I don’t immediately think of the sound when I think of Paul Thomas Anderson films because the cinematography of his films are so lovely to get lost in and his characters are so well crafted. But after hearing Jacob T. Swinney’s edit of the sounds of PTA, I don’t think I can watch, or listen, to his films in the same again.
While perhaps his films are better known for cinematography and acting performances, the sounds of a PT Anderson picture deserve equal merit. Many of these sounds seem to create their impact through a certain degree of harshness. The sounds are cold and sterile, standing out amongst the lush, extravagant cinematography. From lines of cocaine being savagely snorted, to oil rigs exploding in the desert, to bullfrogs cracking windshields, here is a showcase of some of PTA’s greatest sounds.