get that actor and director combo and they can make magic from any story
I actually think this sounds pretty good. Contains that theme of “doubt” (especially “faith-based doubt”) I always crave. Not a huge Anderson fan, but ya can’t say he’s talentless. He has yet to make his masterpiece IMO, maybe this’ll be it.
Shocking choice of casting there. I wonder if we’ll get the rest of the ‘Middle initial brigade’ too.
Of the four movies of his I’ve watched I’ve loved two and liked one. So I’ll definitely see this one.
Yeah, I’ve heard it’s supposed to be a sort-of biography of L. Ron Hubbard. I am excited for anything P.T. Anderson. Phillip Seymour Hoffman doesn’t hurt, either.
I wonder if they’ll have any setbacks, what with the church of Scientology being rather powerful in Hollywood.
What’s the church of Scientology gonna do about it? Not everyone in Hollywood is a “scientologist.”
Go on Oprah and call it scientologist-ist.
Or I don’t know. Something that’s spiritual but not quite deist, but also new age and hip. And definitely in front of a camera.
I think his best movie is still Boogie Nights – looking forward to this though. He’s never made a bad movie; Hard Eight, Punch Drunk Love, the guy’s good. I need to know who plays Sutton before I get excited.
The Master is apparently the working title. I hope it gets changed; this one could have been chosen by a monkey. No offense to monkeys.
I know not everyone in Hollywood is a Scientologist. I’ve read that they have threatened people who tried to reveal things about the church that they don’t want people to know. The BBC did a special on Scientology and they sent a P.I. overseas to keep tabs on the production. I don’t see why they would do any less for this.
Sounds like it could be one of Philip Dick’s 1950’s novels.
Joaquin Phoenix and Tom Cruise announced alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman. Mmm looks pretty great.
The announcement of Tom Cruise is such a buzz kill.
Wait Tom Cruise was cast? I actually don’t mind him. And being that one of his best performances was in a PTA movie, I mind it even less.
I’m confused. Why would Tom Cruise want to be cast in this?
Wait, where’d u guys hear this Tom Cruise casting?!
No Pynchon adaptation? I’m a little disappointed.
Kind reminds me of Elmer Gantry from the description…
Why doesn’t he direct more movies?
Does he have trouble getting funding for his less than conventional films, or does he just like taking his time?
Tom Cruz? For fuck’s sake, why? I can understand going Brad Pitt for a bigger budget—at least he means well. Cruz’s ego eats almost every movie he’s in.
HoL – It sort of depends how Cruise is being used. Kubrick used him brilliantly in Eyes Wide Shut, and Anderson did the same in Magnolia. It all depends on the role and tone.
Yes—The two caveats that prove the rule.
They both cast a self-absorbed egoist to play a self-absorbed egoist, and it worked. Those might be the best movies those directors have yet made.
But…on the other hand, casting Cruise could be the worst thing Anderson has ever done. We’ll see.
He’s earned the benefit of the doubt, but yeah, we’ll see.
Props to your Mavs!
You’re a good man, Nate.
I second Kate’s point about Cruise. It’s quite curious that he would be involved with a film potentially critical of Scientology.
@Willy
Yeah, PTA couldn’t get funding for this one for a while. Not shocking considering the subject matter.
I looked around the internets a little and can’t find anything about Cruise being attached to the project. Is this a joke? As Kate so rightly points out, it would make zero sense for Cruise to star in a thinly veiled attack on Scientology. Does anyone else have an official press release on this? Could you post it if you do?
According to IMDB, only Phoenix and Hoffman are officially attached.
DADA,
PTA is clearly one of, if not the most talented working American director in mainstream Hollywood; but he’s only made like 5 movies in 15 years.
@Willy
Oh, no—I was being serious.
I don’t know about previous films, but this film would have been made sooner if he was able to get funding for it. Which he wasn’t, most likely because of its particularly volatile subject matter. I can’t recall specifics, but the details of the film’s history are out there.
Nevertheless, he does seem to like to take his time in the first place.
So in regards to your question, it appears to be a bit of both.
Apurimac
“The Master” is the story of a charismatic intellectual (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who hatches a faith-based organization that begins to catch on in America in 1952 called The Cause. The core dynamic centers on the relationship between The Master and Freddie Sutton, an aimless twenty-something drifter and alcoholic who eventually becomes the leader’s loyal lieutenant. As the faith begins to gain a fervent following, Freddie finds himself questioning the belief system he has embraced, and his mentor."
Sounds like a thinly guised story about Scientology to me.
http://cigsandredvines.blogspot.com/2010/07/exclusive-master-set-to-shoot-very-soon.html
http://io9.com/5589108/paul-thomas-anderson-set-to-shoot-his-scientology-film