We have all heard the story of a person destroying himself/herself over greed or envy. In movies, we see people willing to die to earn the power that they seek. Daniel is the character in this film that this happens to. Like the protagonist of the 1983 movie “Scarface,” he wants what he doesn’t have which is greed and power. In this film, he does whatever he can to earn that desirable power that he wants. The director of “There Will Be Blood” (2007), Paul Thomas Anderson, uses a visual strategy like using empty space around the character to show the downfall of him throughout the film. Paul Thomas Anderson also uses background music, such as violin screeching, to give the audience a feel of how the protagonist is a villain from a horror movie.
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In the first scene, we are introduced to Daniel Plainview who is working in a gold mine by himself. While he is working he falls down in the mine and breaks his leg. We cut to him laying down watching his workers like a hawk counting his gold that he found. In this composition (fig. 1) we see him laying down with a broken leg. This shows us that this character doesn’t trust anyone. Even with a broken leg he wants to make sure that none of his workers are stealing from him. He is dominating the frame, by putting him closer to the camera, to show that he is an important figure in the story. Even the way that they placed him on the floor instead of on a bed or chair for this scene. It shows that the character is starting from the bottom with no one around him and not trusting anyone. It is only the beginning of his journey to become a success business …show more content…
They show us that they care about nothing else except their pursuit of power, which in this case is greed. Daniel wants to a powerful businessman and Eli wants to become a great preacher that spreads his message across town. They both show us that they will do anything to get what they want like crawling with a broken leg to get rich. Or when Eli is aware that the workers are not receiving well-needed rest and becomes quit when he realizes that the workers need to work so that the wells can produce oil and he can finally build that church that he wants. Paul Thomas Anderson shows us that this two character that is the same in many ways by the compositions of the shots. He gives a look at what this character would do to be on top. Even though they both have two different goals, they both are willing to do what it takes to reach their goals. The film tells the audience that the protagonist and antagonist in the film personal values will eventually turn against them. Showing us that the film is a metaphor of people's greed overtaken
In the first scene, we are introduced to Daniel Plainview who is working in a gold mine by himself. While he is working he falls down in the mine and breaks his leg. We cut to him laying down watching his workers like a hawk counting his gold that he found. In this composition (fig. 1) we see him laying down with a broken leg. This shows us that this character doesn’t trust anyone. Even with a broken leg he wants to make sure that none of his workers are stealing from him. He is dominating the frame, by putting him closer to the camera, to show that he is an important figure in the story. Even the way that they placed him on the floor instead of on a bed or chair for this scene. It shows that the character is starting from the bottom with no one around him and not trusting anyone. It is only the beginning of his journey to become a success business …show more content…
They show us that they care about nothing else except their pursuit of power, which in this case is greed. Daniel wants to a powerful businessman and Eli wants to become a great preacher that spreads his message across town. They both show us that they will do anything to get what they want like crawling with a broken leg to get rich. Or when Eli is aware that the workers are not receiving well-needed rest and becomes quit when he realizes that the workers need to work so that the wells can produce oil and he can finally build that church that he wants. Paul Thomas Anderson shows us that this two character that is the same in many ways by the compositions of the shots. He gives a look at what this character would do to be on top. Even though they both have two different goals, they both are willing to do what it takes to reach their goals. The film tells the audience that the protagonist and antagonist in the film personal values will eventually turn against them. Showing us that the film is a metaphor of people's greed overtaken