Steve

Thanks for this review! I've wondered about this movie but now I plan to see it. How we get from "oil" to "blood" will be one thing of interest.

Of all the movies you recall, which one best protrays genuine Christian life and thought?

There are many that show Christianity at its worst and these are worthwhile. But perhaps we can use the others too.

Meanwhile, to the cinema!

Dave

I also plan on seeing it. The title made me wary of a violent movie, but it sounds like a part of California's early history, much as Chinatown (?) was about the water stolen from the Owens Valley to supply Southern California.

In this case, it's especially interesting to compare the book with the film. In true Sinclair fashion, Oil! rakes through the muck of empty-headed Hollywood, the rapacious oil industry, Southern California Christianity, and the labor struggles of the 20s and 30s. It's biased, and a bit too didactic, but I found the historical glimpse, albeit novelized, fascinating, and the characterization of the son, Arnold Ross Jr., is a good mess of idealism and privilege.

The film maps the early part of the book, but then focuses more on the father's herculean quest. The clash between men who manipulate consumers of oil and of faith -- present in the book -- gets more pointed attention, most clearly by the end of the film, when the blood flows like oil.

I'd be interested to hear more from y'all here as to how you feel at the end of the film, particularly concerning the confession that Daniel Plainview elicits from the minister.

Hi Dave

You asked: 'Of all the movies you recall, which one best portrays genuine Christian life and thought?'

That's a hard question to answer. I don't think there is any one that does it. And I think the best ones are often those that don't explicitly try to do it. One that does come to mind is Babette's Feast.

Steve

Interestingly enough, Steve, Babette's Feast was the one film that both Scott Moncrief and Winona Winkler Wendth listed on their top 10 films that every Adventist should see list in the latest Spectrum magazine.

I'll take a moment to also give everyone a head's up that we're starting a Spectrum online book/film club and Babette's Feast is slated for June.

Steve
Yes. "Babette's Feast" must surely be among them. On a scale of 1- 10, 10 meaning great, where would you put "Amazing Grace" on this list. Same thing about "Chariots of Fire."

I do think it would be good to have a list of significant films along these lines.

Thanks!

Dave

This was a weird movie. It focused on greed and off-kilter Christian sects (pentacostals on an acid-trip). Save your money and put it in the offering plate.

Daneen
Spectrum Online Film/Book Club? YES! I'm looking forward to more information. This is a wonderful idea. Thank you for implementing it!
Dave

"There will be Blood" illustrates the eventual outcome of those who lust for gold (or power) and how it takes over their entire life with disregard for everything else. In the style of the Greek tragedies. The musical score--Brahms' violin concerto was, however, beautiful.

Speaking of Spectrum Online Film/Book Clubs, and such, does anyone know of, or perhaps one can be started, of a download music site only for all the rich and varied Adventist music that has been recorded? This would include private recordings as well, a la Myspace.com. I'd love to be able to download some songs or entire albums by these mostly vintage Adventist recording artists:

Take Three, Susan Zork, Del Delker, The Wedgewood Trio, Adventist Youth in Action albums, Steven Darmody, Faith Esham (opera), Faith Bumbry (opera), Herbert Blomstedt (symphonic), Gary Cornelius, Bruce Halal (Hallal?), Little Richard's (Richard Penniman) gospel songs, composer Margarita Merriman's Millennium Oratorio and other Serious Music compositions, Heritage Family, Take Six, Prince's The Cross, etc.

If I had the capital and the legal know-how, I'd start this website myself.

I'm concerned that some day much of this music will be lost unless it is collected and available in downloadable form.

Thank you to any Adventist entrepreneur who is interested in my offer or idea.

God bless.

Dave

You asked:

'On a scale of 1- 10, 10 meaning great, where would you put "Amazing Grace" on this list. Same thing about "Chariots of Fire."'

I'd rate 'Amazing Grace' about 7/10. The historical narrative was good, but I felt the film lacked emotional power overall..

Chariots of Fire? It's been many years since I saw that, probably 8/10.

Steve

PS: Love the idea of a film club... why doesn't this forum work like most where you can reply to a post and have replies threaded?

finally got to see the infamous There Will Be Blood... Daniel-Day Lewis' performance was top-notch. He takes well to the overbearing, violent father-figure role -- he also did this in Gangs of New York.

Raul,
Your idea of an Adventist music web site is an excellent one! Wish we could do that.
I've often wondered why the music that is brought together for the General Conference sessions from around the world is not collected into CD or downloadable form. Seems like it would also make for wonderful listening.

But thanks to all for the comments about There Will Be Blood. I plan to see it this evening and your thoughts will be echoing in my head.

Okay, Raul, now that I've seen There Will Be Blood and read this thread, I'm wondering what you thought of the creative use of music in the movie. Even if you didn't like its treatment of religion, or the violence, it was a unique sound experience from the sparse script to the dissonant sounds evoking flying insects in the dessert to the classical ending. I found lots to discuss with my son after we saw the picture together. He was the one who noted Upton Sinclair's socialist viewpoint that money is the root of all evil, be it in family relationships, business or religion.