Episode 132: Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Hard Eight”

A discussion of Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1996 film, “Hard Eight.”

Click To Listen and Download. (55:48)

In 1996, Paul Thomas Anderson released his first film in Park City, Utah during the Sundance Film Festival. The film was called “Sydney” was received critical acclaim when MGM bought the distribution rights to the film but later changed the title to “Hard Eight.” The story of an aged gambler who takes a young drifter under his wing, introduced audiences to the work of Paul Thomas Anderson. But as it stands, the film is seen as a good effort from a one-day-great filmmaker.

What does “Hard Eight” say as an introduction to a young Paul Thomas Anderson? What do the performances of Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson bring to the film? And why is “Hard Eight” overlooked in Paul Thomas Anderson’s filmography?

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Hard Eight” is the subject of episode 132 of the AuteurCast…