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There Will Be Blood (Special Edition) [2007] | ![There Will Be Blood (Special Edition) [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41I4mH4ixkL._SL75_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Actors: Daniel Day-lewis, Ciaran Hinds, Kevin J. O'connor, Barry Del Sherman, Dillon Freasier
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
Buy New: £11.98
You Save: £8.01 (40%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 228
Format: Pal
Language: English (Unknown)
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 152
EAN: 8717418164577
ASIN: B0012L6AC8
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: July 7, 2008 (In 52 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet released
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
Oil on the brain May 12, 2008
This visceral, poignant, haunting behemoth of a movie takes no prisoners. It is simultaneously an unrelenting portrait of an evil man and the documenting of a period of history in which the world changed forever.
Drilling for oil is an inherently violent business. Man build's giant machines to invade the earth and draw out the fossilized remains of organisms that existed millennia ago. The violence of their resurrection is matched by the fearful depths the prospectors will sink to within themselves to reach the black gold. The dark, seemingly limitless wealth in the belly of the earth is like the limitless evil we can draw on should we be so motivated.
Our antihero, Plainview, is tormented and evil yet presents himself as an honest family man, an `oil man'. This draws an unbroken connection between the dark insanity of the early days of oil and the republican oil men today who also are steeped in blood whilst professing Christian family values. More than this, that these wild, violent times are the immediate foundation of our culture throws our `civilization' into sharp relief.
Finding this cheap almost limitless source of energy under our feet propelled humanity on an expansive projection that would subjugate much of the living world. We have changed our planet using oil powered technologies. If we ever needed reminding that this happened without a master plan this film is it. It is in a frenzied state that we have transformed our society into raging fire, fuelled by fossil fuel that is consuming the rest of the biosphere.
Emerging from the misery of oil exploration, with the greed and avarice, danger and death, presented with the back drop of a changing planet, with oil wars raging, we have this starkly beautiful film. This honest work of art allows us to see not just our own story but the interior workings of the mind of the species that sits atop the apex of life on this planet. At worst, we are stupid, bald monkeys on a collision course with extinction. But there is beauty on the road to oblivion; the dark horror the film describes is juxtaposed with the creative genius of the making of the film. It is humanities creative abilities that make existence worthwhile. Maybe there is hope.
 Overrated and tedious May 11, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was very disappointed with this film. It was nearly 20 minutes before a character even spoke, and it's not as if anything was going on. And Daniel Day Lewis's performance which I'd heard so many good things about, oh dear. All he does is shout his lines. Since when did shouting become a substitute for acting? I felt embarassed for him. If someone in a local theatre acted that badly they'd be booed off stage.
But the most annoying thing about this film was that it had no point. I was expecting some sort of gigantic revelation or twist at the end that would save the film and redeem it in some way, but no, nothing of the sort. It just ended. I was grateful that it was over, but wished it had ended about 2 hours earlier (just after the opening credits would have been best).
I realise a lot of people like this film, but I wanted to be entertained and this film failed to do that for me. Really disappointed.
 A film of two layers. April 27, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
It's worth 2.5 stars... but you can't give half stars, so 2-stars it is.
Let's cut to the chase - the acting is superb - all players taking their parts brilliantly - deftly counter-pointing each other - it's like jazz 'man' (niiice!) - and brilliantly achieved by all.
The realisation onto film is sumptuously done - visually stunning, sometimes straightforwardly beautiful, with lots of sweeping time allowing for each section to play at its own natural pace - the dialog seems to feel very real for this reason alone.
The music was, for me, a little intrusive at times and grated a tad - even if in keeping with the tone of the film, and there's some nice use of sound manipulation (and silence) when taking HW's point of view.
But... oh golly gee gosh... it's a fundamentally such a dull and uninvolving story, and as noted by others nothing really 'happens' per se. Although the story covers a fair span of time I never felt that the characters evolved, or a 'proper story' got told, and the central character remains largely unexplained/unresolved and one for whom (I hope!) we feel little empathy, albeit some sympathy.
That said, by the time 'our hero' shouts 'I'm finished' I have to confess, I knew exactly how he felt. Perhaps they should have filmed the back-story given to Daniel Day Lewis instead.
Moral of the story - if you're a ruthless uncaring individual who suppresses what little you do feel, and pushes away those who feel for you, don't be surprised if you're not very popular or happy. Duh.
Other moral of the story - watch Citzen Kane instead, and save an hour of your life - for there's washing to be done Maude, and the yung-uns need a changin!!!
There will be blood is just not that good. April 13, 2008
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
I so thought this would be a great movie, I am a huge fan of Daniel Day-Lewis and his acting in this was superb as usual but what the hell was the point in this movie, because It did not raise one bit of emotion in me. I am a reasonably inteligent man but I cant see what the fuss is about . This movie had beautiful cinematography great acting but I just didn't care about any of the characters at all. I cant help thinking that this has been hyped up without justification and that there is a real sense of emperor's new clothes about this. The story was just dull. I kept waiting for the moment of revelation that never came. If someone can explain the point of this movie I would be very grateful because I cant see one. I think the real test of a great movie is being able to watch again and again and get something out of it each time. I would rather watch a beautifully fimed documentary about oil production in the early 1900s because it would have about as much emotion.
 a film of two halves March 22, 2008
1 out of 9 found this review helpful
This is a long film. the first half is fantastic, the second half sends you to sleep it's so tedious. Daniel Day Lewis is awe inspiring, so much so that you don't really care what happens to the other characters. So I suggest you watch until the point where the pipeline is complete, then switch off. You won't be missing anything, and the good part will be fresh in your mind.
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