In the Film, There Will Be Blood revolves around rise and decline of the main character Daniel Plainview. Daniel is a powerful but ruthless oil man who moves to California to become even richer. Eventually his inhumanity and antisocial behavior threatens to destroy everyone around him. Almost like Charles Kane from Citizen Kane. In the beginning of the film the director uses a very important cinematography technique, there is no dialogue for the first 15 minutes. This is important because Daniel is insignificant during these first 15 minutes. It is no coincidence then that not only does dialogue not begin until after Daniel has become successful. Daniel is also the first person to speak in the film after 20 minutes of silence. Throughout most of the movie everything Daniel says is spoken in a declarative tone, he also has a tendency to make up people’s minds for them before they even have a chance to speak. This is the behavior of a godlike figure Daniel’s voice is the source of his godlike power. We learn that Daniel is an insanely competitive man. “I have a competition in me,” he tells his “brother” Henry. “I want no one else to succeed.” We see here that Daniel is extremely consumed by greed. At the ending scene Daniels says: “I am the third revelation!”, he screams at Eli while throwing bowling balls at him, comparing himself to God, literally. “Because I’m smarter than you!” To conclude, it is evident that Daniel is afraid of humanity. When Daniel was killing his antagonist Eli, his last words are “We’re brothers!” Is it possible that Danielle killed Eli as resolution for his competitive victory over Eli at least as far as money is concerned, or maybe for the humiliation that Daniel occurred during his baptism at the church of the 3rd Revelation.
It's true that Daniel was a powerful but ruthless man; a man who would do anything to become richer and to do so by using a child of a man who worked for him but then died afterwards. It's actually very cruel to do that to a child only for the use of getting money. After all, the child really didn't seem to notice that he was being use, so he was actually just going with the flow until Daniel told HW the truth afterwards later on in the film.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the cinematic technique of having the first 15 minutes of the movie without dialogue was very important. I feel as though most people would assume that would make it not engaging, but I think it engaged people more so because its very different from how most movies start. I also agree that Daniel does have "godlike" behavior. He definitely is very competitive and consumed by greed. When he threw a bowling pin at Eli in the "Milkshake Scene" he was literally referring to himself as God.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Daniel uses simple but effective techniques to manipulate people. I never noticed the fact that him speaking in a declarative tone allowed him to make up people's minds for them. This is a prime example of Daniel's self-importance. I like the comparison of Daniel's way of speaking to a god-like figure.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all the points made about Daniel's vociferous behavior and demeanor. Throughout the film it has a great impact on the various characters around him and their own decisions and mentality. I also agree with your statement that Daniel's speeches often come across in a Godlike tone.
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