Tuesday, January 29, 2013

EXCLUSIVE: Producer JoAnne Sellar Says ‘Inherent Vice' Hoping To Shoot In Late April/Early May


We just had a great chat with PTA's longtime Producer JoAnne Sellar for the next installment in our "Making The Master" series and while we mostly stayed on topic, we couldn't help but ask about Paul's next project, "Inherent Vice," which seems like it will be getting underway sooner than later. "We're just putting the financing together and the plan is to start shooting in late April," Sellar told us. We asked if that meant casting announcements would be underway shortly, she said "Everything should be [underway] very soon in order to start shooting then: late April/early May kinda thing." And there you have it. This may seem especially quick as "The Master" still hasn't opened in some territories yet but as PTA told us, he's been working on the adaptation since "shortly after the book came out" in 2009. So while we still wouldn't expect the film hitting theatres before mid/late 2014, it's incredibly exciting to see the 7th film by Paul Thomas Anderson is very close to becoming a reality. Stay tuned for the full interview with Sellar coming soon.

Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD now!  

Monday, January 28, 2013

EXCLUSIVE: Making ‘The Master' with Paul Thomas Anderson


Cigarettes & Red Vines is proud to present the very first installment of "Making The Master," our brand new series of in-depth interviews with some of the minds behind "The Master." Between now and February 26th (the day of the film's Blu-ray release), we'll be talking to many of the production's principal players and today we're kicking things off with an exclusive interview with the man himself, Paul Thomas Anderson. It's been quite some time since C&RV had the chance to virtually sit down with Paul for a Q&A (the last one was way back in November 2003) and as always, it was great catching up with him. As usual our interview was conducted via email and his answers are candid, completely stream-of-consciousness and have not been edited (though we've added links and images where applicable). Paul spoke about his influences for "The Master," whether he's ever thought about revisiting any of his characters and if he'd consider working in television among many other topics. Enjoy.

The film was first announced back in December of 2009 by Variety but things didn’t get moving again until February 2011. It was reported that during this time you kept ‘coming up against a wall’ so can you talk a little about 2010 and what was going on behind-the-scenes with the film creatively/financially/etc.?

My sewer dump of a memory cannot recall. In the vaguest terms, I just remember saying, "this isn't ready yet." Possible combination of elements at work: not enough research done, not enough writing or sitting with it done. The code hadn't been cracked on exactly how,when & where to do it. We were looking for a location that had water for a boat. A boat. A city. A desert. We looked at shooting in Philadelphia, New York....possibly all of them and then moving to Arizona, just following the movements in the film. None of these worked to our advantage. Things came together as they always do on films; as they're meant to be. We found Mare Island, the Potomac (boat), writing had been done, research felt researched. The emergence of Joaquin being available certainly brought momentum to the film.

You’ve talked about the doc “Let There Be Light” and book “At Ease: Navy Men Of WWII” as being great reference points but can you talk about any other books/films/art that inspired “The Master”?

It's always such a long list.....sometimes it's whatever was on TV that morning. Other times, it's something i'm really into. tons of old film noir's. Out of the Past, dark Corner, Mr. Arkadin, Lady from Shanghai, etc. Nightmare Alley! Val Lewton stuff like Seventh Victim and Ghost Ship. Dianetics in Limbo by Helen O'Brien. Helen Forrest/Kitty Kallen and anything by Jo Stafford music wise. also listened over and over to Stravinsky piece "Ebony Concerto." Duke Ellington - Peer Gynt Suite. list goes on.....oh! how about John O'Hara short stories. earlier drafts have a slight adaption of one of his stories, "Bucket of Blood" I think. great short story.

The opening of the film is very funny. The first words of spoken dialogue in the film are Freddie talking about his pubes and then he fucks the sand woman and masturbates into the ocean. The last line of the film is him telling Winn to put him back in during sex (right after the last scripted lines about the “next life”). Was this a conscious decision to kinda take the piss out of expectations that this film was going to be something “very, very serious”?

HA! sure. i guess. probably not very conscious -- except we were always looking for laughs. lots of serious laughs making this film. The "put it back in" was just one of many dirty little things Freddie said to end the scene....always nice to open a scene up in ways you never could have imagined sitting alone in a room. "stick it back in it fell out," belongs to Joaquin. it's a very nice line I owe him for.

You’ve talked about how your filmmaking process has evolved since “Punch-Drunk Love.” Is it daunting to be making a film when you’re not quite sure what that film is going to be yet? Or is it more exciting to you now than working in the more structured style of your 90’s films?

They're all daunting. They're all exciting. They all, at the end of it all, turn out how you want it -- it's just hilarious the hoops I put myself and others through to get there. One of these days, we'll just start without all the floundering around........my 90s films? what is this? that has a funny ring to it. glad it's not my 80s films.

From all the footage in the teasers that wasn’t in the film, it looks like you had a ton of material to work with. How much did the film change in the editing room? Were there earlier cuts of the film that were drastically different? (For instance, did you know when you released the first teaser that the Joaquin interview footage would not be in the film?)

We have some good stuff that'll come out with the BluRay. NOthing massively shifted in the editing room. No large structural shift or anything like that....it was more asking questions about what's in and what's out....playing with versions of the film that elminated scenes to see it's effect on the whole thing -- The interview with Freddie was one of three that we shot. Questions arise, like: how many more interviews are we going to see with him and a VA Doctor.......zzzzzzzz.......this leads to a cut.

There seems to be some confusion over certain scenes in “The Master.” Several critics totally missed that the naked dancing sequence is imagined and that the phone call in the movie theatre is a dream. How do decide on how much is enough information for an audience and how much keeping certain things a little fuzzy can be helpful for the film?

Flip a coin?

Sometimes removing a scene can change the way the characters/story is perceived (example: Becky now has a happy ending in “Boogie Nights” because the scenes of her marriage’s violent turns were excised.) Do you think that by removing these scenes from “The Master” should mean those events “don’t happen” in the universe of the characters or should we think of these extra bits as “the further adventures” of the characters that simply aren’t glimpsed in the film?

hmmmmmm. Now we're talking philosophy! Best not to think too much about stuff that isn't there - the film must stand on it's own.

The earlier draft of the script took some different turns (Freddie visiting cousin Bob, meeting Ellen in the Burlesque club, Freddie daydreaming about cutting off The Master’s head, waking up in the hospital). Were any of these scenes filmed and cut out? And will any of these (or other sequences from the trailers) will appear in longer form on the Blu/DVD?

COUSIN BOB!!!! I hadn't thought of him in a while till I saw this question. Oh that stuff was long ago. I still hope Cousin Bob will show up in a story I write someday. All that stuff with Alligators in sewers was stolen from Pynchon's V. We looked around some sewers in upstate New York...... eventually decided to ditch the whole story line in writing before spending money and time on something unnecessary to the Main Event. Freddie daydreaming about cutting Master's head was an OK idea....not worth pursuing. the kind of thing you get excited about for a while, then leave. never to be shot. and that's fine by me.

We know it was always a semi-regular sing along at the old Largo but how did “Slow Boat To China” come to you as the climax of the film?

Can't remember the moment of decision for sure....but i think i was influenced by a tapestry on a bathroom wall i saw at a house i was staying at in Gloucster, Mass. great fishing/sailing town and the tapestry was about Sailors and Lighthouses lighting up the night...it was a little poem with a lighthouse on it....reminded me of Slow Boat to China the way it rhymed......that's probably the connection. kept going back to that bathroom while writing and then presto -chango - you've got Master's serenade.

If you could plan a perfect triple-feature with “The Master” headlining, which films would you pair it with and why?

Destination Tokyo, Best Years of Our Lives, Men Without Women - other war films and post war films. or maybe a double bill with I'm Still Here. I love the film and joaquin's performance. be nice to see it play with something totally different too, like The Master and then it's porno-version, if they have one....

At what point during “The Master” did you start adapting “Inherent Vice” and how far along are you now in that process? Was there ever a point when you considered making that film first?

It was talked about making Inherent Vice first, but it was just talk.....really glad we decided to see through what we started. I started work on Inherent Vice sometime shortly after the book came out. It's been something to go to while clearing out my head on Master.

Have there been any characters from your films that you’ve continued to think about from time to time? Not necessarily for a sequel per se but just someone who you’ve thought of images/scenes or further adventures for?

Not really, no. I like looking forward more than reflecting.

Television has had a creative renaissance in the last decade with a lot of other filmmakers of your generation working in the medium. Do you have any favorite TV shows? And do you have any interest in working in other formats (television or mini-series perhaps)?

I've day-dreamed a lot about making something long form, sure. It would be a thrill and challenge to tackle something so spread out. It's usually at some point in writing when you think, "what if i just didn't try and contain this story and really let it loose....." thoughts drift to mini-series, long form HBO stuff, etc.......but it's usually followed by a brain-freeze and "naaaah." Maybe someday. TV shows? old Larry Sanders, Curb Your Enthusiasm. anything on TCM. I miss Twin Peaks. I still need to watch The Wire, which (i know, i know) everyone says is the greatest thing ever.

You recently said that you’re working on the “Punch-Drunk Love” Blu-ray this year. Any plans for “Hard Eight” to follow (or precede) it and is there any chance of a Criterion release for either title?

We are trying to track down lots of elements regarding Hard Eight/Sydney. It would be ideal to get a tune up/re-transfer, etc on that sooner than later. Be great if Criterion would put it out but they haven't said anything to me about it.

After the learning curve you went through on this film, do you see yourself working in 70mm again? Do you think you’ll always want to have it as part of your arsenal even if you don’t shoot in it quite as extensively next time?

I would love to shoot 70mm again. There's still much more we could do with it. Be nice to try and shoot it's intended aspect ratio as well. it would have to be the right story. that's the deciding factor for sure. I really hope we see more and more of it in use. Not just using it's original negative -- but 70mm prints being made and projected -- this may be a fantasy -- but it's a lovely fantasy to have in my head.

I can't thank you all enough for your support and attention to the details of what we do. It's a thrill to make films and share them and having people care for them once they're out in the world is a perk I'd never imagined.

Happy New Year.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Joaquin Phoenix In Talks To Replace Robert Downey Jr. In 'Inherent Vice'


Holy shit. It's really happening. Downey Jr. out. Joaquin on his way in. This definitely takes things in a different direction and though it's a shame we may not get to see a PTA/RDJ collaboration just yet, we could not be more excited to see Joaquin have another go. (via Hollywood Reporter)
Joaquin Phoenix is in talks to reteam with Paul Thomas Anderson for Inherent Vice, the adaptation of the 2009 Thomas Pynchon novel.
Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures is financing the movie, which will be produced by Anderson, Ellison, John Lesher and JoAnne Seller.
Anderson wrote the screenplay based on the novel, which is set in 1969-1970 Los Angeles and centers on a pot-smoking detective on a kidnapping case. The book featured a slew of characters with quirky, original names, from Shasta Fay Hepworth and Riggs Warbling to Japonica Fenway and Adrian Prussia.   
Anderson has been working on Vice for a few years. The project once had Robert Downey Jr. interested but ultimately he passed.
Phoenix starred in Anderson’s period drama The Master, based loosely on the origins of Scientology. The performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor.
If you haven't already been informed via Twitter/Facebook, we have something very special planned for the site on Monday 1/28 which has been in the works for quite some time. So please stay tuned for that.

Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD now!  

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

‘The Master' Being Re-Released In Select U.S. Theatres This Friday

Gearing up for the Academy Awards & Blu-ray release next month, "The Master" is being re-released this Friday (1/25) into a handful of theatres around the country. This may be your last chance for quite some time to see the film again on the big screen so we highly encourage you to grab a few friends and see it one last time. We have a partial list of the theatres below and will update with more as they roll in.
Los Angeles (Arclight Hollywood) in 70MM
Chicago (Landmark Century City Centre)

Philadelphia (Ritz At The Bourse)

San Francisco (Opera Plaza Cinema)

Washington D.C. (E Street Cinema)

New York (Village East)
The film will also be playing at the very swank Crosby Street Hotel screening room in NYC on 2/10 as part of their Sunday Night Film Club. Dinner and movie for $55 per person OR cocktail, bar plate and movie for $35 per person. The film continues to pick up awards, most recently at the London Film Critics Circle where Joaquin and PSH both took home acting prizes. You may have heard Joaquin gave a shout-out to an up-and-coming actor worth keeping an eye on.

If you haven't already been informed via Twitter/Facebook, we have something very special planned for the site on Monday 1/28 which has been in the works for quite some time. So please stay tuned for that.

Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD now!  

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Watch: PTA Directed Pilot For 'The Jon Brion Show' (2000) Featuring Elliott Smith & Brad Mehldau


This morning we woke up with a little surprise in our inbox as PTA sent along another little video under his YouTube channel Al Rose Promotions (named after the "There Will Be Blood" character). But it's not a new teaser for "The Master," instead it appears to be the pilot episode of "The Jon Brion Show," the long lost variety show that PTA directed way back in 2000. The basic history is that back around 1999/2000, Jon Brion shot a pilot with VH1 for a variety show that would feature music & comedy of the various performers hanging around LA club Largo at the time (Aimee Mann, Fiona Apple, etc.) but the network turned it down. So PTA decided to step in and shot his own version of "The Jon Brion Show" via 3 test episodes which he shot and paid for himself, but as far as we know never presented it to the network (or any network) for possibility to air. When we last spoke to him about the project he said he was still trying to figure out what sort of venue would be best to present them.
OK. What about The Jon Brion Variety Show? I heard that he originally shot a pilot for VH1 & they didn’t like it. So you went back & directed a few episodes with Jon, Aimee, Fiona, etc.?

Yeah. Jon tried to do a thing with VH1, but I never even saw what they did. He didn’t like it. I said there’s a way we can do something & we should experiment. So, we just basically shot tests for about three episodes. I paid for it myself & we just did it.

At Largo?

No. At this recording studio called Ocean Way. I rented it, got a few cameras & threw up a couple of lights. No big deal. I had Fiona sing. I had Jon sing. Elliott Smith came by. Bette Midler happened to be recording at the studio next door & was like “I want to sing!” It was insane! Next thing I know, Bette Midler is doing ‘50's cover tunes. We’re like, “Wow”! So this was all just a test to see the possibility for a music venue or a way to capture what Jon does. I’m still convinced there’s a way to do it. I don’t exactly know how right now. The test showed me all these good things & some bad things.

So, you haven’t presented this to a cable channel or music video channel to air?

No. We’ll sort of revisit it & it will be this ever burning thing. It’s been my own personal pet thing. Once we figure how we want to do it, then we’ll figure out where we want to do it & what sort of venue is best.
The 43 minute video -- featuring the late Elliott Smith backed by Jon Brion and Brad Mehldau performing Smith's material as well as covers of The Kinks "Waterloo Sunset,"John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" and Big Star's "Nighttime" -- was uploaded with the following description:
Music Variety and More From Archives Of Al Rose Promotions

I tore up the floorboards at H.Q. the other day
and came up with this little number on VHS.
She holds up well. Love, Al.
God, I miss Elliott Smith. Thanks Paul. With any luck someday the other two episodes may come to light...


Monday, January 14, 2013

‘The Master' Blu-ray Details Revealed!


As you know "The Master" is due out on Blu/DVD on February 26 and will include a 20 minute reel of deleted scenes but now we have some firm details on what other extras will be on this release. Anchor Bay and The Weinstein Co. will distribute the disc which will feature the beautiful cover art you see above and looks to have some really cool special features included which you can see below (via Blu-ray.com/ via Michael DeNight).
  • "Back Beyond" Outtakes - Additional Scenes Music by Jonny Greenwood (20 min)
  • "Unguided Message" - 8 Minute Short
  • Behind the Scenes Featurette
  • Trailers
  • Teasers
  • "Let There Be Light" (1946) - John Huston's landmark documentary about WWII veterans (58 Minutes)
  • Digital Copy
Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD now!

Which features are you the most excited for? (Besides the film, obviously.) Any ideas on what the "Unguided Message" short might be?

Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates. 

Ben Affleck Shouts Out PTA At The Golden Globes


Well, that was nice. Last night NBC aired the "best party of the year" (the Golden Globes) where Amy, Joaquin and Philip were all nominated for their performances in "The Master." While the trio unfortunately went home empty handed, Best Director winner Ben Affleck made sure that PTA was there in spirit. During his acceptance speech he humbly said how gratified he was just to be in the same company as the nominated directors (Quentin Tarantino, Ang Lee, Steven Spielberg and Kathryn Bigelow) as well as the great directors who weren't nominated...  
"I don't care what the award is, when they put your name next to the names that she just read off, it's an extraordinary thing in your life. These nominees are exceptional talents. I truly to God never thought I would be in the same breath as them. I want to thank them, and I want to thank the many talented people that weren't nominated. Paul Thomas Anderson who's like, I think, Orson Welles. There are so many others."
Watch it here. You may recall that PTA even worked with Affleck very briefly back in 2000. Around that time PTA was hanging around SNL in preparation for "Punch-Drunk Love" and directed a short called FANatic (which was a parody of the MTV series) the week that Affleck was hosting. (His girlfriend at the time, Fiona Apple, was that week's musical guest.)

In other news, critic Glenn Kenny recently pointed us towards this article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer about late night horror host Ghoulardi (PTA's father Ernie Anderson) commemorating the 50th anniversary of his first broadcast. There's also a sidebar featuring some nice quotes from Paul. He talks about watching movies with his dad and that he's thought about setting a film in that era of the early days of local television.
"From time to time I've thought about making a film about that era of local TV and the kind of Wild West lawlessness and the things that could happen. When my dad was doing it, it wasn't national, it was local. And it felt like lunch time was drinking time and you could come back to work totally hammered." 
That sounds like something I'd definitely like to see. How about you?

Did you read Our Guide To The Deleted Scenes Of 'The Master'?

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD.
Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Mark Duplass ♥'s ‘The Master,' Shouts Out Annapurna Pictures


Esquire had a chat with actor/filmmaker Mark Duplass (from FX's "The League" and the very underrated "Safety Not Guaranteed") who spoke about his favorite film of 2012, "The Master." Duplass had some very kind words for the film and financiers Annapurna Pictures (who also produced "Zero Dark Thirty" where the actor appears briefly).
"I'm a big fan of Joaquin Phoenix, and I feel like he unfortunately took a little bit of a beating after I'm Still Here. I love that movie. And I think maybe he went a little crazy, too. I've been waiting for his return, and I just loved his physicality, the gnarled shoulders. He has that really brute sensitivity to him that I just really appreciated."
"I went in headlong for The Master this year. As a filmmaker, I'm getting more and more picky about what I like, which is probably why I watch more documentaries than anything else. But there's something about movies like The Master. I knew that movie wasn't going to 100-percent add up. I expected this really inspired, almost tone poem of a movie with fantastic performances, and that's exactly what I got out of it. The plotting was subordinated to the tone and the performances, which in general, I think, makes for a bad movie, but for some reason, in this case, I was like, Oh, this really works. It's a true mood piece, and I just love it.
"It's the antithesis of how I make movies, which is great. All I'm doing is trying to get an ugly-looking close-up. As long as that person is emoting and giving me something funny and sad at the same time, I'm happy. Literally paying zero attention to the picturesque beauty of the scene.
"I am obsessed with Megan Ellison. She runs this company, Annapurna Pictures, and what she is doing for movies right now... She's making true upscale adult dramas, which nobody's doing anymore: Killing Them Softly and Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty and The Master. I'm very, very thankful for Annapurna Pictures this year. The Master is going to lose money, and she doesn't give a shit. She's going to make more movies like that. And that sort of punk-rock spirit with the power that she has is exactly what we need in cinema right now."
Amen. We will remind you now that Annapurna will also be financing "Inherent Vice" as well as 2013 films by Spike Jonze, Bennett Miller, David O. Russell and Harmony Korine and are pretty much the bees knees all around. Duplass & Annapurna are both on Twitter, so follow them if you're so inclined.

We also posted two new interviews with PTA from the last few weeks that slipped through the cracks including brief chats with Deadline and Le Point (the film opened in France this week). Speaking of France, Richard Brody in the New Yorker has posted a fabulous essay about the film and how its more ambiguous aspects will probably play better for French cineastes than they did for American general audiences. Definitely worth a read.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD.
Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

‘The Master' Nominated For 3 Oscars Incl. Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress


Academy Award nominations were announced this morning and "The Master" received a total of 3 nominations for its entire central cast.
Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix)
Best Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman)
Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams)
Update:  Amy Adams spoke to Variety about the film's nominations and had some very wise words in regards to the film's legacy.
 When it comes to her co-stars in "The Master," four-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams is a woman of faith.
"The performances are so unique and transcendent really," Adams said of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix. "I'd work with Philip on every film if I could."
The actress, who juggled Oscar reaction interviews and a crying baby Thursday morning ("Sorry! Two-year olds!"), thinks Paul Thomas Anderson's religion-themed drama will be "just as brilliant 10 years down the road," best picture nomination or not. She hopes the Oscar attention will encourage more people to see the pic, or give it a second chance in some cases.
"The way that Paul crafts characters, everything speaks to his skill as a filmmaker," Adams said. "I hope people revisit it."
Huge congratulations to everyone who worked on the film. The film joins "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia" which were also nominated for 3 Oscars. For those who are disappointed that PTA and more of the crew weren't recognized for their effort, "Looper" director Rian Johnson said it best back in September...
I highly doubt an Oscar has a chance of earning The Master this year. But who knows, maybe if the academy made a big publicity push.
And as I said on Twitter the other day, awards are great & certainly anything that brings attention to the film is a good thing. But they won't affect which films are remembered. Basically it's nice when they get it right. When they don't, it doesn't really change anything. The films that stand the test of time, will.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD.
Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

From Script To Screen: A Guide To The Deleted/Missing Scenes In ‘The Master'



I've been meaning to dig into this for quite some time and thanks to our friends at The Playlist, found a larger venue for this project which we're excited to finally unveil for you guys. From Script To Screen: Your Guide To All The Deleted/Missing Scenes In ‘The Master' is exactly what it sounds like, an overview of many differences between the screenplay and final film. In an effort to keep it at a manageable length, this is really just a primer for the many differences between the two versions and a perfect companion piece to Our Guide To The Deleted Scenes From 'The Master' Teasers & Trailers. The Weinstein Company recently posted the WGA nominated screenplay on their website so this seemed like as good a time as any to dive in. I had refrained from reading the screenplay until after seeing the film but when I finally did, found it fascinating to see how "The Master" evolved from the version on the page.  

Joaquin Phoenix described PTA's process back in September, "Paul will write many, many scenes that won’t make it into the movie," saying that PTA doesn't worry about continuity, is open to improvisation and often scenes that might take up one-eighth of a page can shoot for a day and a half. Though we already noted how much of the footage from the teasers & trailers didn’t make it into the final film -- an intentional move by PTA and editor Leslie Jones to give of the flavor of the film without actually spoiling it -- the screenplay also takes significant detours from the final film with entire deleted sequences, subplots and dialogue that radically alter the DNA of the piece. While some moments in the screenplay now seem extraneous, by excising certain scenes PTA has changed the nature of various relationships between the characters and obscured certain aspects of the story that were made clearer in the text as you’ll see below. It should go without saying but this contains major spoilers and should only be read after you've seen the film.

Read it here.

Have you read the screenplay? Which deleted scene would you most like to have seen included in the film? Sound off in the comments.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD.
Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Robert Downey Jr. Still Attached To ‘Inherent Vice'; Charlize Theron Possibly Joining As Film Gears Up

Wow, well this certainly comes as a surprise. According to Showbiz 411 (via The Playlist) things are already gearing up for PTA's adaptation of "Inherent Vice." The article states the obvious (that 'Vice' will be PTA's next film & Annapurna are once again financing), the unconfirmed (that Robert Downey Jr. who had originally been pegged to star is still attached) and drops one new casting rumor: that Charlize Theron may be joining the film as well. See below:
There were a lot of internet rumors and some clues over the last week. Now I can confirm that Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film will be an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Inherent Vice.” And also, it does like Robert Downey, Jr. and perhaps Charlize Theron will be the stars, with more names coming. After disappointing box office on “The Master,” PTA is said to be interested in having a moneymaker.

I can tell you that the brilliant and relatively young Megan Ellison is going to produce via her Annapurna Productions. Ellison is also busy prepping David O. Russell’s next one, “American Bullshit,” with Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale and, obviously, a new title.

Pynchon is notoriously reclusive. The legendary author of “Gravity’s Rainbow” and “V” has lived for years right here in New York, married to literary agent Melanie Jackson. He’s our J.D. Salinger, meaning no one ever sees him. (Other writers like this include Thomas Harris, the creator of Hannibal Lecter, who lives in Sag Harbor, and Harper Lee, who used to be in New York and is now down south in what I’m told may be assisted living.)

Pynchon did narrate a video for “Inherent Vice” which can be –and has been–found on You Tube. I’m told he thinks very highly of Anderson, who’s met with him a lot. “Pynchon only wants Paul to make this movie,” says a source. And we do too. More: “It’s closer to Boogie Nights than any of his other films.”
Though the article is a bit sketchy as far as unconfirmed sources go, back in December PTA did name Charlize as one of the actors/actresses he'd most like to work with it wouldn't surprise us if it ends up being true. "Charlize Theron I think is dynamite.  She's so great," he told Sirius naming her alongside Jim Carrey, Robert DeNiro, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Michael Shannon. So maybe don't be surprised if any of their names pop up for roles either... We must say that it's pretty thrilling that "The Master" hasn't even opened in certain territories yet (or landed on Blu-ray) and we're already talking about the next project. Any readers who have read the novel want to guess on who Charlize might be playing? Sound off in the comments but no spoilers please.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD.
Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Monday, January 07, 2013

Interview: Le Point (French Translation)

Paul Thomas Anderson: "Forget Scientology, The Master is a love story"
Source: Le Point

Note: This interview was translated from French to English with the help of reader Nassim Kezoui.

The Master with his first film since There Will Be Blood sumptuous (2007), Paul Thomas Anderson returns in great shape. Fed on early readings of Scientology, he invented Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a suave mentor which closely resembles L. Ron Hubbard in certain details of his teaching as his life. Facing him, Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), an ex-GI strong disrupted by the trauma of the Second World War. Them enters into a confrontation which is also a fascinating duel of actors at their peak.


Saturday, January 05, 2013

‘The Master' Wins Big With The National Society Of Film Critics

Congrats to "The Master" crew for winning big this afternoon with the National Society Of Film Critics. Amy Adams and Mihai Malaimare Jr. took home top honors for Best Supporting Actress and Best Cinematography respectively while the film was a runner-up for Best Picture, Best Director (PTA), Best Screenplay (PTA), Best Actor (Joaquin Phoenix) and second runner-up for Best Supporting Actor (Philip Seymour Hoffman). (via Awards Daily)
BEST PICTURE
*1. Amour (Sony Classics) – 28
2. The Master – 25
3. Zero Dark Thirty – 18

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Michael Haneke (Amour) – 27
2. Kathryn Bigelow – 24
2. Paul Thomas Anderson – 24

BEST ACTOR
*1. Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln – 59 (Dreamworks/Touchstone)
2. Denis Lavant – 49
2. Joaquin Phoenix – 49

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
*1.  Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike (Warner Bros.), Bernie (Millennium Entertainment) – 27
2. Tommy Lee Jones – 22
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman – 19

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*1. Amy Adams – The Master (The Weinstein Co.) – 34
2. Sally Field – 23
3. Anne Hathaway – 13

BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. Lincoln (Dreamworks/Touchstone) – Tony Kushner – 59
2. The Master (P.T. Anderson)– 27
3.  Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell) – 19

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. Master (Mihai Malaimare, Jr. ) – 60
2. Skyfall (Roger Deakins) – 30
UPDATE 1/7: According to Criticwire Paul has also been awarded the Best Director prize by the Online Film Critics Society with Philip Seymour Hoffman taking Best Supporting Actor. Nice!

Check out all the film's nominations & wins here.

Oscar nominations are announced this Thursday. Which nominations do you think the film will pick up? Sound off in the comments.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD.
Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Friday, January 04, 2013

WGA Nominates ‘The Master' For Best Original Screenplay


Congrats to Paul who was nominated this morning by the Writers Guild of America for Best Original Screenplay for "The Master." Check out the full list of nominations below (via The Playlist):
Best Original Screenplay
John Gatins - "Flight"
Rian Johnson - "Looper"
Paul Thomas Anderson - "The Master"
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola - "Moonrise Kingdom"
Mark Boal - "Zero Dark Thirty"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Chris Terrio - "Argo"
David Magee - "Life of Pi"
Tony Kushner - "Lincoln"
Stephen Chbosky - "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
David O. Russell - "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Documentary Screenplay
Sarah Burns, David McMahon, Ken Burns - "The Central Park Five"
Kirby Dick - "The Invisible War"
Alex Gibney - "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence In the House of God"
Malik Bendejelloul - "Searching For Sugar Man"
Brian Knappenberger - "We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivisits"
Amy Berg & Billy McMillin - "West of Memphis"
Check out all the film's nominations & wins here.

Speaking of The Playlist, I've been working on a lengthy piece on the film for that outlet which should be very interesting to our readers. Stay tuned.

Pre-order "The Master" on Blu-ray or DVD.
Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.