WATCH: PTA & Jonathan Demme talk "Greaser's Palace" At Austin Film Festival

If you'll recall, PTA dropped by the Austin Film Festival last year to talk to Jonathan Demme about his career. That lovely talk can be heard here. While in Austin, Demme and PTA also co-hosted a screening of Robert Downey Sr's whacked-out 1972 Western Greaser's Palace (which, based on the footage shown, we will HAVE to dig up somehow), and discussed the film afterword. Now, thanks to On Story, that second talk has finally surfaced in video form.

The embed on the page seems to be a little sticky, but for now you can watch it HERE. The video is about 30 minutes long, but the talk itself is only about 14 minutes. Enjoy!

via The Playlist

IV: 151 days

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PTA Headed To Austin Film Festival To Moderate Jonathan Demme Q&A, "Greaser's Palace" Screening

According to many on the ground, including the local presses, Paul Thomas Anderson will be attending the Austin Film Festival this coming weekend to moderate a Q&A with long-time filmmaking idol and friend Jonathan Demme. That talk will be this coming Saturday at 3:45pm in the Stephen F. Austin Ballroom.

On Sunday, PTA will be co-hosting a screening of Robert Downey Sr.'s 1972 film "Greaser's Palace" with Demme. That'll start at 5:30pm at the State Theatre, with another Q&A between the two directors following.

If you live in or around Austin, TX, and haven't made up your mind to get passes yet, it's probably worth looking into here. Aside from these talks, some phenomenal titles are screening this year.

And here's an outlandishly amusing clip from Greaser's Palace

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"The Master" is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. 

PTA & Robert Downey Sr. Talk ‘Putney Swope' In Final Criterion Video

In the final part in Criterion's 4 part series of interviews between PTA and filmmaker/iconoclast Robert Downey Sr., the pair discuss "Putney Swope" (1969), probably the latter filmmaker's best known work. As we've already mentioned, Paul said 'Putney' showed him “you could be really punk rock in a movie. You could do anything. It didn’t have to make sense. As long as it was funny or funny to the guy who was making it, it would come across as exciting.” If you haven't seen it already, you can check out the film now as part of Criterion's 5 film set of Downey's work entitled Up All Night with Robert Downey Sr.



Though there wasn't much meat on the bone -- so to speak -- in the way of enlightening info, it was nice to watch these two filmmakers casually chatting about film. And we'd like to thank Criterion again for putting these together.

Watch Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

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PTA In Conversation With Robert Downey Sr. Part 3

Earlier this week, Criterion premiered the second installment in a 4 part series capturing a candid discussion between PTA and filmmaker/iconoclast Robert Downey Sr. (Part One premiered last week.) Today they've dropped the latest episode which you can watch below where the pair discuss the film "Two Tons of Turquoise to Taos Tonight" a.k.a. "Moment To Moment" (1975), which is featured in the Eclipse box set of Downey Sr.'s work.



Watch Part 1 and Part 2.

Even if you're not familiar with the work of Downey Sr., these videos should be of interest as they're PTA's first on-camera interviews in over 4 years, if we're not mistaken (not counting his "Hugo" Q&A last Fall which was recorded by an audience member). Since Paul has basically been MIA since the 'TWBB' press tour, it's good to see him back in the world again.

Deadline had posited that another reel of "The Master" footage might be shown at Cannes tonight as part of a secret presentation but now they're saying that looks unlikely.

Check out the photos from the teaser in our Facebook gallery and stay tuned to Twitter for the latest news and updates.

PTA In Conversation With Robert Downey Sr. Part 2; Tom Cruise Has Seen ‘The Master'

Last Tuesday, Criterion premiered the first installment in a 4 part series capturing a candid discussion between PTA and filmmaker/iconoclast Robert Downey Sr. Today they've dropped the latest episode which you can watch above where the pair discuss the film "No More Excuses" (1968) which is featured in the Eclipse box set of Downey Sr.'s work.

In other news, according to The Wrap, Paul screened "The Master" for none other than Frank "T.J." Mackey himself, Tom Cruise. According to two anonymous sources (aren't they always?) Cruise “had issues” with some parts of the movie but the two have remained friends since "Magnolia." The article also indicates that The Weinstein Co. wants to show the film to John Travolta as well to head off any potential Scientology-themed controversy down the line. Possibly all nonsense, but time will tell. (via @ntwalker)

If you haven't read the scene-by-scene rundown of the 4 minutes of Cannes footage, you should probably do so. And then check out the photos from the teaser in our Facebook gallery and stay tuned to Twitter for the latest news and updates.

PTA Joins Robert Downey Sr. In Conversation For The Criterion Collection

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. After quite an eventful morning that saw Mr. FortyFPS and myself awake at 3:20am to decipher the cryptic email from Paul, we've been passed another little jewel. According to a post on The Criterion Collection Facebook page, PTA shot a series of videos with Robert Downey Sr. which they'll be unveiling in the coming weeks.

For those of you who don't know Robert Downey Sr. is (yes, Jr.'s father and also) the writer and director of a some truly bizarre and wonderful films including the satire "Putney Swope" which has long been a favorite of PTA's. (Fun fact: Buck Swope from "Boogie Nights" was named as a nod to the film!) Paul said the film showed him “you could be really punk rock in a movie. You could do anything. It didn’t have to make sense. As long as it was funny or funny to the guy who was making it, it would come across as exciting.” This video series is presumably to help promote Criterion's upcoming 5 film set of Downey's work entitled Up All Night with Robert Downey Sr. We'll keep our eyes peeled for those videos and post them here as they arrive as I'm sure our eagle-eyed readers will be the first to let us know. (Thanks @HybridVigorFilm!)  

Update 5/17: You can now watch the first video below:

 

Update 5/16:  During a completely unrelated Downey Sr. interview with the Projection Booth podcast (about the 38 minute mark), the subject of PTA came up when he was asked about filmmakers who have been influenced by his work. "Well, Paul I've known a long time," Downey Sr. said. "I knew him before he made a feature. In fact, he's going to do the interview with me for the [Criterion] box set. Yeah, he's a good guy. I've seen 90 minutes of his new movie ["The Master"] too, it's great." Looks like PTA is continuing to show the unfinished film to his close circle of friends as you'll remember Emily Watson had seen 30 minutes back in December. This also means the film is probably running quite a bit over 90 minutes as it seems unlikely everything but the final few minutes would've been screened. (For reference TWBB: 158 min, PDL: 95 min, MAG: 189 min, BOOGIE: 156 min, H8: 102 min.)

Continuing his kind words about Paul he said, "He's an interesting character. He's actually the West Coast Marty Scorsese in a way, he knows every film that was ever shot. He's one of those guys...In fact he asked me if he could use the firecracker scene [from "Putney Swope"] in "Boogie Nights," I said 'Of course.' I like that film." Also of interest is that a few years ago Paul had apparently been talking to Downey about potentially writing something based on events from his life. "He was interested in my teenage years when I was in and out of prison and the army. And I think he thought at one time that that kinda stuff might be interesting. He's heard a lot of stories from me. I remember talking about that. He's talked about it other times but he's got a lot of thoughts on his mind, he's always thinking." You can listen to the entire thing over at The Projection Booth. (via xixax).


Oh and for those of you who are curious we posted this (slightly better looking) blow-up of that 65mm frame to Twitter where you can just make out The Master dancing into the next room while bystanders clap for him. To the side is a piano & a woman playing an upright bass. Much more to come.


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