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There Will Be Blood (Single Disc Edition) [2007]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk

If there's a screen performance in 2008 that comes anywhere near to matching Daniel Day-Lewis' Oscar-winning turn in There Will Be Blood, then we've come nowhere near to seeing it. A tour-de-force of acting and a career high for Day-Lewis, it's the highlight of an extraordinary, really quite daring piece of cinema.

That said, we've come to expect nothing less from writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson, the man who previously brought us Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch Drunk Love. However, he's really topped himself in terms of ambition with There Will Be Blood, an adaptation of Upton Sinclair's book, Oil! It follows Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis) who, when we first meet him in the film's silent opening is attempting to mine silver, before he discovers oil and slowly builds up an empire off the back of it. There Will Be Blood then follows his rise to power, given the vast riches that his oil brings him, concurrently exploring his relationship with his son. It proves to be a long, complex, stunning piece of work.

There's little room in There Will Be Blood for much more than the sheer power of Day-Lewis' performance, but credit Paul Dano (last seen saying an awful lot less in Little Miss Sunshine) for attempting to go toe-to-toe with the leading man. He's a foil of sorts for Plainview, playing a man as troubled and torn as Day-Lewis' character, and it's a career high to date for the young actor. The film, too, is a match for anything Paul Thomas Anderson has done to date, and that's some achievement.

With no easy resolution, and a degree of complexity in its characters that we all-too-rarely see from modern American films, There Will Be Blood is a challenging, at times breathtaking piece of cinema. It won't be to all tastes, and it adamantly refuses to give easy answers, but it's as daring as anything you’ll see on screen all year. And Day-Lewis' performance ranks next to any of the all-time greats that you'd care to mention. --Simon Brew



This is all about Day-Lewis.
Review date: 2008-11-25 Rating: 10 out of 10

As the credits rolled I was left feeling emotionally bruised and wondering how could I feel sympathy for such a monstrous character.
This is a character study in the mould of Raging Bull, featuring an equally compelling central performance and inspired cinematography.
Even with an above average running time, I never felt the film dragged and the end was immense. It will surely become am iconic scene.
Casual movie-goers need not apply though, this was made for people who view movies as a visceral thrill not as a way to pass the time.

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Reviews


without contrast
Review date: 2008-11-20 Rating: 2 out of 10

I wish I hadn't watched this. I kept on because I just hoped it could deliver if I persevered but it just didn't bring out the light in contrast to the dark enough. Pessimistic and very nearly totally unrelentingly dark sided. It would have been great to have some more sincere characters to contrast with the downfall of the cynical protagonist.

A great film ruined by the horrible violins playing during the whole film.
Review date: 2008-11-05 Rating: 8 out of 10

A great film ruined by the horrible violins playing during the whole film. If you buy this film turn on the English subtitles and then mute your TV. You wont miss the sound as it is not a SciFi that needs it. It is actually a really well done character based movie. You don't need the violins as the sets, costumes, acting and plot are very good. Maybe the directors cut will come out with an option to turn off those violins so that I can stand sit the whole film with the sound on.

There will be snores......
Review date: 2008-10-22 Rating: 2 out of 10

It's because it's so bad that the arty folk will tell you that it's really good and worthy. It's dreadfully slow, nobody speaks to each other and the ending is just inconclusive.

If you like films where something happens (ie if there is a storyline and some action) you'd be better of just going to bed three hours early rather than staying awake to suffer this.

If anyone buys you this, it means they don't like you.


Dissapointing plot-line
Review date: 2008-10-22 Rating: 4 out of 10

There is a lot about this movie that I liked. Contra other reviewers, I thought the acting was quite good. Daniel Day Lewis is on great form, and the rest of the cast put in sterling performances too. The cinematography, editing and directing, whilst short of breathtaking, are all of a pretty high standard as well I thought.

My main problem with this film, however, is that I found it to incredibly dull, and the characters are just not all that interesting either. By the end of the movie, when the 'big' climax comes, I cared so little about them that I felt I'd really wasted a lot of time watching this. Three hours is a long time to be bored.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Kevin J. O'Connor
Ciaran Hinds
Paul Dano
Dillon Freasier
Daniel Day-Lewis

Creators:
Daniel Day-Lewis (Primary Contributor)
Ciaran Hinds (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
EAN: 8717418170332
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-07-07
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 152 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2007

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