There Will Be Blood [Blu-ray]

There Will Be Blood [Blu-ray] Sale

Buy There Will Be Blood [Blu-ray]. Bluray Disc

Special Price at Amazon Click to See Price

There Will Be Blood [Blu-ray] Features

• ISBN13: 0097361374208
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Unmistakably a shot at greatness, Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood succeeds in wild, explosive ways. The film digs into nothing less than the sources of peculiarly American kinds of ambition, corruption, and industry--and makes exhilarating cinema from it all. Although inspired by Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel Oil!, Anderson has crafted his own take on the material, focusing on a black-eyed, self-made oilman named Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), whose voracious appetite for oil turns him into a California tycoon in the early years of the 20th century. The early reels are a mesmerizing look at the getting of oil from the ground, an intensely physical process that later broadens into Plainview's equally indomitable urge to control land and power. Curious, diverting episodes accumulate during Plainview's rise: a mighty derrick fire (a bravura opportunity that Anderson, with the aid of cinematographer Robert Elswit, does not fail to meet), a visit from a long-lost brother (Kevin J. O'Connor), the ongoing involvement of Plainview's poker-faced adoptive son (Dillon Freasier). As the film progresses, it gravitates toward Plainview's rivalry with the local representative of God, a preacher named Eli Sunday (brimstone-spitting Paul Dano); religion and capitalism are thus presented not so much as opposing forces but as two sides of the same coin. And the worm in the apple here is less man's greed than his vanity. Anderson's offbeat take on all this--exemplified by the astonishing musical score by Jonny Greenwood--occasionally threatens to break the film apart, but even when it founders, it excites. As for Daniel Day-Lewis, his performance is Olivier-like in its grand scope and its attention to details of behavior; Plainview speaks in the rum-rich voice of John Huston, and squints with the wariness of Walter Huston. It's a fearsome performance, and the engine behind the film's relentless power. --Robert Horton


There Will Be Blood [Blu-ray] Review


Imagine "Citizen Kane" with petroleum replacing newspapers, and you have a pretty good idea of what "There Will Be Blood" is about. Whether it's a great film is debatable. But there's no question it's an absolute knockout -- for its acting, cinematography, and music.

"There Will Be Blood" is another in Hollywood's long line of left-wing "I hate American society" films. I love such movies (we need them now more than ever), especially when they attack fundamental American values such as greed, hypocrisy, materialism, and shallow religiosity. This one strikes with a Panzer division and cruise missiles.

The meaning of the title is not altogether clear. I interpret it as the second part of the statement "Whenever a great deal of money is involved, there will be blood." Take it as you like.

Though Daniel Day-Lewis's performance has been widely praised, it is, to some degree, one-note "Spock" acting with little variation in tone. Worse, he sounds as if he's channeling Jack Palance. (Other people hear John Huston.) And when Paul Dano (in an otherwise fine performance) goes into a squeally fit, he sounds like Gene Wilder groveling in front of Zero Mostel. It's surprising the director failed to catch and fix these problems, which grow increasingly irritating.

The cinematography is not irritating. "There Will Be Blood" is one of the best-photographed color films I've ever seen. I particularly like the way detail is retained in bright backgrounds, without burning them out. The music score is also exceptional, totally "wrong", yet absolutely perfect, even the use of a terrible performance of the Brahms violin concerto (Sophe-Mutter + HvK).

One obvious question might be... Given the subject matter, is "There Will Be Blood" as good as "Citizen Kane"? Nope, because the latter is (surprisingly) a far more audacious film. And Welles had the genius to add the "Rosebud" riddle, which keeps the audience interested.

Given the highly positive critical response to "There Will Be Blood", you should read a review from a right-wing critic who not only detested the film, but utterly missed its obvious (and to be fair, heavy-handed) points. Amazon doesn't permit URLs, but go to the Wikipedia article for the film and click on footnote 31, to read Armond White's review.

"There Will Be Blood" would barely rank a PG rating, if it weren't for a brutal (though not particularly graphic) murder near the end. Whether it's enough to justify an R, I don't know. But it's the kind of film teenagers /ought/ to see (especially those belonging to Young Republicans), so parents shouldn't hesitate to let them watch.

The Blu-ray transfer is magnificent, of almost-demo quality. You can buy Cheap There Will Be Blood [Blu-ray] online fast and easy, Shop Today!.

Read More Reviews & Buy the Best Price Online! >>>