First 'Vice' Reactions Roll Out From Industry Insiders; Doubts Cast On Cannes Premiere

8 months before Inherent Vice is set to hit theatres, and nearly 8 months after it officially entered post-production, we are starting to get some faint glimmers of what form the film's exhibition will take. With the 2014 Cannes Film Festival's full competition lineup slated to be announced this Thursday, April 17, we will finally have concrete resolution for one of the film's most hyped-up potential premiere venues once and for all. Unfortunately, according to a new report by Jeffrey Wells over at Hollywood Elsewhere, an Inherent Vice debut at Cannes is not looking likely.

This morning I spoke to an industry friend who's seen Vice and who thinks it's brilliant and mesmerizing in an atmospheric, non-linear sort of way. He says that [Paul Thomas] Anderson, currently doing the sound mix, doesn't really want to subject Vice to Cannes and would rather take his time and tinker around over the summer and then unveil it in Telluride/Venice/Toronto. 

This follows what a friend told me a week or two ago, which is that Cannes topper Thierry Fremaux "has been courting and wooing PTA like mad to get Inherent Vice to Cannes, and that PTA has been telling him since January that it would be very tight for him to get post-production done in time and that he wouldn't show it to Thierry until then. Perhaps PTA would privately like to go to Cannes, but I'm also told that Warner Bros. is against the idea, considering it too early given its December release date. If PTA insists and finishes the film to his satisfaction over the next couple of weeks, he could probably prevail over WB, but the latest I hear is that everything is still very much up in the air."

 Of course, a healthy grain of salt should be taken with this information, given that the sources are all anonymous and that the situation appears to very much still be fluid. In any event, we will know one way or another in only a few days' time.

The much less nerve-racking take-away from this development is that the film (to the few eyes that have seen it) is apparently as astonishing as we all want it to be. The Film Stage provided some other anonymous impressions of the movie from one lucky insider today:

Mix together The Big Lebowski and [Robert] Altman's The Long Goodbye and turn it into a two-and-a-half hour PT Anderson epic and you're getting close to the awesome experience of Inherent Vice. Even Joaquin Phoenix's performance has echoes of '70s Elliott Gould with a touch of The Dude. But don't get me wrong, the film is its own animal. A drug-fueled detective story filled with great psychedelic music and beautiful, grainy cinematography. It's both hilarious and confounding at times. But Anderson does an incredible job of making the incredibly complex plot both comprehensible and entertaining. Even though he's apparently said he's still tinkering, it felt like a finished film and will definitely go down as one of my favorites of his.

242 days.

Find more information about the film on our Inherent Vice page. 
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Scene By Scene Breakdown Of ‘The Master' Cannes Footage

To say that yesterday was a big day for the site would be something of an understatement. It was the day that we and many fans have been waiting on for years, as we got our first look at the 6th film from Paul Thomas Anderson. First, we got another little note from Paul with the first teaser trailer for "The Master" (which was cut by PTA himself) and a few short hours later the reactions started pouring out of Cannes to the 4 minutes of footage at the Weinstein Co. presentation. Today, thanks to Hitfix we have a scene-by-scene rundown of the entire presentation (as if it were possible to be any more excited).

Four Minutes Of ‘The Master' Footage Screens At Cannes; First Reactions Here

While we're incredibly grateful that "The Master" crew decided to grace the rest of us with the first teaser trailer for the film this morning, critics in Cannes were even luckier. Invited journalists were invited to Weinstein Company party showing off footage from "Django Unchained," "The Silver Linings Playbook" and most importantly, "The Master." While some wondered this morning if they would be shown the same footage in the teaser, that was not the case. They were treated to about 4 minutes of scenes from the film total and got apparently a much broader look at the film with scenes featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and more.

The Wrap says: 

“The Master” seems destined for controversy. Paul Thomas Anderson has written a tale that is loosely inspired on the life of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. The short piece shown was enough to suggest that Anderson (“Magnolia,” “There Will Be Blood”) has again taken on an epic subject and will face it down fearlessly.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, in moustache and suspenders, plays The Master, the Hubbard-like leader of what is referred to as The Cause. Amy Adams, in fierce dramatic scenes, plays his headstrong wife.

Joaquin Phoenix is the center of the story as a postwar drifter, searching for a path and racked by anguish or mental illness or both.

In one scene, The Master demands: “Is your life a struggle? Is your behavior erratic?”
It looks ambitious and exciting, though no frogs appear to fall. Remains to be seen what the never-shy Church of Scientology will have to say about this portrayal, however fictionalized

First Footage From ‘The Master' To Unspool For Critics At Cannes Tomorrow

Well, we're kicking ourselves after all for not making plans for Cannes this year as it looks like The Weinstein Co. is planning to unveil the first footage from "The Master" to critics tomorrow night at the fest. Thanks to a tweet by First Showing, we now know that footage from the film will screen alongside selected bits from Quentin Tarantino's (still filming) "Django Unchained" and David O. Russell's "The Silver Linings Playbook," both also highly anticipated projects. 

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

Invites you to celebrate
The 65th Cannes Film Festival

Monday, May 21st 2012
Cocktails from 7-9 pm

To introduce FIRST LOOK footage of
The highly anticipated films

THE MASTER
THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
DJANGO UNCHAINED

This is obviously a big deal as it's the first time any frame of film will be seen publicly, well, outside of a few frames. So far Paul has only been showing the film (or bits of it anyway) to friends/family in his inner circle who have said it's both "great" and "incredible". While First Showing isn't sure yet if they'll be allowed to discuss their reactions to the presentation, we'd have to imagine that showing press (as opposed to buyers) a bunch of footage would probably be for the express purpose of not keeping a lid on it. It should go without saying that if any Cigs & Vines readers are able to attend and pass us along a detailed report of what you see, that would be just fantastic.

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‘The Master' NOT Playing Cannes

After weeks of speculation, the Cannes lineup was finally announced this morning and "The Master" was nowhere to be found. Hate to say we told you so but we assumed that May would be a little too early to let the cat out of the bag and most of you on Twitter and Facebook seemed to agree with us. We'd like to say we knew it all along but have to admit we got a little bit freaked out towards the end when we started to hear substantial rumors saying otherwise. The NYTimes profile arriving the day before the announcement certainly didn't help us sleep last night and neither did that cryptic tweet from 'Master' producers Annapurna Pictures saying only "Cannes." So what were they on about, then? That was to hint at two of their other films which are both in competition: "Lawless" (formerly "The Wettest County In The World") from director John Hillcoat ("The Proposition") and "Killing Them Softly" (formerly "Cogan's Trade") from director Andrew Dominik ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"). So that's settled and it looks like thankfully the Cigs & Vines team will not have to figure out last minute arrangements to France.

Well, for now. While it's still possible the film could be added as a late addition to the fest, it seems even less likely at this point. While that may be disappointing news for those readers attending, we're sure you'll have a great time anyway. The lineup features new films from David Cronenberg, Wes Anderson, Jacques Audiard, Michael Haneke and Jeff Nichols among many more. For the rest of us, there are only 175 days to go until October 12th.

Check out our "The Master" cast and follow the entire history of the project here.

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‘The Master' Playing Cannes? Not So Fast...

We didn't think we'd have to address this since we've already written about it a few times on Twitter but there still seems to be some confusion floating around out there so here we go. Earlier this week the supposed lineup from Cannes was "leaked"early and put online as reported by a handful of other outlets. We were skeptical from the outset and it was indeed quickly confirmed as a fake by Cannes head Thierry Frémaux. So, while it's still possible "The Master" will play Cannes, we won't know for sure until April 19 when the full lineup is announced. Until then, count the days until October 12. (191).

Updated 4/5: Roger Friedman at Forbes (via The Playlist) confirms our suspicions that the film will not be ready in time for a Cannes debut. "“The Master” is certainly not ready, I am told," he says cryptically. Though again, we won't know for sure for another 2 weeks.

Updated 4/17: Variety says "Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master,' is eyeing a fall festival bow" & won't be heading to Cannes.

Check out our updated "The Master" cast and follow the entire history of the project here.

Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

The Festival Route: We Run Down The Odds

We now know that "The Master" will receive a October 12th release, most likely limited opening in NY/LA before expanding wider in the following weeks. It'll be going up against the Ryan Gosling noir "The Gangster Squad" and a Kevin James comedy called "Here Comes The Boom." As far as history is concerned this date puts it in the company of films like "Punch-Drunk Love," "The Social Network," "A Serious Man," "Where The Wild Things Are," "The Skin I Live In," "Martha Marcy May Marlene" and "Rachel Getting Married," all recent examples of challenging fare that doesn't strike us as your typical awards bait. So while we know where we'll be lining up on October 12, what we don't know yet for certain is whether the film will have its premiere at a festival (or several) along the way. With 196 days to go, we thought we'd run down the list of possibilities and what the odds are of "The Master" showing up on the festival circuit.

Cannes Film Festival (May 16 - 27)
The Vibe: Arguably the most prestigious film festival in the world. A mix of World Cinema auteurs (Von Trier, Haneke, etc.) and splashy Hollywood premieres ("Midnight In Paris," "Pirates of the Carribean").
The History: "Hard Eight" played Cannes (after it had premiered at Sundance) and "Punch-Drunk Love" had its World Premiere here back in 2002.
The Odds: Many have speculated (maybe just wishful thinking?) that "The Master" will show up on the Croisette this year but we think it's unlikely. The full lineup won't be announced 'till April 19 but we think May is awfully early for the film, which as of February was still being scored. And with all the secrecy surrounding the project we find it hard to believe they'd want to let the cat out of the bag this early.
Verdict: Long shot.

Venice Film Festival (August 29 - Sept 8)
The Vibe: Yet another long-running prestigious international film festival, Venice is also heavy on auteurs from around the world but in recent years has become home for films looking for the first stop on the Fall awards circuit. Last year's fest held premieres of "Shame," "The Ides of March," and "Tinker Tailor Solider Spy" among others.
The History: None of PTA's films have premiered here.
The Odds: Though he doesn't have a history with the fest, we wouldn't entirely rule out "The Master" showing up for a Venice premiere. Not only would it be a nice little vacation for the crew but would help to build the buzz stateside making U.S. critics envious of their international counterparts. However August/early September is still a little early if PTA intends to keep his packaged unwrapped as long as he can.
Verdict: Possible.

Telluride Film Festival (August 31 - Sept 3)
The Vibe: A festival that caters mainly for press and industry types features a mix of Awards contenders and more esoteric fare though the lineup is kept secret until the festival begins.
The History: Unless we're mistaken none of his films have played here though a 20 minute reel from "There Will Be Blood" was shown in 2007 as part of a Daniel Day-Lewis tribute.
The Odds: Though films like "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Descendants" have received a huge boost from playing Telluride, we just don't see this as a proper venue for "The Master" premiere. Telluride is mainly thought of as a fest for rich folks and that just doesn't strike us as PTA's style.
Verdict: Long shot.

Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 6 - 16)
The Vibe: One of the largest film festivals in the world. This is where many critics and audiences get their first look at the films that will be coming out over the next few months. It may not be the first festival to play them but the range and quality of films showcased here is extraordinary.
The History: "Boogie Nights" premiered here and "Punch-Drunk Love" played here after its Cannes premiere.
The Odds: It might be a no-brainer to bring "The Master" here a few weeks before its theatrical release but with a lineup that includes over 300 films all vying for awards attention, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle. The most buzzed about film to play during TIFF back in 2010 was a film that didn't play the fest at all. "The Social Network" famously had a critics screening in NYC during the festival where journalists flew from Toronto to New York and back in the same day just to catch the film, which could make holding back the film an even smarter play.
Verdict: Possible.

Fantastic Fest (Sept 20 - 27)
The Vibe: Genre festival started in 2005 by Tim League of the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX that showcases horror, sci-fi, fantasy, action and cult films from around the world.
The History: "There Will Be Blood" famously had its World Premiere here as a Secret Screening back in September of 2007. Harry Knowles from AICN is closely linked with the fest and was able to book "Magnolia" at his first ever "Butt-Numb-A-Thon" 24 hour film festival back in 1999.
The Odds: Though "The Master" doesn't appear to fit into any of those genres, neither did "There Will Be Blood" despite the horror influences. We suspect that the decision to book the fest was a last minute decision to show it off in front of famously enthusiastic Austin film fans and not necessarily a strategy that they'll employ twice.
Verdict: Long shot.

New York Film Festival (Sept 28 - Oct 14)
The Vibe: A mix of favorites from Cannes and the Fall festivals that take place beforehand, the NYFF's relatively small lineup (about 30 films in the main section) and highbrow leanings make it a good place to have a splashy premiere and not feel like you're going to be lost in the shuffle.
The History: "Boogie Nights" played here after premiering at TIFF and "Punch-Drunk Love" closed the festival in 2002 after playing at Cannes and TIFF.
The Odds: Despite some WTF selections ("Hereafter"? "My Week With Marilyn"?) and omissions ("Black Swan," "There Will Be Blood"), NYFF is still thought of as a prestigious festival to be a part of and they have had a history of playing his films so it might make sense to roll it out during the fest right before a NY/LA opening. However, 'TWBB''s curious omission from the 2007 lineup (and surprise screening in Austin around the same timeframe) might mean they have other plans.
Verdict: Very possible.

Of course, the other option is to skip the festival route altogether. "There Will Be Blood" sidestepped all the major Fall festivals and still went on to being PTA's highest grossing and most acclaimed film. "The Master" isn't going to have any trouble stirring up attention and traveling the festival circuit also runs the risk of 'peaking too early.'

If the team behind the film just decide to have a couple of screenings (like they did for "There Will Be Blood" at The Castro in San Francisco and secretly in Austin), that would be just fine with us. With the curiosity surrounding the film - it appeared on nearly every site's Most Anticipated list for 2012 despite not even knowing at the time that it would be released this year - the festivals probably need the film more than it needs them. What do you think?

Check out our updated "The Master" cast and follow the entire history of the project here.

Stay tuned to Twitter and Facebook for the latest news and updates.

PTA Suggested Kirsten Dunst To Lars Von Trier For ‘Melancholia'

A quick bit of Friday news for you all. As you may be aware, the Cannes Film Festival is underway in France right now and filmmakers/provacateur/friend of PTA, Lars Von Trier has gotten himself into a bit of trouble over some remarks he made during a press conference. But we're not here to talk about what is presumably a misunderstanding from the troublemaking auteur, we're here to mention that he got the idea for his latest leading lady from Paul! According to an interview with Von Trier for Indiewire...

So you ended up casting Kirsten Dunst, who gives a great performance. Had you seen her in something like “Spiderman”?
I have seen her in several things, but I had had a long discussion with Paul Thomas Anderson years ago about this project, and he suggested her. And she was available.

So there you have it. While we're not sure how the pair know each other, it's cool to see Paul recommend the actress even though the duo have yet to work together.
In other non-news, if you missed it at the end of our last post we rather cryptically suggested checking out John Huston's 1979 religious satire, "Wise Blood." While we can't confirm it as an official DVD pick, it seems there may be a few surface similarities in that film and what we know about 'The Master' project so far. So if you're into that kind of thing, the film is available on Hulu+ and Netflix from the Criterion Collection.
So, happy Friday. And as always, you can get the latest news on Cigarettes & Red Vines on Twitter and Facebook.

‘The Master' Cannes Promo Art, Filming In The Bay Area?

A few small tidbits here since we've all been waiting so patiently for the last week. First up is a look at some promo art for "Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Project" which was unveiled at Cannes (and you can check out below). Likely whipped up in no time at all (since no filming has taken place yet) by someone (intern) at The Weinstein Co. to help sell the film to foreign distributors during the international film festival, the image is nonetheless exciting because it means that after nearly 4 years the project is actually happening. It's definitely a little familiar stylistically so don't expect the actual teaser poster to look anything like this.

According to some rumors on the imdb boards, (usually never to be trusted, but these seem fairly credible), an untitled film is looking for 40's/50's era extras in the San Francisco Bay Area to film in the small town of Crockett, CA in June. This seems to jibe with what we've heard about the film so far, so it's definitely a possibility and if anyone has any further info please send it along. (via @imdbLive and xixax.)

And as always, you can get the latest news on Cigarettes & Red Vines on Twitter and Facebook.

P.S.: What do you know about this?