The Master

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Movie
German title The Master
Original title The Master
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 2012
length 137 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Paul Thomas Anderson
script Paul Thomas Anderson
production Paul Thomas Anderson,
Megan Ellison ,
Daniel Lupi ,
JoAnne Sellar
music Jonny Greenwood
camera Mihai Mălaimare Junior
cut Leslie Jones ,
Peter McNulty
occupation

The Master is an American film drama from the year 2012 . It was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson , who also wrote the script . The film premiered on September 1, 2012 at the Venice Film Festival . The film has been shown in Germany since February 21, 2013.

action

Shortly after the Second World War , the charismatic intellectual Lancaster Dodd, known as "The Master", founded his own religion called "The Cause". On his right hand, he names drift and Navy veteran Freddie Quell. Freddie suffers from a post-traumatic stress syndrome, which manifests itself in the symptoms of alcoholism, abnormal sexual behavior and increased irritability up to the use of violence. Freddie has already quit several jobs when he accidentally falls asleep on the Lancaster Dodd ship docked at the harbor. He is confronted by him on the open sea. A strange employee relationship arises, whereby Freddie is introduced to the work of the "origin". "The Master" uses Freddie as a guinea pig, which he even says to him. When it comes to a scandal during a party in New York, Freddie beats up the initiator without further ado and hopes for recognition of his act by Lancaster. But the latter insults him as “an animal that eats its own droppings” and leaves him alone with his illness. There follows a period of several sessions in which Freddie gets to know the doubters and supporters in the family with all their dark sides and slowly questions the integrity of the "origin". As Dodd's new belief continues to grow, Freddie has doubts about his mentor and the belief system for which he was initially hooked.

When the "Master" is arrested for running an unlicensed clinic and misappropriating funds, Freddie tries unsuccessfully to defend him and is also arrested. A heated argument ensues between the two, in which the internal conflict is carried outwards. After this scene both get along again, but the sect feels skepticism and expresses this at the table to its master. However, the latter fends off all doubts and leaves the decision to Freddie.

Freddie then leaves everything behind without comment and escapes on a motorcycle to visit his much younger childhood sweetheart Doris. When he learns from her mother that she is married and lives in another city, he falls into a slight depression. When Lancaster asks him to visit him in England, he follows him one last time. "The origin" has already increased massively and Lancaster asks him to help him again and to support the sect. Freddie's rejection “maybe in a next life” also satirizes Lancaster's belief that there are several lives. Both spiritually part as enemies and Freddie finally finds a girlfriend; the help of the "origin" is finally reduced to a few linguistic patterns that have remained with Freddie's questions to his loved one, and the viewer is left with the hope that he will be able to continue to live normally.

Reviews

“From the moment Philip Seymour Hoffman takes the stage, 'The Master' suddenly becomes a two-man piece: Phoenix-Hoffman, Hoffman-Phoenix. They mutually increase each other into a more absurd form of drama, in which it must be visible at all times that their physical craft is hard work and high art. With the drawn lips, the hunched back, the red head and the devilish smile, they claim to reveal the life, psychology and morality of the characters, to make them tangible, at least legible. "

- critic.de

“With 'The Master', filmed in the 70 mm format that is rarely used today , the little filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson has succeeded in creating a difficult, challenging and impressive follow-up work to There Will Be Blood , which, however, always maintains a certain distance. A film that is difficult to love, but which is outstanding in its design. "

- outnow.ch

"[...] an acting duel between Joaquin Phoenix, who pushes his portrayal to the physical limits, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who after Capote has again incorporated a contemporary historical figure."

- The world

Awards

In 2016, The Master ranked 24th in a BBC poll of the 100 most important films of the 21st century .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Scientology inspired film 'The Master' premieres at Venice. euronews , September 2, 2012, accessed on February 18, 2013 .
  2. ^ "The Master": German cinema release for the sect drama by Paul Thomas Anderson. Film releases, October 4, 2012, accessed February 18, 2013 .
  3. ^ Frédéric Jaeger: The Master. critic.de, September 2, 2012, accessed January 4, 2012 .
  4. ^ The Master. outnow.ch, September 3, 2012, accessed on February 18, 2013 .
  5. ↑ Peter Zander: Scientology and Jacko - myths to work off. welt.de, September 1, 2012, accessed on February 18, 2013 .