New PTA Haim Video "Right Now!"

A new "slow rolling" live video from Haim has been released, shot by Paul Thomas Anderson. Pitchfork released a review of the track and had this to say:

“Right Now,” the first track from Haim’s upcoming album, Something to Tell You, is strictly for the heads. A live studio recording filmed in slow-rolling precision by Paul Thomas Anderson, the song is hardcore Haim, with its bashing drums, punk feedback, and pleading vocals. They sound tough as hell. “Gave you my love, you gave me nothing/Said what I gave wasn’t enough,” Danielle Haim spits out with ample venom. It builds from there, piece by piece, until her jerk of a lover wants her to come back, “right now.” 

No way, dude! This is what Haim does best, create a small universe in a song, then soundtrack it with ample fire. Admittedly, it’s not a perfect take—Danielle sometimes sounds rushed, sometimes the levels are wonky—but that’s not really the point. It’s Haim at their most skeletal, giving you a taste, and this raw sound delivers their signature heebie-jeebies just fine!

Check out the video below and let us know what you thought!

--

C&RV

Twitter and Facebook
#ProjectPhantomThread

PTA Directs Radiohead's 'Numbers' From A Garden

Hello! Clearly moving on from the basement, we have now been given the second Paul Thomas Anderson directed live Radiohead performance in the series we are dubbing "From A Garden"

Shot in Tarzana on August 3rd, check out Thom, Jonny & a CR78 here...



Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Recording produced and mixed by Nigel Godrich
Producers: Sara Murphy, Albert Chi, Erica Frauman
Editors: Leslie Jones, Andy Jurgensen
Recording Engineer: Sam Petts-Davies
Production Companies: Ghoulardi Film Company, m ss ng p eces

Gaffer: Michael Bauman
Key Grip: Tana Dubbe
Camera Operators: Ari Robbins, Brian Freesh

1st Assistant Camera: Josh Friz, Aaron Tichenor
Loader: Drey Singer
Electric: Kuba Bojsza, Peter Rybchenkov, Paul Theodoroff
Grips: James Coffin, John Mang, Michael Koepke, Nicholas Deane
Radiohead Tech: Peter Clements
UPM: Kat Barnette
Telecine Colorist: Gregg Garvin
Crew: Austin Feinstein, Emily Ajar

Panavision Cameras: Lori Killiam, Dan Sasaki
Kodak Film: Anne Hubbell
Chapman / Leonard: Dan Issa
Fotokem: Andrew Oran
Modern VideoFilm: Dave Weathers, Wendy Canto

Filmed on location in Tarzana, California
August 3, 2016

-

C&RV

Twitter and Facebook

New PTA-Directed Music Video For Joanna Newsom Arrives

Paul Thomas Anderson has quietly directed a music video for a single off of his Inherent Vice star Joanna Newsom's new album Divers. The tune is called "Sapokanikan". Dig it!

C&RV

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

Fiona Apple - Hot Knife (TBD)

According to an interview with Fiona Apple in V Magazine in June of 2012, Paul started work on a video for the track "Hot Knife" off her record "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do."

“I have this weird thing where I’m friends with my ex-boyfriends, and I really care about them. I care about their lives with their girlfriends. I feel like maybe an annoying mother or something.” Among these exes are illusionist David Blaine, in whose office/apartment Apple crashes when in New York, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, who started to make a video for Apple’s new song “Hot Knife” before having to work on a movie, and most notably writer Jonathan Ames, the subject of one of the album’s sweeter tracks, “Jonathan.”

Whether the video will be completed or ever see the light of day is still unknown. For now you'll just have to close your eyes and imagine it.

PTA Began Work On A Video For Fiona Apple's ‘Hot Knife'

Fiona Apple's first album in 7 years -- The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do -- dropped this past week and we have had it on pretty constant rotation here at Cigs & Vines. With a sudden flurry of attention comes a deluge of interviews and some of them are really great too, like this one. If you follow us on Twitter, you already know Fiona has dropped a few mentions of Paul here and there, saying to Interview Magazine...

"I'm actually very goofy. I hate this feeling like I'm name-dropping, but Paul Thomas Anderson [the director and Apple's ex-boyfriend] told me that two of the funniest people he knows are me and Daniel Day-Lewis. He was like, "You're both hilarious, but everybody thinks you're awful."

 And from the aforementioned NYMag profile...

I assumed she wanted to talk about her album; she said she didn’t care. I told her I thought it was her best work; she said it was funny because she’d run into her ex-boyfriend, the filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, and “he remembers me as somebody’s who’s been down on themselves from years ago,” and when he’d asked about the album, she told him she felt “really, really happy, I felt like I can die now, I’ve done what I want, this is me.” 

So it appears the formal couple are still very friendly, which is good news for anyone who adored Paul's string of music videos for her back in the late 90s and hoped that one day he might return to the short format. According to an interview with Fiona in V Magazine, that may still happen.

“I have this weird thing where I’m friends with my ex-boyfriends, and I really care about them. I care about their lives with their girlfriends. I feel like maybe an annoying mother or something.” Among these exes are illusionist David Blaine, in whose office/apartment Apple crashes when in New York, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, who started to make a video for Apple’s new song “Hot Knife” before having to work on a movie, and most notably writer Jonathan Ames, the subject of one of the album’s sweeter tracks, “Jonathan.”

Try Music Video Archives Completed

Paul Thomas Anderson's first music video "Try" by Michael Penn is a single shot video that is set inside a three quarter-mile long hallway in Los Angeles. In Michael Penn's words:

"I was having a hard time trying to figure out what to do for a video for this song, and I was talking to Paul about it and he had always expressed a desire to do it, but I really didn't think that he would do it, that he would be able to because he was cutting Boogie Nights at the time. 

We started talking about the song apparently he knew a location in Los Angeles which is the longest hallway in North America, it's 3/4 of a mile long, and we went there together and kind of looked at the location and we walked it while a walkman was playing the song and it was just about the same length to walk it as the song. 

That kind of suggested an idea and it worked out great because the video is one continuous shot so there was no editing involved so we were able to do it all in one weekend. And that's what we did. I think it took about 14 takes to accomplish."

There are a few interesting facts you may or may not have known and they can all be viewed here.

Join Cigarettes & Red Vines on Twitter and Facebook for extra updates & content.

Jon Brion - Here We Go (2002)

The music video for the original track "Here We Go" was edited by Paul, and created from alternate takes & unused sequences from Punch-Drunk Love. The video was initially released within a 13 minute sizzle reel montage on an extremely limited/rare DVD release titled "Blossoms & Blood."

May 18, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Where do I start? I had chance to catch up with PTA on the phone this past Tuesday. The main topics were all the various rumors about future projects & the upcoming DVD's. Here is the summary of our conversation:

Pixar Animated Fiona Apple Project

PTA thought this one was pretty funny. Yes, he has talked to many studios (including Pixar) about an animated project. He has various ideas/concepts but is still sorting through them. No, they don't involve Fiona Apple, but he promises that I will be the first to know when he has any additional news!

A Conspiracy of Paper

You might recall that various internet sources reported that PTA/Ghoulardi Films had purchased the film rights to David Liss's novel. In actuality, Miramax has purchased the movie rights & there is some truth to PTA's interest in making the film. Paul said that he is reading the book & enjoying it very much. This may be something to consider for the future..........

The Underworld

I think this was cleared up in PTA's email to Harry Knowles (see the May 15th update), don't you?

PTA does not have his next project set at specific studio. He loves working with Mike De Luca at New Line, but where he ends up is still undecided.

So what have we learned? As I have said repeatedly, most of the rumors have a shred of fact & lots of fiction. PTA has not yet made a firm decision on his next project. You can count on this site to provide you the real story on future developments in the world of Paul Thomas Anderson!

What about the DVD News? Oh yeah, I almost forget. The reason for the delay of the Magnolia & Boogie Nights DVD's was made by Paul. He wanted some extra time to ensure that the transfers were spot on. He also gave me some additional information (while still keeping a few things under wraps). PTA does not like to let the cat out of the bag & spoil things for those who want to wait and be surprised. He followed that philosophy with Magnolia, his last few Music Videos & his upcoming projects. Personally, I think it's a good thing to leave a few things to the imagination & keep the curiosity level high. Without further delay, here's the latest info:

Magnolia DVD

The "making of" documentary clocks in at 74 minutes & should satisfy all of you who were salivating for a commentary track. PTA promises some interesting & funny things will be included on the documentary. Paul is still hammering out whether this release will include both a Dolby Digital 5.1 & a DTS mix, but this should be decided in the next few days. 

As previously stated, other supplements include deleted scenes (I'm not telling which ones), trailers & the "Save Me" music video. Obviously due to the length of Magnolia & the documentary, this will be a two disc set.

Boogie Nights

PTA states that this will include all the supplemental material from the first DVD as well as the following:

Criterion LaserDisc commentary track! This track included PTA, Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle & Bill Macy! This is great news as Criterion rarely (if ever) lends their supplemental materials to other studios releases (unless they are co-producing the DVD, which New Line is not doing for this one).

Additional commentary by Luis Guzman (answering allegations made on the Criterion commentary track) & Melora Walters.

Something PTA has dubbed the "John C. Reilly Files". I have no idea what this will entail, but PTA promises that we won't be disappointed.

Additional deleted scenes (with PTA commentary) including the Becky Barnett subplot that PTA cut.

Again, this will be a two disc set due to all the supplemental material that will be included. Paul also said that he is "very happy" with the new Boogie transfer. 

Lastly, before I get flooded with emails, Paul had one last thing to say. Just buy the DVD's on August 29th, you won't be disappointed!

There will some additional extras (No "Dirk Diggler Story", "Cops Footage" or "Flagpole Special", so don't ask!) on both discs, but I will keep this under wraps until we get closer to the street date. I hope to be the first website on the Internet with reviews (but not spoilers) of both of these discs this summer, so stay tuned for further developments!

One more related DVD note, Paramount will be releasing Nashville this summer (June 27th) with a Robert Altman commentary track! More important is that I believe this will be the first time that it will be available in Widescreen (with an anamorphic transfer to boot).

One last thing. Don't forget to check out Total Request Live on MTV tomorrow for the premiere of PTA's new Paper Bag video from Fiona's incredible "When the Pawn" record. 

May 12, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Great news today as Never is a Promise, the excellent Fiona Apple site, is reporting that PTA's music video for "Paper Bag" will debut on MTV's Total Request Live on May 25th (Check for local times in your area). MTV Latin America has already premiered the video on May 9th in Mexico, Argentina and Chile and it's been in rotation ever since. Fiona will be present to debut the video so you never know, PTA might be on (or at least there). It promises to be a "real special" video, so don't miss it!

March 29, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

In addition, PTA is in pre-production on Fiona's latest video, "Paper Bag" which should begin shooting next week.  Paul promises that it will be "a really special video". Hopefully they will decide to release a Fiona DVD Collection sometime later this year.

Finally to wrap up the music video news, it doesn't look like there will be a video for "Wise Up". Originally, I had heard there were plans to release the video using existing footage from the film. It sounds like those plans are off for now. I will post any updates to this as soon as I hear them.

January 31, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

According to the two best unofficial Fiona Apple Websites, Never is a Promise and Fiona Has Wings, MTV will debut the new PTA directed Fiona Apple "Limp" video tonight (Sunday/Monday) during 120 Minutes. The show begins at 12:00 a.m. with estimates that the video will debut around 1:00 a.m. Set your VCR's or stay up and late and don't miss it!

January 19, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

MTV has a short article regarding Fiona Apple's latest PTA directed music video "Limp" which will be released in the next few weeks. If you have or download a Real Player, you can even check out a small clip from the video. Paul's David Letterman appearance has been postponed again as Dave is suffering from some heart/artery problems. If this gets rescheduled, I will let you know.

January 9, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I sat down with Paul for a bit on the set of the latest Fiona Apple video “Limp” which will be the second single & video from her critically acclaimed When the Pawn… release. This is their third collaboration together which follows “Across The Universe” & “Fast as You Can”

Greg Mariotti: Let’s talk about Magnolia. The preview screening you held in Sydney, Australia with Tom Cruise in late summer came in at 3:23. What did you trim? The worm is what I am hearing, some of the worm stuff? 

Paul Thomas Anderson: Yeah, the worm stuff. There’s sort of, a little bit more of a follow through on the mystery character, who’s in it now.  It’s better to remain sort of a mystery character.  The brown jacket and the little kid (Dixon).  And that stuff is sort of better served as something to truly think about as opposed to something to answer and in an effort to make it more mysterious and make it shorter…I just took it out.

GM: Cause I was wondering how the little kid (Dixon) got to the car where Linda Partridge was unconscious.  I mean seems like that was a way different neighborhood for him to be all of a sudden over there ….

PTA: No, that really wouldn’t have been any different if you had seen anything else. No, that makes total sense in terms of the reality base of the movie. I mean it’s not as if anything is missing now.

GM: Sure so what else got trimmed?  I heard that maybe the frog sequence got trimmed a little bit?

PTA: The frog sequence got trimmed, maybe like 5 minutes came out of the frog sequence and just heads and tails of film.

GM: I had read in Premiere Magazine that you made Bill Macy do like ten takes of the scene where he sticks a key a door and then turns around and slips and falls flat on his ass. I didn’t see that in the film, was that true or not true?

PTA: It’s in there. When he walks out and the key snaps off. He kinda smacks himself back into the door. We did like forty takes of it.  Or something like that.

GM: And he got hit in the face with a frog quite a few times too?

PTA: Yeah, he did. Yeah. Yeah

GM: I don’t know if I told you this I just thought the film was incredibly ballsy, raw and naked.

PTA: Thank you. Thanks a lot.

GM:  They are having a special screening in Seattle on the 28th of December, so I will get another opportunity to see it again before it goes into wide release on January 7th.

PTA:  Great. What kind of screening is it?

GM: My guess is probably a press screening with the few critics that are up there.  Speaking of critics, was there a gag order on reviews to try to keep the plot, etc. under wraps? I noticed that the Variety, Hollywood Reporter and David Anson (who gave it 3 1/2 stars) reviews have started to come out. Is that OK with you?

PTA: It’s fine, I think David Anson had to give it 3 ½ stars because he saw an earlier cut. He needed to give it a star rating for the magazine Film Comment. 

GM: Tell me about this proposed Lennon biopic rumor which has been circulating for more than two years. Is this true?

PTA: No, it’s not true.

GM: So with the dance sequence in Boogie Nights and the use of Aimee Mann’s music in Magnolia, I see a musical in your future. What do you think?

PTA: Sure. Oh yeah, definitely…definitely.

GM: Any idea what’s next at all? Maybe a lean mean short of thing?

PTA: Definitely short.

GM: Yeah. Are you going to take a break for a while?

PTA: I am, I am definitely going to try. I am going to try to take, like a year off or something like that

GM: Are you going keep doing music videos?

PTA: Just for Fiona

GM: What about Michael Penn who has a new record coming out early next year?

PTA:  Oh no, I would do it for Michael or Aimee or Fiona and of course John Brion. 

GM: Are they going to release Jon Brion’s Magnolia score? Because I know there is an Oscar promo CD floating around.

PTA: Yeah, there is an Oscar promo but there will be a true Jon Brion musical score for Magnolia coming out in January.

GM: What about your collaboration with Jonathon Demme?  What are you doin?

PTA: I can’t tell you…..

GM: All right, are you working on a script for him?

PTA: Sort of..

GM: A new script? Not a rewrite or something else like for the remake of Charade?

PTA: No. It’s so….I can’t say (chuckling under breath)

GM: Did you film the Sydney death sequence where the hostage kills him at the end of the film?

PTA: Yeah, I did.

GM: Did you also shoot the Clementine turd, story? 

PTA: Yes, I did.  Goddamn, that’s, how’d you know that? That’s great.

GM: It’s in the script. I read a bit about it in an interview with her and then I actually picked up the Sydney script and it was in there.

PTA: That’s great….is it in the script?  Gwyneth told me that story and I just wrote it down and then we shot it.  And it was just fuckin far too long.

GM: Hilarious.    

PTA: She just couldn’t tell the story any faster.

GM: Why not stick it on the DVD? 

PTA: I lost the footage. It’s gone somewhere….in hell with all that stuff.

GM: And you didn’t want to put your short film Cigarettes and Coffee on the DVD as sort of a precursor to Sydney?

PTA: No.

GM: OK. Why not include Johnny Doe’s death, the Becky and Jerome scene with Dirk crashing the car on the DVD (in the Deleted Scenes section) when it was one of the last things that you decided to cut. I know this was your final cut obviously but are you thinking of maybe eventually doing not a director’s cut… but maybe a fun cut…or an expanded version for people who really want to see that stuff?

PTA: I think we are going to do a new edition of the DVD. Because the directors cut is the cut of the movie.

GM: Right.  But even some of the lines that got cut….I know that you cut Dirk grinding on Amber a bit in addition to all the dialogue that was altered or removed for MPAA reasons (Little Bill’s Wife & Jessie, etc.)….   

PTA: You know it’s just so small. I don’t know if I really consider it exactly worth it. I might put the Becky sequence in possibly on a new Boogie Nights DVD. We might do a new version because I don’t really think it got transferred right the first time and I want to take another shot at it.

GM: Have you started to think about what you are going to do with the Magnolia DVD? Considering the length of the film that won’t leave a lot of room for extra materials unless you use the new DVD-18 or do a two disc set?

PTA: I think I will put one or two scenes that I took out. Maybe Earl Partridge’s longer monologue and the Frank Mackey seminar stuff that I took out. But I’m not going to do a commentary track for this movie.

GM: No? Do you just not want to talk about the film at length? Are you burned out talking about it?

PTA: Yeah. Totally. I just don’t want to talk about it. I’m just so proud of the movie and I think that it speak so much for itself that I should just shut up about it. We will put the Aimee Mann “Save Me” music video on there, and the trailers. I want to keep that stuff to a minimum so it allows more room for the best possible picture and sound.

GM: Are you ever going to do a real sex scene? I mean none of your films have had a real “Hollywood” type of sex scene. Maybe something like that but in a less clichéd way?

PTA: I really want to try. But I don’t want to worry about a ratings issue. I have to decide if it’s something I want to try to do within an R rating or something that I just want to period and not think about a rating.

GM: Melora Walters was incredible in this film. She completely stole the show in my opinion. I know all the early Oscar buzz is for Tom Cruise and Julianne Moore, but I really hope they seriously look at her and the job she did.

PTA: Me too. She’s incredible. I wrote the part for her. The last image in the film was the first one that I had in my mind.

GM: Did anyone pass on roles that were offered to them because I know that Rebecca Pidgeon (David Mamet’s wife) had to pass on a role because she was pregnant [this was the role of Jimmy Gator's mistress which was cut] Did anyone else pass?

PTA: There was moment where Jason Robards was too sick to do it and I offered the role to George C. Scott and he passed. And then Jason got better and I got my first choice back again which was great.

GM: Are there any actors that you are eager to work with?

PTA: Daniel Day Lewis. I think that he’s fucking awesome. I think that he’s a fantastic actor. I really want to work with him.

GM: What about Jennifer Jason Leigh? You are real good friends and I’m surprised that you haven’t worked together?

PTA: You know what. It’s just a matter of time before we get to each other. We are big fans of each other’s work. Maybe next time. I’ve been thinking about that a lot actually.

GM: What movies have you really liked the past few years?

PTA: La Promesse. I thought it was fucking incredible and amazing movie. I loved The Sixth Sense. I thought it was wonderful. I liked Eyes Wide Shut. Nothing else is popping into my head.

Bill Hader  (Friend of the site): Did you see Rosetta (same filmmakers that made La Promesse)?

PTA: No, not yet. I haven't had a chance but I really want to. I can't wait to see it.

GM: How’s your DVD collection?

PTA: I got a good collection going now. I’ve got a backlog of like a hundred that I haven’t had a chance to watch because I just buy them when I’m working or I’ll never remember if I don’t buy them now.

GM: What do you think of Cookie’s Fortune and the last few Altman films?

PTA: It was okay. I liked the Gingerbread Man. I thought it was a pretty good thriller, but Cookie’s Fortune was kind of silly.

GM: The spontaneous friction scene in Sydney. A reader from the site saw this happen outside a theater in 1990….

PTA: Hey, that might be true. I was outside of Reno and my car broke down and a tow truck driver picked me up and told me that story. It could have been. That was 1991. I can’t imagine that has happened a lot of times.

GM: So do you like the cigarettes & coffee website?

PTA: It’s great. Yeah. There’s maybe one time I saw something and I wanted to correct something. It wasn’t a big deal. I was gonna call you but I didn’t get around to it. No. Everything is pretty much spot on.

GM: I made the site for me because I was sick of searching the Internet and looking for stuff on you. I wanted somewhere for people to come and find everything they could need in one resource.

PTA: I don’t know if you know this but as my press gears up. People are going to your site and clearly they are getting shit from your website. All these big time interviewers are going there and getting all this stuff. Part of its great and part of its a little scary because they’re like “You once said” and I’m like “Really, Oh shit”. Oh yeah, I might have said that!

You will have peaks and valleys just like a director. I have a feeling these next few months there are going to be a lot of people checking out the site and looking for things.

GM: Yeah, I have really noticed the press on you gearing up. There was a real nice Q & A in Madison Magazine recently. Didn’t they want you on the cover?

PTA: Yeah. I don’t want to be on the cover. That’s not my style.

GM: Your films have made a lot of covers over in the U.K. They really appreciate you and your films quite a bit. I think there movie magazines are far superior to the ones we have over here.

PTA: I totally agree. Sight and Sound especially. I am gonna do another Sight and Sound interview in a few weeks. I don’t know. I can say with great pride that they really like my movies over there.

GM: Yeah, their love of film seems stronger than ours. Much better than the fluff over here.

PTA: Yeah, there’s a lot of weird internal politics over here with articles and interviewers.

GM: Do you mind if I post some pictures of your dad as himself and as Ghoulardi on the site? I didn’t want to do it until I got your okay.

PTA: Sure. That would be fine.

GM: I appreciate you having me out here and getting a chance to interview you and see you work.

PTA: No, are you kidding? You shouldn’t appreciate it. I appreciate you and all your work on the website

Fiona Apple - Limp (2000)

This video seems to be done to the morning after the song's lyrics take place. With Fiona Apple waking in her clothes from the day previous, with signature shots such as Fiona yelling into the ear of her contented image on television. The last moments of the video are cut to the fast beat of the song, a very tricky and time consuming editing technique.

Fiona Apple - Paper Bag (2000)

An homage to old-time musical sequences, Fiona Apple moves gracefully along through the song with 20 choreographed 10-13 year old children. Paul Thomas Anderson executes the video using the usual long, sweeping shots with fast dolly/zoom shots to the timing to M. Rooney's dance sequencing. The songs old time feel and dreamy/dark lyrics come to life here in the latest PTA offering.

Aimee Mann - Save Me (1999)

PTA says its "The most expensive music video ever shot", as Aimee is inserted into a re-created crucial scene of each of the 9 characters. Cut much like a sing-a-long with many new stunt shots that were created for the video, including one with a moving piano, tables & a spinning couch with Hall & Aimee all moving at once throughout the frame.

November 17, 1999

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Magnolia Screening with Paul on December 10th

Here's the info from the Independent Feature Project and their website:

This month, IFP/West is proud to present an Independent Focus with Paul Thomas Anderson. Hard Eight, Mr. Anderson's debut film, was acclaimed for its complex performances and fascinating glimpse into the human condition. His next film, Boogie Nights, furthered his acclaim, garnering three Academy Award nominations. Magnolia is his third and most ambitious film to date. Following a preview of his new film, host Elvis Mitchell will lead an in-depth interview with this director, who is known for his extremely personal and distinctive cinematic vision.

Magnolia takes place on a random day in the San Fernando Valley, as a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host, and an estranged daughter each become part of a dazzling multiplicity of plots, all linked to one story. Through a collusion of coincidence, chance, human action, shared media, past history, and divine intervention, they each weave and warp through each other's lives on a day that builds to an unforgettable climax. Magnolia is a mosaic of American life that through a series of comic and poignant vignettes presents a striking portrait of a lonely city sometimes called up short on love. Written, directed, and produced by Mr. Anderson, the film has an outstanding cast that includes Jeremy Blackman, Tom Cruise, Melinda Dillon, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Jason Robards, and Melora Walters.

After the success of Boogie Nights, Mr. Anderson originally wanted to write something "small and intimate" that could be shot in 30 days, but his plans went askew as the story blossomed into a complex tale of human frailty and universal chaos. Although nine stories are intertwined, each character is painted with intimacy and emotion. "I still think that Magnolia is small and intimate," says Anderson. "It just took 200 pages and 90 days to get the right amount of small and intimate."

The Independent Focus presentation screens at the Egyptian Theater, 6712 Hollywood Blvd, in Hollywood.

December 10, 1999 @ 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are available for $15 IFP/West members and $25 for the general public. Please note: due to the length of the film, we will be starting the screening at 7:00 p.m.

For reservations, please call 310/475-4379, ext. 10.

I can't wait! I have reserved my tickets and I am searching for a good deal on airfare, etc. I would love to get together with the readers of the site and go see the screening. Please email me, if you would like to do this. I also heard that they are showing Boogie Nights in L.A. at a midnight showing (I'm not sure which theater). It would be great to see that again on the big screen while I'm down there!

I am also trying to set up a meeting with Paul while I'm down there for an interview, so if you have any questions you would like me to try and ask, please let me know.

 

New Aimee Mann Video from Magnolia is Out

You can download Paul's great new music video for "Save Me" at the official Magnolia website. It was shot during the filming of Magnolia and if you missed the great Billboard article on this, please see the Update below from November 13. 

November 13, 1999

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

PTA Speaks on Magnolia 

The first PTA interview I have seen regarding Magnolia. The big news here is that Paul says that he is writing a script for his idol Jonathan Demme, but it's top secret! 

The Patriot Ledger (MA) - 11/99

 Magnolia Soundtrack, Aimee Mann, and another new PTA Music Video

I have just finished posting two new Magnolia soundtrack (which is due to be released on December 7) articles. One is dedicated to the creation of the Soundtrack, how it affected Paul's writing of the screenplay, and the new music video he directed for the first single, "Save Me". The second talks more specifically about Aimee Mann (who has 9 of the songs on the soundtrack) and her trials and tribulations. Both articles will be available in the growing Filmography - Magnolia section (of the website).

Fiona Apple - Fast As You Can (1999)

The video was shot with many of the new camera tricks & techniques PTA was experimenting with in Magnolia. The opening of the video is shot with the 1920's Lumiere camera Paul used for the Greenberry Hill sequence, as well as a new effect; having the camera operators dropping different lenses into the camera while filming, creating the circular/flip cuts in the train station.

September 30, 1999

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Paul's New Music Video Debuts 10/1/99

According to the Unofficial Fiona Apple Website Never is a Promise - Fiona's incredible new PTA directed video will be debuting on MTV during Total Request Live at 3:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Friday! Here's their summary of the video (they also have stills and a partial download of the video available at their site).

Fast As You Can - The Video!  As for the biggest surprise of all, we have the video for "Fast As You Can!"  It's directed by P.T. Anderson (who is absolutely crazy about Fiona and it shows!) He has created a simply dazzling video!  With the opening black & white zoomed shots, we're artfully enveloped into an intimate, fresh, and playful Fiona.  There's a seamless transition to color shots of Fiona in various areas including a garage, inside a house and in the L.A. metro.  It's captivatingly edgy, cool, fresh-looking and artistic. You are all going to love it!