In his seven feature-length films over the last two decades, there are few filmmakers who have displayed as much skill and artistry with each new work as Paul Thomas Anderson. After finishing up similarly comprehensive series on David Fincher and Stanley Kubrick, Cameron Beyl has returned with another multi-part documentary, this time dedicated to the work of the There Will Be Blood director.
Beginning in his early days of crafting The Dirk Diggler Story and other shorts, as well as his debut Hard Eight, the next section segues to his sprawling Los Angeles stories Boogie Nights and Magnolia. Then we dive into his more comedic side with Punch-Drunk Love and various comedy sketches and shorts around the era before getting to his portraits of power with There Will Be Blood and The Master. Lastly, it looks at his more groovy side with Inherent Vice, Junun, and recent music videos.
So as we wait and see what his next film will be (and a new Radiohead music video — update: it’s here!), check out the fantastic five-part, 2.5-hour series below:
3.1: THE SUNDANCE KID is the first installment of THE DIRECTORS SERIES’ examination into the films and careers of director Paul Thomas Anderson, covering his lo-fi origins and his breakout at the Sundance Film Festival.
-THE DIRK DIGGLER STORY (1988)
-CIGARETTES & COFFEE (1993)
-HARD EIGHT (1996)
3.2: THE CALIFORNIA CHRONICLES is the second installment of THE DIRECTORS SERIES’ examination into the films and careers of director Paul Thomas Anderson, covering the pair of sprawling ensemble-based pictures that cemented him as a major new voice in American cinema:
-BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997)
-VARIOUS MUSIC VIDEOS (1997-1999)
-MAGNOLIA (1999)
3.3: THE CONCEPT COMEDIES is the third installment of THE DIRECTORS SERIES’ examination into the films and careers of director Paul Thomas Anderson, covering his short foray into experimental art comedies:
-VARIOUS MUSIC VIDEOS & SHORT WORKS (2000-2002)
-PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (2002)
-VARIOUS SHORT COMEDY SKETCHES (2002)
3.4: PORTRAITS OF POWER is the fourth installment of THE DIRECTORS SERIES’ examination into the films and careers of director Paul Thomas Anderson, covering his monumental pair of epic character studies:
-THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007)
-THE MASTER (2012)
-FIONA APPLE: “HOT KNIFE” (2012)
3.5: HIGHER STATES is the fifth installment of THE DIRECTORS SERIES’ examination into the films and careers of director Paul Thomas Anderson, covering his explorations into the possibilities of an altered state, whether it’s naturally or chemically-induced.
-INHERENT VICE (2014)
-JOANNA NEWSOM MUSIC VIDEOS (2015)
-JUNUN (2015)
What did you think of the video series? What’s your favorite PTA film?