The Cinema of Paul Thomas Anderson
Please note: This course is now hybrid and available to Premium/Premium Plus members at no cost.
Acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson (aka “PTA”) is known for his bold visual style and collaborations with actors Philip Seymour Hoffman, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Joaquin Phoenix. A filmmaker since age eight, PTA was raised in Studio City by his father, a late-night TV horror movie host known as “Ghoulardi”. Despite innumerable accolades at Cannes, Venice & Berlin, & his many Academy Award nominations (and recent wins), Anderson describes himself as “just a real homebody and a San Francisco Giants super-fan”.
This course will feature four films from the works of PTA:
- Week 1: Hard Eight (1999)
- Week 2: Punch Drunk Love (2002)
- Week 3: The Master (2012)
- Week 4: Phantom Thread (2017)
Faculty Bio
Karen Davis is Senior Film Programmer Emerita and Program Consultant for the Mill Valley Film Festival and Professor Emerita at California State University Monterey Bay. She has taught cinema courses at Vassar College, St. Mary’s College and UC Santa Cruz.
This is an In-Person, Livestreamed + Recorded Course
- Classes meet in person at the Golden Bear Center, Suite 365, at 1995 University Ave., Berkeley
- Classes will also stream live, and be video recorded
- Please note: Films should be viewed in advance. Class sessions will consist of lecture, discussion and short film clips to deepen understanding of the course material
- You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program.
Schedule Highlights
- Course starts on Wednesday, June 3, and ends on Wednesday, June 24
- Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2 hours per session (10–noon)
- All course materials will remain available to view and enjoy in Member Dashboards through August 31
Member Praise for Karen Davis
Karen is a captivating instructor! Can't wait for her next class.
Excellent teacher, very interesting films, and loved learning about talented people in film that I either knew nothing about and/or are just amazingly gifted people.
Faculty Q&A
- Read an interview with Karen Davis from our archive.