Movies

Go Behind the Scenes of ‘Phantom Thread’ with PTA’s Camera Tests

By  · Published on April 18th, 2018

Come for Paul Thomas Anderson’s commentary, stay for the food fight.

If you ever wanted an intimate look inside the mind and creative process of Paul Thomas Anderson, look no further. In an exclusive video from the Phantom Thread Blu-ray/DVD release, our beloved PTA walks us through a series of camera tests done in the weeks before filming began.

In his softly narrated commentary, PTA reveals the meticulousness with which he crafted the look and feel of Phantom Thread. Early explorations of lenses, lighting, sets, and costumes are all on full display. PTA first caters to our inner film nerd, going through the extensive camera tests he conducted to find the perfect stock and lens to fully capture the unique beauty of Vicky Krieps. He sweetly gushes over her like any other person with eyes would, comparing her to Ingrid Bergman and admiring her makeup-less glamour.

In addition to behind-the-scenes looks at location scouting and production design, we also get lots of insight into the many sets, props, costumes, and sequences that didn’t make it into the movie. PTA’s attention to detail consistently triumphs, testing out different wallpapers, teapots, and ties before settling on the perfect fits for the movie.

The clip ends with an incredible sequence that unfortunately didn’t make it into the final cut of Phantom Thread: a full-on food fight. Sitting at the breakfast table, Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Cyril (Lesley Manville) toss drinks in each other’s faces, hurl condiments, and — in a truly iconic move — Cyril rubs jam all over Woodcock’s face. She sure wasn’t kidding when she told her brother not to pick a fight with her.

Check out the clip below for camera tests, behind-the-scenes footage, and PTA’s fascinating commentary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VJl8Tk91MY

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Writer, college student, television connoisseur.