An epic descent into a heart of darkness characterized by greed, compulsion and power above all else, director Paul Thomas Anderson’s THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007) culminates in a harrowing confrontation in a private bowling alley – in which the struggle between ambition and morality reaches its conclusion. The film was recognized in the year of its release with an AFI AWARD, naming it among the most outstanding motion pictures of year. According to the official rationale, “THERE WILL BE BLOOD is bravura filmmaking by one of American film’s modern masters. Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic poem of savagery, optimism and obsession is a true meditation on America. The film drills down into the dark heart of capitalism, where domination, not gain, is the ultimate goal. In a career defined by transcendent performances, Daniel Day-Lewis creates a character so rich and so towering, that ‘Daniel Plainview’ will haunt the history of film for generations to come.” In addition to haunting performances from Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O’Connor and Ciarán Hinds, THERE WILL BE BLOOD also features stunning cinematography from AFI Alum – and frequent Anderson collaborator – Robert Elswit (AFI Class of 1977).
Visit the AFI Catalog to learn more about THERE WILL BE BLOOD.