Line #4 Trivia/TheMaster


1	!![[Film/TheMaster Film]]
2	* AcclaimedFlop: The movie has been named both The Website/AVClub and Rolling Stone's film of the year and garnered three UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nominations. Unfortunately, it fell short of its $32 million budget, grossing about $28 million. It's currently the page image for AcclaimedFlop.
3	* ChannelHop: Initially the film was set up with Creator/{{Universal}} but fell through due to problems with the scripts and the budget. It was later distributed by Creator/TheWeinsteinCompany.
4	* CreatorChosenCasting: Creator/PaulThomasAnderson wanted Creator/JoaquinPhoenix and Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman from the outset.
5	* CreatorsFavoriteEpisode: Creator/PaulThomasAnderson has repeatedly claimed that this is his favorite film that he has made to date.
6	* DeletedScene: A few, some of which were used in teasers.
7	** One version of the part where Freddie and Dodd dig up Dodd's manuscript has them also unearth a revolver. Freddie picks up the gun and hands it to Dodd, who winds up pointing it at himself while inspecting it, prompting Freddie to swipe it away from Dodd's face. Later scenes show Freddie playing with the gun (unloaded, fortunately) while in Dodd's Arizona office.
8	** There are a few deleted scenes based around the premise that The Cause's founding book [[BrownNote can cause people who read it to die]]. These include Clark explaining the book's history to Freddie, who reacts with skepticism, Clark asking Lodd if a book can really kill people as a segue for questioning Freddie's loyalties, and Freddie opening the chest containing the manuscript and watching it inexplicably shoot fire before closing it back.
9	* DevelopmentHell: Universal financed the script but ultimately passed on the film in 2010, either due to budget concerns or nervousness about the Church of Scientology, or maybe both. Anderson had to get independent financing, which delayed the film for two more years and led to Creator/JoaquinPhoenix getting the role that was originally supposed to go to Creator/JeremyRenner.
10	* MethodActing: Phoenix spent three months in character, which impressed the director so much that he compared him to Creator/DanielDayLewis and his dedication to character.
11	* OneTakeWonder: Creator/JoaquinPhoenix's unhinged performance as an alcohol-addled follower of Hoffman's character was on full display in a [[ThrowItIn largely improvised scene]]. Phoenix went absolutely berserk, and his first take at the scene was the one Anderson chose to use in the final cut.
12	* PlayingAgainstType: If you're used to Creator/AmyAdams's typical "sweethearted heroine" roles... you are in for the shock of your ''life'', seeing her play a cold LadyMacbeth and basically the closest thing the film has to a clear-cut '''villain'''. [[note]]She actually got her start playing various bad girls or bitches in her early films, but became famous for roles like ''Film/{{Enchanted}}''.[[/note]]
13	* ProductionPosse: This is Anderson's sixth film and the fifth to feature Philip Seymour Hoffman, who has missed only ''Film/ThereWillBeBlood''. Music/{{Radiohead}}'s Music/JonnyGreenwood, who scored ''Film/ThereWillBeBlood'', also scored this film. However, this is the first P.T. Anderson film without Robert Elswit as cinematographer.
14	* RealitySubtext: Joaquin Phoenix, like Freddie, was involved in a cult, the Children of God, but was raised under the [=CoG=] as a child instead of joining as an adult.
15	* ScrewedByTheNetwork: The film was released in September to practically die out, and suffered the misfortune of being both underdistributed and undermarketed due to The Weinstein Company deciding to push movies like ''Film/SilverLiningsPlaybook'' and ''Film/DjangoUnchained'' instead.
16	* ThoseTwoActors: This is the third movie to have Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman and Creator/AmyAdams (see also ''Film/CharlieWilsonsWar'' and the screen version of ''Film/{{Doubt}}''). Sadly, Hoffman's untimely passing in 2014 means it's also the last.
17	* ThrowItIn:
18	** During the jail cell scene, Creator/JoaquinPhoenix breaks a real toilet. His actions were entirely improvised. Due to the historical past of the building where the scene took place, the toilet was considered "historical." Joaquin had no intentions to break the toilet, nor did he think it was possible.
19	** The very first line in the film, where Freddie is talking on the beach, was entirely improvised.
20	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
21	** Creator/JeremyRenner was originally going to play Freddy when the film was prepped to shoot years ago, but when financing fell through, and Creator/JoaquinPhoenix was available.
22	** Creator/ReeseWitherspoon was the first choice for Peggy Dodd. She turned it down over her dislike of the material and did ''Film/ThisMeansWar2012'', instead.
23	** Creator/AmandaSeyfried, Creator/EmmaStone and Creator/DeborahAnnWoll were considered for the role of Elizabeth.
24
25	%%!![[Series/TheMaster TV series]]
26

Context Trivia / TheMaster