There Will Be Blood

There Will Be Blood

From How to Make Films and Influence People by Andrew Curzon and Peter Kimball

February 27, 2026 · 1h 15m · Season 1 · Episode 17

About this episode

Peter and Andrew explore Paul Thomas Anderson’s film There Will Be Blood, analyzing its themes and performances while discussing potential remake scenarios.

Peter and Andrew dig into Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic There Will Be Blood, exploring Daniel Day-Lewis’s towering performance as oilman Daniel Plainview and the film’s unflinching look at ambition, greed, and the dark side of the American dream. They analyze the film’s wordless opening, its complex father-son dynamic, and the explosive rivalry between Plainview and preacher Eli Sunday. In their remake scenarios, they tackle a cinematic challenge: How do you adapt a sprawling character study? Could it work as a family film from HW’s perspective? What would a no-budget version focus on? Would it be better as a prestige TV series or a limited Netflix run? The hosts also share their current viewing habits, including It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Smashing Machine, while referencing All Is Lost, Land Man, and Yellowstone in their discussion. Topics covered: Visual storytelling, the cost of ambition, American capitalism, the myth of the self-made man, and why some films are more rewarding on repeat viewings.

People in this episode

Hosts: Peter, Andrew

Topics covered

  • Visual storytelling
  • the cost of ambition
  • American capitalism
  • the myth of the self-made man
  • films rewarding on repeat viewings

Keywords

  • There Will Be Blood
  • Daniel Day-Lewis
  • ambition
  • greed
  • American dream
  • father-son dynamic
  • prestige TV
  • limited series

Mentioned in this episode

Products: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Smashing Machine, All Is Lost, Land Man, Yellowstone

Books & works: There Will Be Blood, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Smashing Machine, All Is Lost, Land Man, Yellowstone

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