Special Features
DVD Corner: There Will Be Blood
Greg Kaczynski |
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 This week marks the arrival of yet another of last year’s Oscar contenders for Best Motion Picture to DVD shelves, There Will Be Blood (Paramount Home Entertainment, 2-disc set, MSRP: $34.99/Single disc, MSRP: $29.99). Paul Thomas Anderson’s turn of the century American epic is a curious beast, a story of greed, religion and obsession, which shines an unflattering light on an already unlikable caricature: that of the big oil man. It’s a boldly visual tale that traverses the opening years of the oil industry in the States and traces the lengths that one man will go through to win all he can. The film itself won a slew of awards and Daniel Day-Lewis is remarkably entertaining as anti-hero Daniel Plainview, but is it really worth the purchase, let alone the extra dollars for the 2-disc “collector’s edition?”
The biggest problem with owning There Will Be Blood on DVD is that it is a very uncomplicated movie, one that does not immediately mark itself as one for frequent viewings. The narrative might be so simple, in fact, as to be somewhat forgettable. In the early 1900s, Plainview rises as a big man in the industry. With his son, H.W. (Dillon Freasier), he ruthlessly grabs land as cheap as he can, and frequently strikes oil. He’s an incredible capitalist, unashamed to do whatever it takes to be on top. That’s the basic story--that’s it. Plainview is so intent on winning that he rarely considers anyone else. He constantly plays tough and he never changes. Even when it seems he’s begun to change, it turns out he’s still pretty much the same.
Then there’s Eli (Paul Dano), the young preacher Plainview butts heads with as he’s purchasing land in California: a real fire and brimstone vessel of the Lord who wants what he wants and never budges from his stance, never growing as a character.
 Also along for the ride are an array of associates, competitors and down-home folk, all of whom never change or evolve. This is the movie’s biggest flaw. Since there are no major character arcs, it’s hard to get involved with them; on further viewings, the parallels between religion and oil will surely become more evident and poignant, but repeat screenings don’t feel compulsory.
The transfer itself is fine. The orange-brown and blue theme of the early century California desert, the stark shadows of the derricks cast over the carpenters and workers, P.T. Anderson’s floaty steadicam work…all are there on the DVD looking as they should. However, the original lighting and mise en scene is itself slightly flat and uninspired.
The sound is mixed nicely, crisp and full where it needs to be, but it doesn’t take much advantage of the Dolby Surround. The soundtrack, weird and artsy, is intact and strong. Don’t misunderstand, there’s a time and place for experimental music, and there is plenty of lush, ominous strings setting the perfect tone, but there are points where composer Jonny Greenwood gets a little carried away, and occasionally, the score becomes a distraction from the film itself, which hurts such a straightforward story.
 The DVD itself is noticeably bare. The first disc has only the feature. Granted it’s over two-and-a-half hours, but there is absolutely nothing on the first disc, not even a commentary. It would have been interesting to hear about the process behind making the film, the authenticity of the props and settings or Day-Lewis’ method in creating Plainview. But sadly, there is nothing.
The second disc is surprisingly lacking as well. For a “collector’s edition,” there is very little to actually collect here. Although the seven special features add up to just under an hour, don’t be deceived: the stuff is weak, and the two largest selections actually borrow quite a bit from each other.
“15 Minutes: Pics, Research, Etc. for the Making of There Will Be Blood” (15:23) is exactly what it says it is: 15 minutes of black-and-white archival footage compared to the actual footage from the film. Often, the resemblances are striking, but after about five minutes, it becomes tiresome.
 The longest piece on the second disc is “The Story of Petroleum” (26:00), a promotional film made between 1923 and 1927 by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. A lot of the archival footage seen in “15 Minutes” can also be found here, but this time as part of a lengthy, silent, black-and-white historical gem. It might be fascinating for those who are interested in the process and history of oil digging and refining, but the text cards are on the screen way too long, and you might find yourself staring out the window, waiting for the next scene.
There is the teaser trailer (1:25) and the trailer (2:13), which are fairly textbook and exactly what one would expect.
Also included are two deleted scenes: “Fishing” (6:15), which is actually quite informative and fleshes out the connection being made between religion and oil a bit more, and “Haircut/Interrupted Hymn” (3:15), an inexplicable piece of flashback that was rightly taken out of the final film.
 Rounding out the extras is “Dailies Gone Wild” (2:47), not a blooper reel as one might suspect, but a single subdued outtake of the “expensive diner” scene in which Day-Lewis breaks at the end. Not particularly interesting.
If you haven’t seen the movie, be sure to rent it as Day-Lewis’ performance is truly a great piece of work, but actual purchase of either of the There Will Be Blood DVDs is only recommended for those who either fell deeply in love with the movie in theaters or are completionists. Forget about the 2-disc “collector’s edition,” though--it’s simply not worth the extra cash.
There Will Be Blood is now available on DVD.
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