Scenes We Love: There Will Be Blood

For me it's hard to pick the better performance; Gangs of New York or There Will Be Blood. His butcher is just too shrewd. The scene where he is talking with Dicaprio in his room is so captivating it almost makes you think he's the devil.

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In repeated viewings of this movie, it becomes clear how humanity is locked in a catch 22 between money and faith.
Daniel is the man, amazing.

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I don't usually comment on these things but I got to agree with you 100% here. I had seen this movie when it was in theatres, but the movie channels were playing it this weekend and I ended up re-watching it three times. I just couldn't take my eyes off of the TV screen whenever it was on. Definitely agree that this was the best scene, followed closely by the last scene, and also that DDL gave one of the best performances of all time. The movie should have won best picture also, IMO.

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DDL can do no wrong in my book and I was thrilled when he was recognized for his amazing performance. However, my favorite "scene" in this movie is the entire opening sequence without dialogue, showing just how determined Plainview is to make a success of himself. The background score is just perfect.

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My favorite scene in this is the oil rig explosion- it's so beautifully shot, and the way the light of the fire plays off of Dano's face sets up a classic villain moment...he should've been nominated best supporting for sure.

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Agree that this could be one of the best performances ever. I bought the film so I could watch the bowling alley scene. So powerful, as is the whole film. Nice call.

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I'm watching the movie right now and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. Plainview's a great character, but Eli is what makes the movie so insane and compelling. He's such a sniveling little shit who can't admit what he really wants. Call me sadistic, but I love watching him squirm because of Plainview. He always gets overlooked, but this would be a totally different movie if Plainview didn't have a formidable enemy. This war between two evils is hypnotic. 'No Country' is a fine movie, but TWBB is the stuff of legends. Everything about it is brilliant. (Gawd, they even use Arvo Part in the music. *squeeee!*)

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I saw the movie three times in the theater. The first time, I was not convinced it was a great movie, the second, I was still somewhat unsure, and the third time it completely clicked for me. I'm a huge PTA fan, and I've loved all of his movies on first viewing, but they all seem to get better the more you watch them. I'd say it took three viewing for Punch-Drunk Love's brilliance to click in, and my second or third viewing of Magnolia left me crying like and loving every minute of it.

The scene where There Will Be Blood finally clicked for me is probably one of my favorite's in the film, and possibly in all of PTA's work, though it's also possibly the most simple. It's a speech that Plainview is giving to the townspeople about building a school, making the grain grow, and all of the other things he promises to help sell the town on the idea of drilling. PTA starts off with a high angle close up of Plainview, and cuts between that and a slow push in on Eli listening in the crowd. Then during Plainview's speech, PTA cuts to the most beautiful shot of the prospectors getting off the train and hopping into cars, and then he cuts back to Plainview, finishing his speech, Eli asks a question, Plainview answers passive agressively, and then thanks the audience and walks out of his closeup.

It's such a perfect blend of image, word, and Johnny Greenwood's music, and the way PTA places people in his frames is astounding. I suspect there are a lot of moments like that though, and they only seem to reveal themselves after you see it another time.

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