Paul Thomas Anderson

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q25132: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

Counted as craft. The films the hosts said they worked on, which the two lists below run through too: Pulp Fiction (1994). Count them as director (13 films), writer (1 film) instead.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Deliverance (1972): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Deliverance ⇒ Pulp Fiction (the host's read). The pawn shop sequence is inspired by Deliverance and transplants a Tennessee 1974 pawn shop to Hollywood.
“It's not just that he's inspired by deliverance.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:41:44 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

Joe Dante: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Joe Dante ⇒ Pulp Fiction (the host's read). Monster Joe's truck and tow is named after Joe Dante, whom Tarantino interviewed in the 80s.
“Apparently named after Joe Dante, director of Gremlins”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 2:06:41 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

Kiss Me Deadly (1955): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Kiss Me Deadly ⇒ Pulp Fiction (the host's read). The briefcase is an overt mimic of the Kiss Me Deadly briefcase, a metaphor for danger.
“It's interesting because it is such an overt mimic of the Kiss Me Deadly briefcase”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 2:23:29 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

Lee Majors: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Lee Majors ⇒ Pulp Fiction (the host's read). The setup of Vincent taking the boss's wife out echoes a Hollywood story about Lee Majors asking someone to take Farrah Fawcett out while he was away.
“Because Lee Majors is going out of town.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:09:49 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

Reservoir Dogs (1992): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Reservoir Dogs ⇒ Pulp Fiction (the host's read). Pulp's opening two-song credits echo the radio dial concept from Reservoir Dogs.
“Well, the radio, the concept of the radio had been in Reservoir Dogs, but I think switching the songs in the middle, because you hear him change the dial.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:04:26 · Sean Fennessey (0.35 sure it was them)

Robert Altman: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · them, directly: Robert Altman ⇒ Paul Thomas Anderson (the host's read). Bill says Altman's legacy is the filmmakers he influenced, and Boogie Nights is PTA trying to do The Player and Altman.
“He's just basically trying to do the player, right?”
The Rewatchables · 'The Player' With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Wesley Morris · 0:20:10 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)

Shaft (1971): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Shaft ⇒ Pulp Fiction (the host's read). Bad motherfucker wallet reference to the Shaft theme.
“It was a reference to the theme song of Shaft.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 1:55:45 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

Thomas Pynchon: 1 line

lineage (rumored adaptation) · them, directly: Thomas Pynchon ⇒ Paul Thomas Anderson (the host's read). PTA's next film was long rumored to adapt Pynchon's Vineland, set in the 1980s, but this one is contemporary.
“it has been long rumored that his next, his next film is going to be an adaptation of Thomas Pinchin's Vineland.”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:09:52 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Captain Marvel (2019): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Pulp Fiction ⇒ Captain Marvel (the host's read). Samuel L. Jackson driving around mid-90s Los Angeles evokes Jules Winfield, a clever but surface 90s nod.
“a Samuel L. Jackson character in the mid 90s driving around in a car in Los Angeles, a la Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction.”
The Big Picture · ‘Captain Marvel’ Is a ’90s Nostalgia Play. Did It Work? | Exit Survey · 0:18:39 · Sean Fennessey (0.70 sure it was them)

Misery (1990): 1 line

programming (programming) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Pulp Fiction ⇒ Misery (the host's read). Butch's Girlfriend Award for weak link of the film is borrowed from Pulp Fiction.
“The Butch's girlfriend Award, Butch's girlfriend from Pulp Fiction.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Misery’ With Bill Simmons and Brian Koppelman · 0:59:07 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Pulp Fiction ⇒ Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (the host's read). Marcellus's you-pride-only-hurts speech to Butch is the same speech Pacino gives DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
“And it's the same speech that Pacino gives DiCaprio at Rousseau and Frank in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:17:32 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

Pulp Fiction imitators: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Pulp Fiction ⇒ Pulp Fiction imitators (the host's read). The Royale-in-Paris, Amsterdam conversation is the most parodied and copied stretch of screenwriting of the last 30 years.
“Yeah. I would argue this is the most ripped off four and a half minutes of screenwriting in the past 30 years.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 0:06:07 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)

Samuel L. Jackson: 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Pulp Fiction ⇒ Samuel L. Jackson (the host's read). Nick Fury's diner scene is described as a try at a Tarantino diner, with Jules-style rhythm.
“I'm trying to do some like fucking Tarantino diner scene.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Iron Man 2 · 1:05:14 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Station Eleven (2021): 1 line

lineage (lineage) · through Pulp Fiction (1994), which they worked on as scouted Jimmy's house location: Pulp Fiction ⇒ Station Eleven (the host's read). Time-shifting storytelling that Pulp put front and center is still used in current TV.
“Yeah, it's like still showing up in like station 11.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 1:08:39 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Other (1) everyone in other

director (suggested for Downey), Inherent Vice (Blank Check with Griffin & David, Judging The Judge)

What was said about them, by kind

career (3)

career (career turn): Mark Wahlberg → Paul Thomas Anderson. PTA found Wahlberg's angry chip-on-the-shoulder star quality in Boogie Nights, which later directors reused.
“I think PTA latched onto something sooner than everyone else that Marky Mark himself didn't figure out for a while”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Planet of the Apes with Matt Singer · 0:37:32 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career comp): Zach Cregger → Paul Thomas Anderson. Early-career PTA was a comp for Cregger, but Resident Evil would be his Punch-Drunk Love (a simpler follow-up after the bigger film).
“I had been thinking about his career in terms of PTA's early career.”
The Big Picture · ‘Resident Evil’ Absolutely Rips! · 1:11:14 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
career (career milestone): Paul Thomas Anderson → Punch-Drunk Love. His next film is the first contemporary-set film since Punch-Drunk Love.
“This is the 1st time he's made a movie set in modern time since Punch Drunklove”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:08:53 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

contrast (1)

contrast (contrast): Michael Mann → Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson reinvents his visual language each film; Mann makes one movie in variations.
“With Michael Mann, I feel like it's all one movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Thief’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:05:27 · Chris Ryan (0.55 sure it was them)

industry (1)

industry (industry): Wes Anderson → Paul Thomas Anderson. Compared as beloved filmmakers still without Oscars; PTA's year may be coming.
“We're, it's starting to feel like the Paul Thomas Anderson year is happening, right?”
The Big Picture · The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 12 - 'The Royal Tenenbaums’ · 0:38:43 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

lineage (2)

lineage (lineage): Robert Altman → Paul Thomas Anderson. Bill says Altman's legacy is the filmmakers he influenced, and Boogie Nights is PTA trying to do The Player and Altman.
“He's just basically trying to do the player, right?”
The Rewatchables · 'The Player' With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Wesley Morris · 0:20:10 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
lineage (rumored adaptation): Paul Thomas Anderson → Thomas Pynchon. PTA's next film was long rumored to adapt Pynchon's Vineland, set in the 1980s, but this one is contemporary.
“it has been long rumored that his next, his next film is going to be an adaptation of Thomas Pinchin's Vineland.”
The Big Picture · Best Picture Power Rankings and a ‘Poor Things’ Deep Dive. Plus: Julianne Moore and Todd Haynes! · 0:09:52 · Sean Fennessey (0.65 sure it was them)

people (7)

people (suggested-collaboration): Robert Downey Jr. → Paul Thomas Anderson. To get an Oscar he needs a director who will push him out of his zone, such as PTA or Sam Raimi, not Dobkin.
“But someone like Paul Thomas Anderson. You know who's not going to let him close.”
Blank Check with Griffin & David · Judging The Judge · 1:27:31 · Griffin Newman (0.40 sure it was them)
people (people): Ernie Anderson → Paul Thomas Anderson. The 70s/80s ABC promo narrator is PTA's dad, and the hosts imagine trailer narration for The Town.
“But it's that Paul Thomas Anderson's dad.”
The Rewatchables · A CR Month Mailbag! · 0:39:39 · Bill Simmons (0.50 sure it was them)
people (people): Pulp Fiction → Paul Thomas Anderson. PTA scouted Jimmy and Bonnie's Studio City house for the production.
“PTA was like, I have inside line on a place for you guys in studio, so you can shoot.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Pulp Fiction’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey · 1:55:02 · unknown (0.00 sure it was them)
people (people): Paul Thomas Anderson → A Prairie Home Companion. PTA was on set with Altman and almost took over the last movie Altman made when he was sick.
“Paul Thomas Anderson was right there with Altman and he almost took over the last movie Altman made when Altman was sick.”
The Rewatchables · 'The Player' With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Wesley Morris · 0:20:18 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
people (people): Regina Hall → Paul Thomas Anderson. PTA tapped capabilities in Regina Hall beyond comedy in One Battle After Another.
“who identified the capabilities of Regina Hall beyond being the funniest person in any room or on any Golden Globe stage”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:38:08 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
people (auteur credit): Magnolia → Paul Thomas Anderson. Magnolia works because PTA loves Cruise and plays with the idea of Tom Cruise.
“Paul Thomas I understand who like loves Tom Cruise as much as we do”
The Big Picture · The Tom Cruise Hall of Fame · 0:28:44 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)
people (people): Pi → Paul Thomas Anderson. Watching Pi, you knew you were seeing a major filmmaker, as with PTA.
“You knew, that's another, like, PTA.”
The Big Picture · Top Five Gen X Director Debuts, the Fate of ‘Black Widow,’ and a Potential Oscars Disaster · 1:06:20 · Brian Koppelman (0.80 sure it was them)

theme (1)

theme (contemporary-comparison): Wes Anderson → Paul Thomas Anderson. The other Anderson; similar trajectory of staying uncompromised rather than going franchise.
“The filmmaker that I would bring up is a comparison. Um, and as a contemporary is the other Anderson is Paul Thomas Anderson.”
The Rewatchables · ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ With Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald · 0:21:02 · Andy Greenwald (0.50 sure it was them)

unmapped (2)

unmapped (reaction): Paul Thomas Anderson → Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. On the DGA podcast PTA, a Leo fan, seemed quite taken with Brad Pitt in the movie.
“we know we know PTA is a big Leo fan, but he seemed quite taken with Brad Pitt in this movie.”
The Big Picture · The Future of ‘Star Wars,’ Marvel, Pixar, and Disney’s Movie Monopoly. Plus: Our Summer Movie Awards and Paul Downs Colaizzo on ‘Brittany Runs a Marathon’ | The Big Picture · 0:21:34 · Sean Fennessey (0.60 sure it was them)
unmapped (set visit): Tom Cruise → Paul Thomas Anderson. Cruise snuck PTA onto the Eyes Wide Shut set while they were meeting about Magnolia.
“Cruz snuck Paul Thomas Anderson on because they were meeting about Magnolia at that point”
Blank Check — Patreon · Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free) · 1:05:01 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

verdict (2)

verdict (verdict): Paul Thomas Anderson → David Lean. PTA beat David Lean in round one, 65-35, the closest of the 18 seeds.
“Yes, but I think... 65, 35.”
Blank Check — Patreon · 2025 March Madness Update 1 · 0:24:29 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Paul Thomas Anderson → Ridley Scott. The one played-out Sweet 16 matchup is PTA over Scott, making PTA a robust challenger.
“PTAs March to, at least the final 4 does seem, well, maybe not assured, but he's so far a robust challenger.”
Blank Check — Patreon · 2025 March Madness Update 1 · 0:26:36 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

what-if (1)

what-if (what-if): Kirsten Dunst → Paul Thomas Anderson. They propose Dunst would be great with PTA.
“she would be great with PTA.”
The Big Picture · The 10 Most Misused Stars in Hollywood and the Gnarly Magic of ‘Send Help’ · 1:49:59 · Sean Fennessey (0.40 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

fun, about Paul Thomas Anderson: PTA's famous attack on the film after his father died of cancer.
“I wish David Fincher testicular cancer for all his jokes about it.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Fight Club with Alex Ross Perry (Ad-Free) · 3:10:32 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Paul Thomas Anderson: PTA, then 27, was shown the tiny Kubrick crew and felt like a Hollywood asshole when Kubrick asked how big his own was.
“And PTA is like, I felt like such a Hollywood asshole immediately.”
Blank Check — Patreon · Eyes Wide Shut with David Ehrlich (Ad-Free) · 1:05:28 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)