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Despite scattered love for Magnolia and a thread on Punch Drunk Love, there's never been a thread all about Paul Thomas Anderson here on the 'lith, so here it is.
I just saw Hard Eight for the first time, and, even though it's not as good as Boogie Nights and Magnolia, it's still a really well made film, with great character development. Anderson has a way of framing shots that makes everything feel exciting, and even early on, his use of music is extraordinary. I loved the way the film is basically a microcosm of the parent-child relationship. Sydney creates a new John, watches him grow up, and at the end has to let him go for his own good. He's left alone again, basically with an empty nest, a parent whose children have left him, because John doesn't really need him anymore.
Other than a lot of the actors, I'd argue the biggest constant running through his films is the idea that kindness really can save people. Despite all the cynical touches, at the heart of every one of his films is a kind act that prevents a person from falling into drugs or crime or other bad stuff. In Hard Eight, it's the beginning, when Sydney takes John under his wing. In Boogie Nights, Jack forgives Dirk, and brings him back to his "family," saving him. In Magnolia, basically every character is saved by the kindness of another, most notably Jim and Claudia. Each of these people has their lives completely changed because someone cared enough to help them.
So, any other themes that run through PTA's work, and what's the general opinion of his films around here? |
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