“The Master”: Too Much Art for Oscar?

Last updated on: January 28, 2013 at 10:09 pm by Jeffrey Overstreet

“The Master”: Too Much Art for Oscar? 2013-01-28T22:09:40-07:00 Jeffrey Overstreet

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m grateful to David Dark, author of one of my favorite books — The Sacredness of Questioning Everything — for highlighting this article by Tyler Sage on Paul Thomas Anderson’s film The Master, published at The Los Angeles Review of Books.

It is so refreshing, after reading a storm of hasty reactions, wild accusations, and complaints about this “difficult” work of art, to read such a thoughtful, patient, studious consideration of this film.

Here’s how it starts…

LIKE MANY AMBITIOUS FILMS, P.T. Anderson’s The Master generated a fair amount of controversy when it was released last fall. Some people loved it, some hated it, and many did not seem to know what to make of it. A number of critics, even those who lauded the film, claimed that it included no third act, or was altogether plotless; others dismissed it as either (or both) overwrought or dull. In some quarters, the film was portrayed as a masterpiece. In others, it was portrayed as insufferably highbrow and self-impressed, the kind of movie that makes you feel like an artistic Neanderthal if you don’t “get it.”

On the final point, there’s little ground for productive argument. Many people are antagonistic towards what they see as difficult movies, and don’t go to the theater to be challenged. There’s nothing wrong with this. In terms of the film’s aims and structure, however, it was surprising how misdirected were the complaints of formlessness or incompletion. The narrative of the film is whole and resolved. It is not a straightforward work, nor an easy one; it does, however, present a vision that is coherent and readable. And the most interesting — and least commented on — aspect of the film is that it is an example of what is becoming a clear trend in Anderson’s work: a reaction to the technical capacities of modern cinema, and to our contemporary cultural milieu, that is decidedly Modernist in nature. In this regard, The Master has much to say about our contemporary moment in both film and culture.

Read the whole thing. This is the kind of study such a movie deserves.

I’m not at all surprised that The Master was not nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.

Hollywood and its target audience much prefer something that flatters America (and more specifically, something that flatters Hollywood, like The Artist and Argo). The Academy is more inclined to choose films that don’t need much interpretation or study or discussion, films that give everybody a good time.

In the long view, though, The Master will make the bigger mark on film history. It’s is a film that will still be studied and discussed by artists, film scholars, and moviegoers who appreciate a challenge, for decades to come. That’s why it topped a lot of critics lists this year (including the Village Voice film critics poll, Rolling Stone, Time Out New York, the San Francisco film critics, Dana Stevens at Slate), especially those that exist outside of the culture of Hollywood hype (like Sight and Sound, the Toronto Film Critics Association, The Guardian, The British Film Institute).

I doubt that many of the great filmmakers will point back to 2012 and say, “Argo is the movie that really showed me what movies can do.” But they will say that about The Master.

(Note what Ben Affleck, Argo‘s director, said when he accepted his Golden Globe for Argo: “These nominees are exceptional talents. I truly to God never thought I would be in the same breath as them. I want to thank them, and I want to thank the many talented people that weren’t nominated. Paul Thomas Anderson who’s like, I think, Orson Welles.”)

Uncategorized

David Dark

Film Review Hall of Fame

Paul Thomas Anderson

The Master

Previous Post

January 26, 2013

In Honor of Sister Rose Pacatte

Next Post

January 31, 2013 The Awful Truth: "Portlandia" and How to Succeed in "Journalism"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog Bloggers on "Through a Screen Darkly" Browser Coming Soon Endorsements Fiction Books Film Forum Film Reviews Inspirations Interviews Journal Kindlings Muse Movie buzz Music Reviews Non-Fiction Books radio Reviewers on "Through a Screen Darkly" The Auralia Thread Through a Screen Darkly Through a Screen Darkly - Bonus Materials Top 10 (or 20 or 100) lists Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 July 2003 May 2003 March 2003 September 1999

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many minor prophets are in the Old Testament?

Select your answer to see how you score.

10 12 14 16