Why Does Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch Drunk (2002) Seem Like a Musical With No Singing? w/ Pete Abeyta of Middle Class Film Class

Soundtrack Your Life

Pete Abeyta from the Middle Class Film Class Podcast/YouTube Channel, joins Nicole and Ryan to talk about the soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson's 2002 film, Punch Drunk Love. This soundtrack consists of a wonderful score by producer/composer/mad scientist, Jon Brion, who also composed the scores to films that we've covered in previous episodes like, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Magnolia. Brion also reworks the iconic "He Needs Me" by Shelley Duvall from Robert Altman's 1980 film, Popeye.

We Discuss:

• How Jon Brion and Paul Thomas Anderson closely worked together on the "sound" of the film
• Why Brion's score evokes memories of old MGM musicals and why that's intentional
• Robert Altman's reaction to "He Needs Me" being used in the film
• The connection of the Punch Drunk Love score to Guillermo Del Toro's Shape of Water.

For More Information about Middle Class Film Class:

Website: https://www.mcfcpodcast.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/middleclassfilmclass/

Twitter: https://x.com/podcastmcfc

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