Crooked Table Podcast: ‘Phantom Thread’ (featuring Ryan McQuade)

Many critics consider Paul Thomas Anderson one of the greatest living American auteurs. And with 2007’s There Will Be Blood, Anderson proved he and Daniel Day-Lewis complement each other’s distinctive skill sets. At least for some moviegoers. After all, Anderson’s films aren’t exactly mainstream crowd-pleasers. Enter 2017’s Phantom Thread.

A full decade after their first collaboration, Anderson and Day-Lewis reunited to tell the story of a meticulous dressmaker and the woman who changes his life. Ryan McQuade joins the show to discuss why Phantom Thread is one of his favorite films. We’ll discuss the movie’s version of romance, its sense of humor, and if it will truly be Day-Lewis’ final movie.

So join us as we step inside the House of Woodcock for an in-depth discussion on Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread.

SYNOPSIS

Renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manvile) are at the center of British fashion in 1950s London — dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, and debutantes. Women come and go in Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship. His carefully tailored existence soon gets disrupted by Alma (Vicky Krieps), a young and strong-willed woman who becomes his muse and lover.