MovieChat Forums > Paul Thomas Anderson Discussion > His fanbase is evaporating

His fanbase is evaporating


He was once probably the most exciting young American filmmaker post-Quentin Tarantino, and now nobody gives a damn about his movies. He thought he was being a true artist with TWBB thru Inherent Vice, but he instead embraced inconsequence and pretension as his guiding cinematic idols. Hopefully he bounces back.

reply

I was shocked he got financing for another film. I'm still not positive that the new one won't get cancelled.

reply

That's just, like, your opinion, man.
Honestly without any graphs or polls concluding this, your just stating something subjective. You and your friends may not like his films as much, but there's nothing stating that there's an "evaporating fanbase".
Some people loved Inherent Vice and hated The Master. Despite polarizing opinions, his films continue to get accolades.
Personally, I didn't really like there will be blood a whole lot, a film many adore who don't even know his filmography, yet i loved the master on first viewing.
So show some evidence outside of the opinion of a handful of overly critical film Geeks such as ourselves, and then maybe you'll have a solid stance.

reply

Do you recall how your audience responded to The Master?

reply

I was asleep by the end of that movie. So was most of the audience. Doesn't change the fact that Boogie Nights is one of the Top 10 movies of the 1990s.

reply

"Nobody" gives a damn about most of his work.

Hard Eight
Budget: $3 million | Worldwide Gross: $222,559

Boogie Nights
Budget: $15 million | Worldwide Gross: $43,101,594

Magnolia
Budget: $37 million | Worldwide Gross: $48,451,803

Punch-Drunk Love
Budget: $25 million | Worldwide Gross: $24,665,649

There Will Be Blood
Budget: $25 million | Worldwide Gross: $76,181,545

The Master
Budget: $32 million | Worldwide Gross: $28,258,060

Inherent Vice
Budget: $20 million | Worldwide Gross: $14,710,975

reply

@jerrellejames:

Your data clearly shows that the popularity of Anderson's films is in steep decline, and for good reason. I found "The Master" to be a worthwhile view, but tedious and a noticeable step down from TWBB. Since then he has made two major films that I have no desire to see a second time. They weren't even good enough for me to give the benefit of doubt for a reappraisal. I'm hoping he'll make a comeback. The repeated failures of true film auteurs like Anderson just inspires Hollywood to pump out a higher percentage of mindless garbage.

reply

I stopped watching Inherent Vice halfway through. Him and the Coen Bros. have gone off the rails.

reply

I completely agree BigJack. Inherent Vice was insufferably pretentious, empty, and dull. The recent Coen Brothers Netflix production looks like a regurgitated amalgamation of their previous films. The last film of theirs I considered worthy of their undeniable talent was 9 years ago (A Serious Man).

reply

Yes, A Serious Man, for whatever reason, worked for me.

reply

"I didn't ask for Santana's Abraxas. I don't want Santana's Abraxas. I've just been in a terrible auto accident!"

reply

The running F-Troop gag is pretty funny.

reply

[deleted]

A polarizing film, an artistic one especially, is not uncommon in a director's filmography, nor does it equate to an "evaporating" audience by default.


Howard Hughes was Italian?

reply

I loved both, There Will Be Blood and Inherant Vice. Two movies that most people I know didn't really care for.

reply

Both are masterpieces. Thank God for PTA in a time of shitty movies. The best time tested movies aren't always box office successes.

reply

You're wrong about There Will Be Blood. I think that anyone who enjoyed Anderson's films in general liked that one. Inherent Vice is the one where fans like myself really started questioning whether he'd gotten full of himself, or perhaps descended into artless insanity.

reply

I was surprised to read that comment. I don't think I have ever heard anyone say that they didn't like it. Maybe that they didn't think it was as great as I do, but it was always a positive review.

reply

Completely agree with your thoughts on PTA’s latest films. Absolutely loved TWBB, and his earlier films. “The Master” was so-so, but still liked it. So was of course excited to see “Inherent Vice”, but could only make it through it once... Same goes for “Phantom Thread”.

Also agree that “A Serious Man” was the last great Coen bros. film

reply

His post-there will blood movies were very low grossed.

reply

They also opened in less than half of the theaters of TWBB.

There Will Be Blood's widest release had 1,620 theaters to Inherent Vice's 653 theaters and The Master's 864 theaters.

reply