There Will Be Blood (2007)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson

Writers (WGA):

Paul Thomas Anderson (screenplay)
Upton Sinclair (novel)

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

When Ambition Meets Faith

Plot:

A story about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.

Plot Keywords:

Oil | Land | Prospector | California | Money

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 54 wins & 51 nominations

Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Daniel Plainview
Martin Stringer	...	Silver Assay Worker
Matthew Braden Stringer	...	Silver Assay Worker
Jacob Stringer	...	Silver Assay Worker
Joseph Mussey	...	Silver Assay Worker
Barry Del Sherman	...	H.B. Ailman
Harrison Taylor	...	Baby H.W. Plainview
Stockton Taylor	...	Baby H.W. Plainview
Paul F. Tompkins	...	Prescott
Dillon Freasier	...	Young H.W. Plainview
Kevin Breznahan	...	Signal Hill Man
Jim Meskimen	...	Signal Hill Married Man
Erica Sullivan	...	Signal Hill Woman
Randall Carver	...	Mr. Bankside
Coco Leigh	...	Mrs. Bankside

Also Known As:

Oil! (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence.

Runtime:

158 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | American Sign Language

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Ireland:15A | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Germany:12 (f) | Netherlands:16 | South Africa:16LV | USA:R (certificate #43414) | Brazil:14 | Australia:M | UK:12A (original rating) | UK:15 (re-rating on appeal) | Norway:15 | Czech Republic:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | New Zealand:R13 | Denmark:15 | Sweden:15 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Hong Kong:IIA | Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Taiwan:R-12 | Greece:K-13 | France:U (with warning) | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Austria:16

Filming Locations:

El Mirage Dry Lake, California, USA

Company:

Ghoulardi Film Company

Trivia:

Several characters seen or mentioned in ‘There Will Be Blood’ seem to have been based on real life historical figures. Though his name is never spoken during the film, Plainview's business partner and H. W.'s biological father, H. B. Ailman, shares the name of a real life prospector and oilman who was active during the turn of the century and associates with oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny, of whom Daniel Plainview seems to have been partly based. The two Standard Oil representatives "H. M. Tilford" and "J. J. Carter" who meet with Plainview are based on real-life oilmen: Henry Morgan Tilford was once vice-president of the Standard Oil Company during the turn of the century, while John Joyce Carter's Carter Oil Company was incorporated and subsidized by Standard Oil (New Jersey) in the 1890s. At one point in the film, the name "A. C. Maude" is stated as a property holder in Little Boston; the real life A. C. Maude was a prominent community member of Bakersfield, California during the late 1800s; Bakersfield is located in Kern County, where over 80% of California's oil wells are found. The name "Redlick" is also stated as a nearby Little Boston property holder; Joseph Redlick was also a prominent community member of Bakersfield during the early 1900s.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A fireside scene reveals Plainview's boot to have a waffle sole. The waffle sole was not invented nor used until the early-mid 70's.

Quotes:

HW's Interpreter, George: [speaking for deaf H.W] I'd prefer to speak to you in private.
Plainview: You can't speak. So why don't you flap your hands about and have what's-his-name tell me where you've been. Or do you think I don't know?
HW's Interpreter, George: This is hard for me to say. I'll tell you first: I love you very much. I've learned to love what I do because of you. I'm leaving here. I'm going to Mexico. I'm taking Mary, and I'm going to Mexico. I miss working outside. I miss the fields. It'll only be for a time, for me to do my own drilling, and start my own company. It's time to make a change.
Plainview: This makes you my competitor.
HW's Interpreter, George: No. No, it's not like that.
Plainview: It is like that, boy... Your own company, huh? In Mexico... You're making such a misstep. So, what are you doing?
HW's Interpreter, George: I know you and I have disagreed over many things. I'd rather keep you as my father, than my partner.
Plainview: Then say it! You got something to say to me then say it, I'd like to hear you speak instead of your little dog, woof woof woof woof woof woof woof!
H.W. Plainview - Older: I'm going to Mexico with my wife. I'm going away from you.
Plainview: That wasn't so hard, was it? You're killing us with what you're doing. You're killing my image of you as my son.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Bodysong (2003)

Soundtrack:

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

A film that will leave film-goers pondering for a long time

PT Anderson delivers perhaps his best work with "There Will Be Blood". Unlike "Magnolia", the film's daunting runtime is not very daunting whilst watching it. All acting in the film was solid, even the work of the child actors. Daniel Day-Lewis in particular delivered a truly phenomenal performance, capturing the power of greed, fear, insanity, and comedy simultaneously, at many points throughout the film. At no point does the time period distract from the power of the film. Sometimes period pieces cannot be appreciated because they delve too deep into historical details -- turning the experience into more of a documentary than a narrative set in the past. This is not the case for "There Will Be Blood", as human interactions are the focus of the film. Johnny Greenwood's chilling score is very strong, benefiting from the elegant minimalism that he show's in the band Radiohead. The cinematography is also spectacular. Robert Elswit beautifully captures the essence of the environment and the tension amongst the characters. All in all, this is truly a perfectly crafted film.