Phantom Thread 2017

The musical score and visual look really feel like classic Europe. There’s a certain elegance and restraint to it that immediately sets the tone. Everything feels composed, deliberate, and old school. Daniel Day Lewis’ look, energy, and accent are very different here. Hindi ito Daniel Plainview at all. Completely ibang persona. Mas controlled, mas refined, but still intimidating in a quieter way. I’m honestly confused how women think that a dress will make them look not ugly. That idea kind of floats in the film, especially with how fashion is treated as something almost sacred, transformative, and powerful. Medyo parang ako si Reynolds Woodcock. Ayaw ko ng distractions kapag focus ako sa ginagawa ko. May pagka bipolar din ako minsan. Gusto ko seryoso lang, minsan gusto ko sweet and playful. Ayaw ko rin ng hindi nasusunod yung plans, and ayaw ko rin ng surprises. Minsan di rin ako makausap kapag maraming iniisip sa business. Very specific ako sa standards ko, and somehow uncompromising. His dialogue with his sister in the third act hits hard. Relate na relate ako. Even the smell of the house! That whole exchange felt painfully familiar. Parang the film speaks my unsaid feelings. There’s an underlying lesson here about not choosing a wife based on how her body fits your standard. Another subtle layer of the film is how men use women as a tool for convenience, even when they think they’re being romantic or respectful. This is a messed up film in a quiet way. Parang may codependency. Alma needs Reynolds to be weak so that he will need her. Reynolds needs Alma to balance his greatness and vulnerability, and he enjoys that mind game. I personally think this is the invisible thread that binds them together. This is a very different tone of directing from Paul Thomas Anderson. Less chaos, more control.