There Will Be Blood (2007)

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 | Greed

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 56 wins & 52 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Dec. 15

4:40 PM

TMC

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

Color:

Color

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 | Sweden:15 | Denmark: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:

Continuity: When Eli enters Daniel's office to ask about the blessing, as he starts to sit down his hands are starting to tent together, but when the camera changes his hands are at his side and when only after he sits down does he tent his fingers.

Quotes:

Plainview: [Daniel, suspicious of Henry, aims a gun at him] I want you to tell me something.
Henry Brands: What?
Plainview: What's the name of the farm next to the Hill house? What was the name of the farm next to the Hill House?
Henry Brands: I can't remember...
Plainview: Who are you?
Henry Brands: I'll leave Daniel...
Plainview: Who. Are. You?
Henry Brands: I'm no one. Just let me get up and go.
Plainview: Do I have a brother?
Henry Brands: I met a man in King City who said he was your brother. We were friends for months, working in King City... and he wanted to make his way to you, Daniel, we didn't have any money... He died of tuberculosis. He wasn't harmed, wasn't killed, nothing bad, but he told me about you and I just took his story, and used his diary... Daniel, I'm your friend... I'm not trying to hurt you, just survive...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Saturday Night Live: Tina Fey/Carrie Underwood (#33.5)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Wow

If Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't win an Oscar for this performance, there is something horribly wrong. His performance and this film were amazing. I don't give this kind of accolade out generously. I was at the screening at the Chelsea West. We waited outside in the cold and rain for a good two hours to get in there and get some good seats and I can honestly say, I would have waited double that amount of time. Enough of my rambling though. In regards to the film itself; it was very well done. The cinematography was amazing as well as the set design. As usual, PTA gives us a flawless script with terrifying, humorous, and compelling dialogue. All of the acting was spot on. Paul Dano played the role of a two-faced, maniacal, and power hungry preacher. The young man who plays H.W. Plainview was also very solid. As PTA stated during the Q&A last night, he seemed to know everything about the story and his character and seemed to be a natural. Daniel Day-Lewis. Need I say more? He was breathtaking in TWBB. Amazing is all i can say. You will need to see the film to see for yourself. Some may become bored with the film at times, which is what i gathered from the people sitting around me. I had no problem with the "slow" scenes, but the general public may have a problem grasping this film. If anything, this will be the reason if it gets snubbed at the Oscars.