Labelling his work as a ‘family enterprise’, he is moving himself further away from the lone, dictator he truly is. Quite early on he tells his audience he hopes they’ll forgive good old-fashioned plain speaking. Plainview claims to be all about equal distribution of wealth in his search for oil. More prevalent than ever, oil is the foundation of American greed and religion is the cause of most conflicts, just as they are throughout the film. There Will Be Blood undoubtedly transcends the time in which it was set and is a prelude to the driving force of American capitalism we were to see in the 20th century.
This is the story of the loss of one man’s soul as he rises to riches, encompassing religion, money, greed and power, all just as relevant now as they were when the film was set. Old fashioned but forever relevant, the central themes of There Will Be Blood are timeless. The next time we see Plainview – 13 years later – he has emerged as a grandiose figure, immensely self-assured and confident. It is obvious that he has adopted HW as his own and initially it seems as though Plainview has formed a bond with the child, as the infant seems enamoured with him. Plainview is ill equipped to be a father, but like most things in his life, he sees the young child as an investment, a tool to further himself.Īt the end of the opening sequence, Plainview and his new son HW are riding off on a train, one of the only times throughout There Will Be Blood that warmth and comfort pours from the otherwise stoic man. One of Plainview’s workers is killed on the job and leaves an infant behind. The introduction of Plainview as a hardworking man with endless ambition foreshadows the narrative and shows us he is willing to risk everything to conquer. There is absolutely no need for dialogue, as the visuals speak for themselves. These harsh and dangerous working conditions work to show us how committed Plainview is to his cause, willing to put himself and the workers around him in life threatening conditions. It is the year 1898 and we see Plainview working in extremely rigorous and labour intensive conditions, but this seems to push him harder rather than deter him.
Relatively uncommon in cinema today, this opening sequence is essentially it’s own silent film, a dialogue-free, mesmerising introduction of just under 15 minutes. The score is almost like that of a horror movie, instantly intriguing the audience. The first shot is a wide and barren landscape, accompanied with an eerie score, filling the audience with unease. The film’s title appears on screen in white against a black background, the gothic font instantly evoking biblical undertones. At 158 minutes you’re in for the long haul, but even the slow, scenic panning shots are unlike no other, especially since they’re accompanied by Johnny Greenwood’s incredibly memorable score. Undeniably epic, there is never a dull moment. Following the rise and rapid decline of self proclaimed “oil man” Daniel Plainview, whose fall from grace is less than noble, this film is known for the haunting, Oscar winning performance of Daniel Day-Lewis in the leading role. Written and directed by cinematic great Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood is loosely based on Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel ‘Oil’.
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