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Strike Back Below!

Film after film, Paul Thomas Anderson has made and continues to make some of the best cinema of our time, recently adding THERE WILL BE BLOOD (which comes out on DVD Tuesday) to his already highly impressive filmography.

Paul Thomas Anderson

Genre of choice:
Drama

Filmography:
Hard Eight (1996)
Boogie Nights (1997)
Magnolia (1999)
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
There Will Be Blood (2007)

The Best

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD - Easily one of the best movies of last year (if not the decade), THERE WILL BE BLOOD was a substantial change of pace for Paul Thomas Anderson. Instead of working with a huge ensemble cast and his usual assortment of actors, he presented what can almost be considered a one-man show, with Daniel Day-Lewis owning every second of screen time given to him.

2. MAGNOLIA - Loaded with about a dozen terrific interweaving storylines, P.T. Anderson's second major ensemble piece ended up being even better than his first. His ambition is equally matched by his genius.

3. BOOGIE NIGHTS - P.T. Anderson keeps the action moving and the style flowing in this excellent ensemble piece. Who would've thought a movie about the porn industry and a guy with a giant dong would make for such a fascinating motion picture?

4. PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE - A vastly underrated and visually/aurally captivating picture that was the first film to give evidence of Adam Sandler's talents beyond the realm of dumb comedy.

The Worst

None.

Hidden Gem(s)

HARD EIGHT - Originally titled "Sydney," the feature film debut from P.T. Anderson stars Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson. It's a character-driven drama/thriller about a 60-year-old gambler who offers to show a broke young man how to survive in Vegas.

Style/Trademarks

Paul Thomas Anderson is primarily known for his use of large, ensemble casts and the interweaving stories that accompany them.

Long Takes - Anderson frequently uses long takes in his films, often with loud music playing in the background.

Themes - Here are some of the themes explored in Anderson's films, as listed by Wikipedia: familial relationships, divine fate, the serendipitous nature of love, and the role of contemporary media.

Iris In/Out Technique - This technique was used often in silent films, featuring an encircled part of the screen being surrounded by black. Anderson has used it a number of times.

Actors - Some of Anderson's regulars include: Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, William H. Macy, Luis Guzmán, and Thomas Jane.

California - Anderson has set a number of his films in the San Fernando Valley, where he grew up.

Cigarettes - All characters that smoke in Anderson's film use Camel cigarettes.

Behind the Camera

In high school, P.T. Anderson made a 30-minute mockumentary entitled "The Dirk Diggler Story," the character from which he would later base BOOGIE NIGHTS around. His short film "Cigarettes & Coffee" was screened at Sundance and received notable acclaim, helping to fund HARD EIGHT (which was an expansion of his short film).

Anderson dropped out of NYU after only two days. This decision was largely based on the 'C' grade he received after submitting some of David Mamet's work as his own.

Due to Robert Altman's age at the time and issues with insurance, P.T. Anderson was the standby director for A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION.

His all-time favorite film is NETWORK, and he's also a big fan of Adam Sandler and his movies. His biggest influences as a director include Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme.

Outside of film, Anderson has also directed numerous music videos, including one by Aimee Mann and several by Fiona Apple, who he dated. Anderson is currently in a relationship with Saturday Night Live cast member Maya Rudolph, who he also has a daughter with.

Upcoming Projects

No word yet on what Paul Thomas Anderson's next will be, but there's a rumor going around that he's contemplating doing a horror film. It'll be interesting to see if anything comes of that.

Overall

A master of his craft, Paul Thomas Anderson is one of Hollywood's greatest contemporary filmmakers. The only thing left to see is if this streak of excellence will continue for years to come or eventually hit an anticlimactic end, like so many other directors before him. Not to jinx anything, but, for once, I think we can all rest easy.

What are your favorite/least favorite Paul Thomas Anderson films? Submit your choices in the Strike Back section below!