read that they sort of use the first 50 pages or so to set the scene, but from there it completely diverts.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:22 pm

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:DDL is pissed at a kid faith healer because his own kid went deaf. How does that make DDL become even more distant from his adopted son?

The kid was DDL's last, best chance to actually have a real connection with another human. Actually, best chance, not last. Henry was his last chance.

He experienced a hint of emotion when the kid went deaf, but I suspect his anger at Eli has much less to do with him being a faith healer than with him being his arch enemy, the only ego within 500 square miles big enough to take on his own.

Once the kid became a burden to his ego's goal of domination, he dispensed with him immediately, and all hope was lost.

By the end (1927), DDL was happy for any opportunity in which to destroy someone. Those opportunities were rare, since he'd already destroyed everyone else except his kid and Eli. After he took care of those two, he'd finally be finished. And what a great stroke of luck for them to show up the same day.

TWBB FUN FAX: Nothing can wake Daniel from the bowling alley, not even screaming that the house is on fire. But once Eli whispers "it's brother Eli"... he instantly comes to. Finally, the opportunity of a lifetime.

Even if you HAVE an answer, they didn't fucking show one.

This ain't the Teacher's Edition, baby.

Yes, it's well-made, blah blah blah. But he shoots his fake brother in the head and it goes nowhere, rendering that arc pointless.

See above, re: his last chance for salvation, last chance to make a human connection and save himself from the torment of his own ego.

No such luck.

Casual Observer · Post by **Casual Observer** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:25 pm

Ice Cream Jonsey wrote:DDL is pissed at a kid faith healer because his own kid went deaf. How does that make DDL become even more distant from his adopted son? Even if you HAVE an answer, they didn't fucking show one.

He hated the faith healer before his kid went deaf, he showed he hated him from the moment he was negotiating with the guys father for the land. I loved when the kid thought ddl owed him to pump him up in front of the town and instead ddl brought forward the kid's sister who was being beaten by their father. I didn't get that ddl really gave two shits for the kid ever, just wanted to 1) use him and 2) raise him to be a cold prick like himself. The final scene is great because the faith healer waltzes into ddl's house thinking that he has secured something of great value to ddl through his religious control of the townsfolk and this leverage will be his financial salvation. It's awesome how ddl manipulates the guy into begging and humiliating himself like ddl was forced to do in the church - and then flamboyantly smashes his dreams and self esteem before he smashes his sniveling skull. I laughed outloud during the entire scene and was left with a tinge of worry, hoping that ddl's character can use his money to cover it up and keep himself out of jail.

hygraed · Post by **hygraed** » Tue May 13, 2008 4:55 pm

Plainview came right out and said

1. "I hate most people." (to Henry)
2. "I took you for no other reason than I needed a sweet face to buy land." (to H.W.)

He doesn't care about H.W. In fact, he probably doesn't care about anyone in the entire world except for himself. The audience is left to decide for themselves exactly why this is; there are hints at some shred of humanity left inside Daniel, so we can assume that at one time he was something resembling a decent human being. Perhaps some tragedy, some awful freak occurrence, happened to someone very close to him, destroying his faith in the good of the world. I think Daniel has been hurt very deeply in the past, and his behavior as a complete and utter piece of shit is his way of getting back at the world at large, which he blames for his own past misfortunes.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:02 pm

I think it's important to note that, as hygraed says, at some point there are shreds of decency, and I think it's safe to say that he does have some affection for the boy, at least up until 1911.

Otherwise:

1. He wouldn't get so freaked out about "I abandoned my boy!"
2. He wouldn't use the faith-healer argument when he's slapping around Eli.
3. He wouldn't have that goofy, strained, guilty look as he walks away from the train that's taking H. W. away.

Of course, no matter how close he gets, his ego-domination always wins out:

1. He tells the Standard Oil guy he's going to cut his throat for telling him how to run his family, but he's only using that as an excuse to attack him.

2. Again in the steakhouse, he's trying to reconcile with his kid, but then Standard Oil walks in, and once again he's overtaken by the need to destroy them. Ironically, he uses his supposed caretaking of his kid ("Look over there! What do you see?") in his attack.

Now, in 1927, as I've said, he is so crazed and obsessed by greed and hatred that all bets are off, and anyone who gets past the gate into the mansion is fair game.

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:32 pm

Well. WELL!

I can honestly say that I understand the movie BETTER thanks to the posts of pinback, hygraed and Casual Observer.

In reading these posts, I have learned a little about myself as a movie-goer:

1) I don't pick much up on subtleties. That's for sure.

2) I do seem to require that every movie follows the plot arc of a caper flick or something.

3) I have a hard time reading into the performance of an actor when they are not specifically communicating, with words, what I need to know.

This does sort of leave me utterly unqualified to ever direct films, but you can say that about half the people who have directed films for money anyway.

I did not pick up on the fact that DDL only woke up when Eli was mentioned. Or that he wanted to destroy all egos within 500 miles. Or many other things. But in my defense, a movie suddenly talking about milkshakes is like when a conversation in real life goes towards Java, but in COMPLETE REVERSE. So there's that.

Thank you, friends. I have gained a level.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:33 pm

Hmm. Does that mean the thread is over?

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:34 pm

No. You can mention other things that I, a simpleton for film, would have missed.

I can gain two levels, is what I am sayin'.

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue May 13, 2008 5:45 pm

Hmm. No, I think we've covered all the subtexts and subtleties. Maybe we can just list some of the wonderful quotes from the movie which you should sprinkle liberally into your daily conversations!

"So, ladies and gentlemen, if I say I'm an oil man, you will agree." (Please replace "oil man" with whatever you're trying to get across, as I've done in this post)

"Let's talk about bread!"

"You look like a ffffool, don't you?"

"I say, get liquored up and take 'em to the peach tree dance!"

"Yesshheshheshheshheshhh."

"No, thank you so much."

"Give me the blood, Lord!"

"Yes I do!"

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Tue May 13, 2008 7:20 pm

"I have abandoned my boy!"

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Tue May 13, 2008 7:23 pm

http://defamer.com/359795/overthinking- ... w-tell-eli

pinback · Post by **pinback** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:06 pm

I assumed that he was telling him he'd give him the $5000 bonus, in another display of faux acquiescence. Right afterward, Eli announces that Daniel has agreed to donate $5000 to the church.

Of course, he doesn't give it to him. We know that because 16 years later, Eli is still begging for the $5000 ("$100,000, plus the $5000 which is still owed...")

Though Eli's face after the secret conversation does look a bit disquieted.

I do like the "I'm going to eat you" theory, though.

hygraed · Post by **hygraed** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:28 pm

"Bastard from a basket! Bastard from a basket! BASTARD FROM A BASKET!"

Ice Cream Jonsey · Post by **Ice Cream Jonsey** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:41 pm

It makes me wish I had a boy so I could "get into the theme of things" and--

You know what, I do hope to one day have children, and I don't want them reading this filth, even in jest.

I'll instead shift gears to the arcade game I am trying to sell. They're sort of like children.

"I have abandoned my Xeno! I have ABANDONED my XENO! I have ABANDONED MY XENO! AAAAAAAAAAGG!"