There Will Be Blood or No Country For Old Men?

[Tony Trick-Pony]

No Country was a very haunting moral piece done perfectly. The suspense in the movie is insane and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There Will Be Blood was a very interesting character study that basically shows an oil man devolving into a monster. In my opinion, DDL gave one of the greatest acting showcases of all time. This is a movie that is necessary to watch a few times because you dont realize all of the awesome things about it on the first viewing. It also requires you to interpret what the morals are, whereas in No Country, they are all communicated through the narration. After watching both of them multiple times, I will go with There will be blood but they are both classics IMO.

I definitely agree. I didn't get a lot out of TWBB the first time I saw it. I thought, 'Wow. What an a-hole.' Ha. Of course, at the time, I was having a few brews with a friend. When I watched it the second time, though, I caught a lot of great things about it, including the cinematography which was excellent. Also the little subtle things Day Lewis did and his character's way of talking people into selling him their land. But the character is also admirable in certain ways. After all, he busted his a$$ to get where he was. No one gave him anything. And then he gets the chance from Standard to sell out, but he doesn't. He decides to become a major player himself. He definitely chooses a falling arc, as by the end he is a drunken, miserable monster who's completely alienated himself, but his journey at certain turns is inspiring. What a work ethic.

[Dixie Normis]

I definitely agree. I didn't get a lot out of TWBB the first time I saw it. I thought, 'Wow. What an a-hole.' Ha. Of course, at the time, I was having a few brews with a friend. When I watched it the second time, though, I caught a lot of great things about it, including the cinematography which was excellent. Also the little subtle things Day Lewis did and his character's way of talking people into selling him their land. But the character is also admirable in certain ways. After all, he busted his a$$ to get where he was. No one gave him anything. And then he gets the chance from Standard to sell out, but he doesn't. He decides to become a major player himself. He definitely chooses a falling arc, as by the end he is a drunken, miserable monster who's completely alienated himself, but his journey at certain turns is inspiring. What a work ethic.

That's exactly what I am talking about. His whole character is the focal point for the movie and what you are seeing as a whole is a greedy, selfish monster. But after rewatching it, you examples that show glimpses of a good man, like when he is seemingly exasperated after sending off his "son" at the end. Even though it seems as though he just wants to be an ******* to him just because he's a horrible person, you really start to see that he is only so upset because he loves him so much and thinks that he's going to Mexico to open his own oil business, turning himself into his own father's competition and therefore betraying him. Also, the scene where he cries himself to sleep after killing his imposter brother. It seems to me that he got provoked into killing him because Henry hit his soft spot, giving him hope that there was someone out there still like him when in reality, he was just manipulating him and his emotions. One of the most interesting movie characters of all time IMO and you get the gist that DDL is not acting here, he's completely become this person.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

That's exactly what I am talking about. His whole character is the focal point for the movie and what you are seeing as a whole is a greedy, selfish monster. But after rewatching it, you examples that show glimpses of a good man, like when he is seemingly exasperated after sending off his "son" at the end. Even though it seems as though he just wants to be an ******* to him just because he's a horrible person, you really start to see that he is only so upset because he loves him so much and thinks that he's going to Mexico to open his own oil business, turning himself into his own father's competition and therefore betraying him. Also, the scene where he cries himself to sleep after killing his imposter brother. It seems to me that he got provoked into killing him because Henry hit his soft spot, giving him hope that there was someone out there still like him when in reality, he was just manipulating him and his emotions. One of the most interesting movie characters of all time IMO and you get the gist that DDL is not acting here, he's completely become this person.

Absolutely man. So well developed. There are tons of lesser writers and directors who would have made Daniel Plainview(excellent name as well) an all-out monster and let that be that, but that just isn't realistic. Even monsters tell jokes and laugh and cut up and can get their feelings hurt like all of us. He told Henry things he would never tell anybody. I don't know why he opened up to him like this, but he let it all go. I think Henry got lazy after they'd made the deal with Union on the boat and that's why he screwed up. I remember the first time I saw DP at the little peach tree dance and thought, 'Can this guy EVER have fun?' Haha. But of course, he's got all of this rattling around in his head. And what movie is good without a little betrayal? Such a great film.

[Amazinger]

I've had this question put to me several times and I never do have an answer. I love both, but can't pick one over the other. Which is the better movie over all?

Blood Meridian is a better book than both....

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Blood Meridian is a better book than both....

Yes, I have read Blood Meridian or An Evening Redness in the West. It's gruesome but very interesting. The Judge is quite the villain. He also carries a coin around with him like Chigur does. McCarthy likes coins, I guess.

[DARKSEID]

I watched there will be blood again because of the replies in this thread and I think what the movie signifies is what happens when you dedicate your life to monetary gain and competition.

Plainview spent his whole life compiling wealth and destroying his enemies, and in the end, he got everything he wanted.

Yet possibly the greatest moments in his life, the most valuable things he owned were the memories with his son.

[Prince Madison]

there will be blood, comfortably...

[Amazinger]

Yes, I have read Blood Meridian or An Evening Redness in the West. It's gruesome but very interesting. The Judge is quite the villain. He also carries a coin around with him like Chigur does. McCarthy likes coins, I guess.

I'm a TOADvine kind of guy....