Cheap Cds - There Will Be Blood (2 disc Special Edition) [2007]

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Customer Rating:

Summary: IF ONLY KINSKI WERE ALIVE
Comment: This is the sort of film Hertzog & Kinski would have made together. It has an echo of 'Fitzcarraldo'
and 'Aguirre, the Wrath of God'; if you like these films, watch this, but be prepared for a
disappointment. If Hertzog & Kinski had made it they could have carried the theme, added the dark
spark which might have made this work. There was an actual point in this film where I thought "Its
broken!" and fall apart it did. As it is you get some grand cinema and an adequate central
performance. The two disc version is poor on extras. There are no commentaries, which is really the
only reason to buy 'Special editions' of this sort.

Customer Rating:

Summary: There Will Be Blood- Two Disc Edition
Comment: 'There Will Be Blood' brings us Daniel Day-Lewis in a masterly performance following the life of an
oil prospector and the relationships he forges and ruins. Some of the first things to strike me were
how this film is beautifully directed with marvelous use of light and shadow and how the soundtrack
helps keep things on edge with various percussive elements and discordant notes. But the key to this
film really is Day-Lewis' performance and the whole film rests on his portrayal of Daniel Plainview,
never has a film rested so strongly on one actors supreme work. This film doesn't have any real
resolution, although some parts are tied up, but this looks at the overall life of this brutal and
savage man as he exploits both community and nature for his gains in oil. At 2 and 1/2 hours it did
begin to feel a touch long towards the end, but Day-Lewis manages to hold you captivated by his rich
and in-depth performance and keeps you watching until the very end. The supporting actors play their
roles well and Plainviews son was especially note-worthy. A dark tale, in both content and
execution, but one that should be watched at least once to soak up it's atmosphere, acting and
beautiful direction.

Customer Rating:

Summary: A word about character...
Comment: Some people will hate this film, others will adore it. That much is plain enough, if only from the
briefest of glimpses at the Star Ratings summary above. Those who think they will enjoy most likely
will, whilst those who don't indeed won't.

One point - several people have commented
upon Plainview's character as somewhat lacking in background and explanation. Whatever happened to
subtlety and finesse in storytelling? Like the best short stories, and indeed some of the finest
cinema of recent times, the most terrifying things are those which remain unexplained, yet are
hinted at and alluded to. There is no need to spell out his childhood, his background and his
relationships with his parents or other women (perhaps there is a reason for women playing next to
no part in this segment of Plainview's tale?). Speculate. Imagine. Do some work for yourself, you
won't be right or wrong. So often these days everyone feels the need to trace a character's actions
back to childhood traumas or broken relationships; we don't need to know exactly what happened to
Plainview before the events of the movie since the character he has become suggests it more than
likely wasn't particularly positive. Look at the relationship with the boy, with the priest; there
are certainly clues enough. The absence of a drawn out and 'all-explaining' backstory is one of the
movie's many strengths, not a flaw.

Perhaps it is the vulgar propensity for voyeuristic
'abuse-memoirs' that is to blame for this modern malaise. Perhaps it is the trend towards cheap
psychoanalysis or lazy, convenient filmmaking that can blame all manner of evils on a troubled
childhood or an abusive partner. Whatever it is, it seems a shame that enigmatic and mysterious
characters are now seen as a flaw in modern cinema.

I loved it. Almost as much as
Assassination Of Jesse James.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Study of Greed and Paranoia
Comment: More than an epic tale of an early 20th Century oilman, this is a fascinating study of the greed for
power and what it does to a man.
We meet Daniel Plainview down the bottom of a mine, exerting
himself in mind-numbingly monotonous and backbreaking work, looking for gold or silver. He is a man
willing to endure pain and humiliation to grasp more money, or more power. As he quickly moves from
gold to black gold, he becomes more powerful, and his ruthlessness and underhandedness become more
and more apparent, combined with the charisma required to persuade landowners to part with the
mineral rights of their property. We learn about how he sees other people when he adopts a boy who
he finds useful to put a kind face on his activities, and how he treats a man appears claiming to be
his half brother. The movie kicks into gear though when he meets an equally power hungry man in the
unlikely form of the young faith healer and preacher, to whom he takes a seemingly instant dislike.
With the relationships with these three characters, we see his dilemna- his power is only something
if he can pass it on, but when he sees only the worst in other people, how can he? Who will be
worthy of the three to take on his mantle..?
The style of the movie has some stunning
direction which tells us much of the story through scenes and images, rather than words, yet this is
married with an intelligent, absorbing and uncompromising script. The music is daringly inventive,
although with me the jury is out whether it is a success or a distraction.
Daniel Day-Lewis
turns in yet another 100% authentic and believable performance, creating a chilling and yet at times
charismatic character, and Paul Dano is remarkable as the young preacher.
Sure, women are
given little to no role in the story, and it is unremitting in its bleakness, at times feeling like
it has been designed to within an inch of its cinematic life. It's not going to be to everyone's
taste.. However the authenticity, stunning performances and script that demands the viewer engage in
some thought, have created what might just be a bona fide masterpiece, even with its flaws.

Customer Rating:

Summary: "I have a competition in me"
Comment: This will be a review of the film and not the extras on this two disc edition which are frankly
disappointing.Also,if this was a review about the DVD casing it would probably get one
star.Flimsy,made of cardboard and mine already has a tear in it!

Still,the movie itself
is excellent.It does seem to divide opinion with amost as many people awarding it one star as
opposed to five.But for me it is worth full marks because the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis is
fantastic.He is at times manic,almost sympathetic and nearly comic but it is rivetting and one of
the finest performances of recent years.The character of Daniel Plainview could have very easily
descended into farce,but Day-Lewis keeps things in check right to the very end.I suppose that the
story is pretty thin when you consider that it is spread over nearly three hours but it is always
compelling.

The cinematography is great also and though I wasn't sure about the music
at first,on second viewing it does fit the mood of the film very well.It is by no means a one man
show as there are many other good performances.But really this is a movie that will be remembered
for a towering piece of acting from an extremely talented artist.

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