THE MASTER (2012) P.T. Anderson's film on the origions of Scientology (sort of), Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, and Laura Dern

i put "sort of" in the thread title

i love how authentically of the period joaquim looks. i think its the gauntness that does it, he usually looks fleshier

oh yeah i wasn't targeting that at you grady, just curious as to whether the scientology thing is just a red herring.

on a separate note, the amount of brilliantined hair in popular culture is off the scale lately.

surprised by quite how thinly veiled it is going by that trailer

i love how authentically of the period joaquim looks. i think its the gauntness that does it, he usually looks fleshier

― Black_vegeta (Hungry4Ass), Friday, 20 July 2012 10:03 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah otm - it isn't a kinda guy-with-his-hair-gelled thing. the exterior shots of him walking around look so photographic & well-coloured, too.

Seems to me it's only very loosely based on scientology? Ie, a religion is created after ww2.

― Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Friday, 20 July 2012 07:51 (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ehh i think PSH reading off a list of characteristics, & the focus on specifically eligible individuals is p OTM for scientology. this should be rad, like PSH as an unerring intense outsider is almost too perfect for him but it could be his weird gatsby moment.

Yeah it's pretty much dropping signifiers re: L. Ron and crew left and right, so it's not really loosely based at all -- that one moment with Hoffman's character's son talking about making it up as he goes along further helped seal the deal; L. Ron Jr. looks amazingly like his dad, which they were clearly going for there, and split from his father's path decades ago.

But what's nice is that, as far as I know, Phoenix's character isn't based on anyone in specific -- it gives Anderson obvious and necessary flexibility, as well as letting he and Phoenix take whatever specific path they want with him.

It's not about Scientology like The Crucible is not about the red scare

agree with everyone - this looks very promising

amy adams is so good

it's about scientology the way bill & ted's excellent adventure is about world history

I can't wait.

have my issues with PTA, but holy shit that looks gorgeous

i think i like anderson's movies more than i think i do, but i'm not sure how much more. looking forward to this.

yeah that trailer is pretty damn compelling, but given my track record with PTA there is a strong chance i will come out feeling cheated. i hope it is not just an arrhythmic series of extended method workouts like much of TWBB.

"i think i like anderson's movies more than i think i do"

o_O

;-)

Sounds like it's very closely modeled on Hubbard/Scientology indeed, according to ex-Scn dude: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/07/19/is-the-master-based-on-scientology-and-l-ron-hubbard.html"> http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/07/19/is-the-master-based-on-scientology-and-l-ron-hubbard.html.

Shit. Sorry.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/youll-be-able-to-see-the-master-a-month-earlier-no,83074/

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

! ! ! so pumped

aww, it's like a tiny present for working 15-hour days this weekend.

that sort of schedule move (i.e. anything away from november/december in either direction) could just as easily be a sign of lack of confidence in its box office/awards

i think in this case it's just weinstein redistributing their own films so the release of this and killing them softly don't clash

but yeah, the sooner the better afaict

been looking forward to killing them softly too, but it doesnt even have a trailer yet

"an ultra-stylish but otherwise vacuous genre movie about a criminal called in to kill some criminals who stole from the wrong criminals"

sold

vacuousity is a virtue in some films for sure. Better than grasping desperately for substance.

Based on previous clips and now that full trailer, this looks fucking incredible. Can't see any practical way this will get a 65mm showing round here, but I live in hope.

can't wait "to see Paul Thomas Anderson and Philip Seymour Hoffman tear pseudo-religion a new one"

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/master-added-toronto-film-festival-lineup-49936

Asked whether the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes divorce had an impact on moving up the release date, the source close to the film said, "Well, it sure as hell helps."

I don't keep up with David Thomson very well, so I missed this from a while back: he sort of reviewed the two trailers.

http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/104329/paul-thomas-anderson-the-master-trailers-scientology-film

98.

Can someone identify the song that plays toward the end of the official trailer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjDqMftHbKI&hd=1

I don't keep up with David Thomson very well, so I missed this from a while back: he sort of reviewed the two trailers.

I like Thomson, but those were really no more than beat by beat descriptions of the trailers. Which is weird, because the trailers were right there. Curious.

Mostly description, yes--just so unusual for a critic even to pay any mind to trailers. Clearly he found them impressive.

Reading Bare-Faced Messiah to prepare for this, it's hilarious

Ain't it great? I should dip in again.

His ever-growing list of ailments as he tries again and again to cadge disability payments out of the VA is hysterical ... all of which are suddenly cured thanks to his Scientific Revelations

http://i48.tinypic.com/23r1ee8.jpg

nice

love that

http://www.slashfilm.com/the-master-early-buzz-sneak-la-screening-yields-advance-raves/

Here’s why you should go out to the movies on a Friday evening: last night at the Aero, in Santa Monica, audiences who turned up to see The Shining were told that Kubrick’s movie would be followed by a surprise double-feature. That second film was Paul Thomas Anderson‘s The Master, and it was projected in 70mm.

What a cool move on Anderson’s part — not a test screening, but just a low-key surprise for people who were in the right place at the right time. (This is a bit like his choice to premiere There Will Be Blood at Fantastic Fest, when that festival was a lot smaller.) Opinions are starting to filter out about the movie, and while they’re largely from people we don’t know — so we don’t know their taste in film in general — there are some comments that you’ll probably want to read.

In Contention was first on the scene with a report of the screening, so thanks to them right off the bat.

Jeff Wells got an email from someone named “Bobfilm” who was at the screening, and he printed the most useful take on it so far:

I’m still digesting everything I saw, but it was pretty amazing. It was like a strange fever dream. (But) not audience friendly AT ALL. An ambiguous ending and not one likable character. And without any ‘milkshake’ lines, it probably won’t have the breakthrough that There Will Be Blood had… There are three or four scenes between Phoenix and Hoffman that are barn burners. It also containts the best work Amy Adams has ever done… Phoenix WILL win Best Actor unless Daniel Day Lewis blows us away with (his) Lincoln performance. This is Raging Bull territory for him. Believe it or not, his performance is stranger than that fake doc he made.

And The Playlist collected tweets from 16-year-old cinephile Victor Escobar:

“Don’t want to say more than a few words about it but it is an all around excellent film. I’ve yet to see one bad PSH performance but this one may be his best. 2hrs 10 min. Will get nods for Picture. Good chance of winning original screenplay and acting awards. If it were me, I’d put them both in the Best Actor category but if one them is getting the supporting nod, its Hoffman. It will have its fair share of detractors and its not a “safe” choice. If you guys can, see The Master in 70 mm. Looked gorgeous and its the way P.T Anderson wants you to see it. “

Here are some more tweet reactions, some of which are, sadly, also obsessed with predicting whether or not the film will win awards:

@TotallySketch “Just saw ‘The Master’. A movie has never made me feel quite like this one did. I can’t describe it or even rate it. I am speechless.”

@aaldere1 “The Master was amazing. Oscars all over this one.”

@LoganDoe “@prfessorbigsock Hoffman is one of the finest actors alive. The Master is (more) proof. #themaster”

@pillowfightin “@cigsandredvines Saw The Master in 70mm at the Aero Santa Monica. Surprise screening after The Shining. Its like nothing yvever seen before.”

@jessecrall “The Master: B+ hazy, meandering story with beautiful staging and headed by Phoenix’s brilliant, year’s-best performance. @kristapley”

@Super_Matts “THE MASTER is…interesting…I’ll be thinking about it for days #THEMASTER70MM J Phoenix and P S Hoffman are out of this world”

The official premiere of The Master will be in Venice on September 1st, then it will hit TIFF, and go into in limited release on September 14th with expansion to follow.

And without any ‘milkshake’ lines, it probably won’t have the breakthrough that There Will Be Blood had

Anderson you fool

No drainage? Count me out!

"we like it Paul...but where are the catchphrases? We need something to hang the merchandising on"

"I.....Eat....Your....THETANS.....I EAT THEM UP!"

but will it win any oscars??????

If you guys were the inventors of Scientology, you'd have invented Scientology.

#themaster

if there is no catchphrase scene I'm gonna be so damn happy

it puts the xenu in the basket