The Ascent of Paul Thomas Anderson: An Icon in the Making

      In anticipation of One Battle After Another, Simon Thompson explores the journey of filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.

      Paul Thomas Anderson is a director whose career embodies irony. Though he operates within the arthouse realm, he has the backing of Hollywood, managing to pursue his creative vision even during the most risk-averse periods in American cinema history. His films frequently revolve around outsiders, feature ambiguous storylines, delve into themes of loneliness, and are crafted with meticulous attention to detail, reminiscent of Kubrick. Despite the nature of his work, he has garnered a remarkably devoted following. In essence, he is a living legend, and we are fortunate to witness his continued passion and craftsmanship since his emergence in the mid-1990s.

      Born in California in 1970 to Edwina Anderson, a housewife, and actor Ernie Anderson, Paul’s early exposure to entertainment came from his father’s dual role as the host of a horror program called Shock Theatre and an announcer for ABC. While his relationship with his mother was strained due to his artistic aspirations, Ernie was supportive of Paul’s ambitions.

      Anderson began directing at age 8, but a pivotal moment in his early career occurred in 1982 when his father bought a Betamax camera, a cutting-edge technology then. Transitioning through various formats during his adolescence, Anderson produced his first significant work as a high school senior—a half-hour mockumentary about a porn star named Dirk Diggler, inspired by the life of actor John Holmes. Unbeknownst to him, he would revisit this same theme just nine years later.

      Opting to hone his craft at film school, Anderson chose Santa Monica College for its proximity to home. However, he found the experience creatively suffocating and tedious, criticizing Santa Monica's teaching methods for making filmmaking feel too much like “homework,” which diminished his enthusiasm for the artistic process. Throughout the early 1990s, he took various paths, initially studying English at Emerson under David Foster Wallace for two terms, spending a brief period in New York, and working as a production assistant in both Los Angeles and New York on TV and music videos.

      Influenced by filmmakers like Robert Altman, Stanley Kubrick, Anthony Mann, Max Ophuls, Billy Wilder, David Mamet, Mike Leigh, and Martin Scorsese, Anderson created a 20-minute short film titled Cigarettes and Coffee in 1993. Funded through gambling winnings, his girlfriend's credit card, and his father's college savings, this film portrays a group of strangers whose lives intersect through a $20 bill.

      This guerrilla-style production involved an inexperienced crew, but Anderson's determination enabled quick completion. Through his friend Shane Conrad, who worked for Panavision, he secured a camera and dolly along with Miguel Ferrer in a leading role.

      Cigarettes and Coffee is significant in Anderson's career for two reasons. Firstly, it showcases his early distinct stylistic elements, like long takes, a vast and interconnected ensemble, themes of loneliness and societal alienation, dark humor, and the concept of fate. Secondly, it marks his initial collaboration with the accomplished character actor Phillip Baker Hall, whom he met as a production assistant.

      Upon finishing Cigarettes and Coffee, Anderson submitted it to the short film circuit, where it quickly garnered a following and attracted the attention of industry executives, leading to its submission to the Sundance Festival Shorts program. The festival organizers were so impressed that they invited him into the feature division the following year.

      He received mentorship from seasoned Scottish director Michael Caton Jones, who acknowledged Anderson's raw talent and creative voice, albeit with limited practical experience. This guidance helped in developing his short into his first feature. With newfound recognition from Sundance, Anderson secured a deal with Rysher Entertainment, a subsidiary of Viacom, to direct his debut film, Sydney, a noir crime drama.

      The story centers on John (John C. Reilly), a broke gambler in Nevada, who becomes involved with Sydney (Phillip Baker Hall), a successful gambler who mentors him in the nuances of professional gambling. Complications arise as John befriends a small-time criminal, Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson), and falls for Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a cocktail waitress. The plot escalates, pushing Sydney to his limits.

      Produced on a $3 million budget, a conflict arose between Anderson and Rysher due to the studio re-editing the film without his approval. Consequently, he renamed it to Hard Eight (after a line from Samuel L. Jackson's character) and raised $200,000 to complete it on his own terms.

      Hard Eight premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival in 1996, garnering attention and positive reviews from critics such as Roger Ebert, who appreciated its original and compelling characters. It stands as a hallmark of the 1980s-1990s American independent cinema renaissance. At just 26,