Twitter Chatter: Paul Thomas Anderson Shooting The Master on 65MM
Paul Thomas Anderson diehards have gossiped for months over reports that the filmmaker is shooting an undisclosed portion of his next film, known as The Master, on 65mm -- the IMAX film format used recently, and to great effect, by the likes of Christopher Nolan and DP Wally Pfister on The Dark Knight and Brad Bird and DP Robert Elswit on Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. In a Twitter exchange yesterday, Pixar veterans Bird, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich geeked out over the joys of 70mm film, dropping a bit of confirmation that Anderson is indeed shooting in the format.
In a conversation about 70mm exhibition and 65mm film shooting, Stanton -- who just finished his first live-action foray, John Carter, for Disney -- Tweeted: "The Master is indeed in 65. They nearly lost a camera shooting in the Bay." You'd think Bird would've known seeing as Ghost Protocol DP Elswit is Anderson's longtime cinematographer, but... there you have it.
Assuming Stanton is indeed in the know, this would confirm a report earlier this year by the Anderson-watchers at Cigarettes and Red Vines that Anderson was shooting The Master in 65mm with DP Mihai Malaimare Jr., who lensed Youth Without Youth, Tetro, and the forthcoming Twixt for Francis Ford Coppola.
Though many speculate that the plot of The Master has ties to Scientology, all that is known officially is that it's a post-WWII set drama revolving around a charismatic leader of a faith-based organization (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and a drifter who becomes his right-hand man (Joaquin Phoenix). In any case, it promises to be an unusual use of 65mm/70mm than what modern audiences are used to since the scope and visual detail that the format can achieve hasn't really yet been employed in non-action usage. Surely cause for excitement -- right, Anderson fans?
(And for you Pixar fans -- how amazing was it to witness the Tweet circle between Bird, Stanton, and Unkrich? So nerdy. So awesome.)
[@AndrewStanton, CinemaBlend, Cigarettes and Red Vines]
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From having the good fortune to check out many classics (2001, My Fair Lady, Lawrence of Arabia) on 65/70 at the Egyptian and elsewhere, I have said for YEARS that if the industry really wants to focus on getting people excited about seeing stuff on the big-screen, they should shoot things on 65 again rather than doing terrible 3D postconversion. Seeing what a master like Paul Thomas Anderson will do with the format is going to be interesting.
I agree, IMAX over 3D any day
Regardless of his choice of format (I don't get the fad for IMAX portions) I am just happy for the confirmation that his new film is shooting!
My penis is so erect for this movie.
Btw, isn't this in Post-Production?
PT Anderson is among the very small group of absolute genius filmmakers working today. In the end, his work will rival Kubrick's in terms of unanimous praise. The guy is incredible and each film becomes more interesting as he ages. I feel bad for people who don't like him. Think about how great Scorsese is and then realize that he's batting about .600. Anderson is batting 1.000.
I look forward to this and any movies he decides to make in the future. Let's hope they all stay amazing. We're lucky to have someone that naturally talented right from the start. Would hate it if he followed the path of Coppola and Spielberg who have really lost their mojo as they have aged.
FYI, 65mm and Imax are not the same thing. Imax is a 15-perf 65mm negative -- basically a giant square -- but the standard 65mm negative is 4-perf and maintains the usual horizontal "widescreen" shape. Anderson could be shooting 65mm but not shooting Imax.