Every month, we present Staff Picks at the Oriental Theatre - crazy classics, obscure delights, and cinematic masterpieces curated by the incredible Milwaukee Film and Oriental Theatre staff! Before each film screens, we're having a brief chat with each staff member about their selection. Next up in this series? Our beloved Oriental Theatre Cinema Manager, Crystal, waxing poetic regarding There Will Be Blood! Read on...
What's your name?
Crystal Plahuta.
What's your job title at Milwaukee Film? What does that entail?
Cinema Manager - Make sure the popcorn flows.
What movie did you pick?
There Will Be Blood (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
When did you first see said movie?
Really 'seeing' this movie is an ongoing process. When it was first released I saw it in the theater and remember being frustrated with it. I was left feeling angry and uncomfortable. But it forced me to wrestle with those feelings; it embedded itself in my bones. It wasn't until the third time seeing it, that I realized (plot point redacted, no spoilers). The whole movie rearranged itself with that realization and I had my first glimpse at the magnitude of the story. Since then I continue to return to this film and find new depths and intensities each time. Having never seen a 35mm print, much less with an audience in a shared magical space, there's a part of me that feels like I'm going to first see the movie on Saturday March 30th, 7pm at the Oriental Theater (tickets available now!).
In ten words or less, tell us why we HAVE to see this movie!
Oil!
Okay - expand on that - why did you make this your staff pick?
There Will Be Blood is the film I would humbly suggest as the finest example of contemporary mainstream American cinema. It's equal parts savage and sober in it's exploration and critique of American ideals. It reveals our grimiest truths with aesthetic grace. As far as aesthetics go, it's breathtaking to look at (shout out to Bob Elswit, PTA's longtime cinematographer), unnerving and humbling to listen to (Johnny Greenwood), and bound together by maybe the finest performance ever captured on film (Daniel Day Lewis). I chose this as my staff pick for at least two reasons - being able to see a 35mm screening, and the thought of sharing that experience with others in this space.
A great many thanks to Crystal for taking the time to participate! See There Will Be Blood this Saturday - 7 PM at the Oriental Theatre! TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE.
Posted by: Tom Fuchs