Phantom Thread (2017)

[SamT]

Title: Phantom Thread (2017)

Genre: Drama, Romance

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Release: 2017-12-25

Runtime: 130

Plot: Renowned British dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock comes across Alma, a young, strong-willed woman, who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover.

Daniel Day-Lewis' final screen performance

Set in the fashion world of 1950s London, a dress-maker is commissioned to design for members of high society and the royal family.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson
Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Camilla Rutherford

IMDb

 

[TravisR]

I'll see any and every movie that Paul Thomas Anderson makes.

 

[dpippel]

I'll see any and every movie that Daniel Day-Lewis is in.

 

[Bryan^H]

-Best picture
-Best Director
-Best Actor

I sense it.

 

[skylark68]

I'm sure this will be excellent, I love both the actor and the director. However, didn't DDL state he was retiring (again)?

 

[TravisR]

However, didn't DDL state he was retiring (again)?

That was after he finished shooting this movie.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

This is obviously one of the films I am most looking forward to this year. Basically, Anderson and Day-Lewis are a pretty amazing combo so this is bound to be great stuff. I am also curious because Anderson acted as DP on the film as well so should be interesting to see how that looks.

This looks like a film about a tumultuous relationship and Day-Lewis is said to be at the top of his game in this film. So, should be quite a ride.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Okay, I'll kick off the discussion for this since I know it will illicit much discussion.

Who knew I'd really get into a movie about a fastidious dress designer. But it is excellent.

A most unusual love story is all I need to say, no spoilers there.

But here's a spoiler take to talk about once you've seen it.... Don't peek until then.

Spoiler

So the movie ends and my wife is... WTF!? But to me it's pretty simple. Reynolds is a major major control freak to the point where his muse Alma feels left out and upset to the point where she poisons him into a submissive state. The roles reverse. She takes care of him. He recovers. He eventually reverts back to his control freak ways. She gets some more mushrooms. That last long stare they share while she's cooking them tells you everything. He stares at her cooking and has figured out how he got sick before.... but he's okay with it. He eats the mushrooms. He will become a helpless submissive again. That's it. That's their relationship.

It's not an unusual dynamic. Well, the poison is, of course. But the idea that a powerful control freak wants to at times revert to helpless and cared for? Not that crazy. I've heard a LOT crazy stories about some powerful control freaks in Hollywood. And I get a very strong feeling Paul Thomas Anderson has written and directed something quite autobiographical here. What director isn't a control freak? And we know from his topics and films he must be. But in between, what is the desire but to be the one completely at someone else's mercy. Fits. That's why I think it's just a beautiful and unusual love story. What do you think?

 

[Jake Lipson]

I've heard this is *supposed* to go wide on January 19, but my local theater isn't booking it until January 26 unfortunately, which means I won't be able to see it prior to Oscar nominations on January 23. (I'll know I'll still be able to see it well before the awards themselves are handed out, but over the last few years I have actually seen the vast majority of the big contenders in advance of the nominations, so the delay on this one is a little annoying.)

Anyway, I'm no t really going to post much else in this thread until then, but wanted to pop in now and say that I'm really glad to hear you liked it, Wayne. Thanks for the good words about it.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm very much looking forward to seeing this. I actually had the time after work and had been thinking about it during the day, but my local theaters closed early due to weather. But it's in 70mm in at least one place here and I think that would be cool to see, hopefully in the next week or so.

The nice thing about these non-tentpole films during this season is that they seem to last more than one or two weeks. Starting slow and expanding, rather than opening huge and shrinking.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I think word of mouth will be very kind to this film and a gentle roll-out is exactly the right approach since it is so off the usual cliche commercial path (thank goodness), but it will be controversial.

And I just wanted to add that if this is indeed Daniel Day Lewis' last film, he's going out in spectacular fashion. You've never seen an actor more into his role (well except for his previous films) to the point where, notice when he's sewing dresses his fingers are completely calloused and scarred from the needles. Such perfect little touches throughout the film.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

I saw this last night.....

I've been a huge PTA fan for 20 years now and he's one of the few directors that I will go out of my way to make sure I don't miss his films in the theater. His films always wind up somewhere in my Top 10 of the year they are released. However, not since Magnolia in 1999 have I felt he made the best film of the year.....until now.

I went in not knowing much about the story and expected I would probably enjoy the film. I wasn't expecting to be totally blown away, but I was. I knew Daniel Day-Lewis would be great, but Vicky Krieps put in an absolutely mesmerizing performance.

At times, the film feels more Bergman or Kubrick than PTA. I don't say that lightly. It's seriously the first film since Eyes Wide Shut where I've felt those same vibes. Perhaps that's just me and others won't get that out of it, but I certainly did.

Also, I can't say enough about Jonny Greenwood's score. I'm definitely going to purchase it.

PTA hit this one out of the park. After two films that I enjoyed but wasn't blown away by (Inherent Vice and The Master), it was nice to leave the theater in a total state of awe.

 

[Robert Crawford]

What's the basic premise of this film about?

 

[Jeff Adkins]

What's the basic premise of this film about?

Daniel Day-Lewis plays a dressmaker (perhaps there's a better word to describe it) for high society types in 1950s England. Vicky Krieps plays a waitress that he meets at the restaurant she works at and the film is centered upon their relationship. I can't really say much more than that without giving too much away.

It just opened here in Indianapolis, but it's supposed to be everywhere on the 19th.

 

[Jeff Adkins]

Ugh........looks like there is no CD available for the soundtrack. It's streaming only.

 

[Thomas Newton]

Ugh........looks like there is no CD available for the soundtrack. It's streaming only.

iTunes has the soundtrack available for purchase in electronic download form. So does Amazon (even though their search results emphasize their streaming service more than the MP3 download form).

But yes, Amazon lists the aluminum, pressed CD as "Currently unavailable".

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Daniel Day-Lewis plays a dressmaker (perhaps there's a better word to describe it) for high society types in 1950s England.

The proper term would probably be a couturier, but he's more of a dress designer than a dressmaker. He's got a team of women that actually make the dresses, though he does like to sew in his little touches.

 

[Carlo_M]

I just saw this with a female friend last night at the Hollywood Arclight in 70mm. I will try to be as spoiler free as possible since this apparently hasn't gone wide yet.

First, the presentation was marvelous. The print was in very good shape and the setup was first rate.

Second, I went in actually not knowing it was a PTA film. Odd, but even thought I'm a big fan of his, he tends to disappear off the radar for years at a time and I am not one of those who closely follows what he's doing in between films. My friend went in as a big DDL fan but she had no idea who PTA was. She was under the impression based on trailers this would be a period romance. I had not seen any trailers for this film, and again until I googled it while we were buying tickets I didn't realize it was PTA.

I probably should have warned her and made us see a different film. For those who are PTA fans, this movie is him in fine form.

For those, like my friend, who were expecting a typical period piece romance...let's just say she hated it. And felt "bamboozled" (her word) by the trailer. I thought it was exactly what I'd expect from a PTA film. Well acted, well directed, beautiful staging, smart dialogue. But as with all PTA, there are some very complex human emotions at play here, and some very twisted codependent relationships. My friend even asked "why the hell is it even called Phantom Thread?" to which I replied, "I believe it's an allegory...referring to the hidden thread that ties lives together, and in this case, the lives of the 3 principal characters."

Yeah. I had to have that conversation. Normally I might say this is a divisive film. But I think it may not be, because most people who see it will be PTA fans and thus won't be as surprised as my friend was. For those who are not fans of PTA, I'm not sure how much traction this film will get.

For those who are near the 70mm showings, it's worth your time to go to see it in that format.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

"...the hidden thread that ties lives together.." Well put. Exactly.

 

[Carlo_M]

Funny side story, my female friend who hated this film is an Art History major. Between her sensibilities and mine, I would have expected her to be more into these types of films but I think she doesn't like it when human emotions get too raw and complex. I think it maybe strikes a bit close to home for her, as I think she shares just a few traits with DDL's character.

She also hated Paterson, which I loved. Go figure.