A post-Thanksgiving treat, “Phantom Thread” has finally been unveiled to the press and guild masses. Thanks to a print and social media embargo we can’t discuss the film for quite some time (in all fairness, 20th Century Fox and Amblin have put the same embargo on “The Post”), but we are able to report on the post-screening Q&A. And, no, Daniel Day-Lewis was not on hand (New York audiences will be the lucky ones for that experience). Anderson and stars Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville were, however, and they had some keen insight on Focus Features’ late entry into the Oscar race.
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Set in the 1950’s, “Phantom” centers on a very particular women’s fashion designer, Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis), who is incredibly popular with the ladies of London high society. He’s assisted by his sister, Cyril (Manville), who essentially keeps Woodcock and the “family” business moving smoothly. Woodock has seemingly had one young woman in his life as a muse and romantic partner after another. When he meets Alma (Krieps) though he ends up falling for more than he potentially bargained for.
The 47-year-old filmmaker had never made a movie outside of the United States, but his latest endeavor changed all that.
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“There was only a few choices. If [you’re looking] at the world at that time there were only two choices, Paris and London,” Anderson says. “I always wanted to make a film in London. I always wanted the opportunity to work with British actors on their home turf. And Paris couture you’d have to speak French which checks that off. And it was nice to see Daniel play an Englishman.
Anderson says he didn’t know much about all the legendary names who made amazing clothes during the period, but he notes, “They all kind of share a preoccupation with their work at the expense of any kind of normal life.”
Even before he began writing “Phantom” Anderson was hoping he’d work with his “There Will Be Blood” collaborator again, but like anything, they need a good story. He had an idea about a man and a woman that became a triangle with the man’s sister.
“I told him a little bit about the story I was cooking up and we agreed I would share the writing with him as it went along. Because it also required investigating this world, this couture,” Anderson says. “We did researching together. He would be researching and I would be researching, but I would be writing. I’d write every couple of weeks, every 15, 20 or 30 pages and share things with him because I don’t speak ‘English,’ I speak American. So, he helped me with that as it went along. It was a real collaboration. Obviously, everyone wants to work with Daniel and I got nudged to the front of the line.”
Like all the actors in the film Manville’s character wasn’t based on anyone in particular, but she notes, “Back then most of the male designers who working at that level had a family member who was very close to them. A mother or sister. For Balenciaga that was certainly his situation and Versace worked with his sister for a long time. So, I supposed the thing was for Daniel and I to get these two siblings together who knew each other inside out. And who couldn’t function, really, without each other. Very, very co-dependent siblings.”
She adds, “I was very glad Paul decided to give me a man’s name because it was something to kickstart me.”
You might recognize Krieps from Joe Wright’s “Hanna” although she has mostly worked in French and German productions. For “Phantom” she not only found herself working with a celebrated cinematic auteur, but having to adjust to the technique of one of the world’s greatest living actors.
“I think what was really different was that usually I would rehearse maybe before or do some reading, but because of his way of working we didn’t rehearse,” Krieps says. “We really met kind of for the first time on set in costume. I couldn’t see him before. That was different.”
Manville simply wasn’t bothered by Day-Lewis’ method adding, “You can’t adopt someone else’s work method. You have to do what you do and what suits you. Otherwise I’m just going to be constantly looking at someone else trying to emulate them and that won’t work at all.”
Of course, the film centers on a demanding creative person who has almost full control of everyone in his orbit. The obvious question had to be asked: How close to home is Woodcock for Anderson?
“Well, none. I’m a movie director. I don’t know anything about control, obsession. I’m a fucking movie director,” Anderson says generating a big laugh from the audience. “My family may say differently, but you have to stretch yourself a little bit and try to create a more dramatic [scenario].”
“Phantom Thread” opens in limited release on Dec. 25.