Paul Thomas Anderson Breaking Down a 'Battle of Algiers' Clip Is Basically a Full Film School Curriculum
•February 9, 2026
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Why It Matters
The interview underscores how classic cinema continues to shape contemporary directors, reinforcing the commercial and artistic value of studying film history.
Key Takeaways
- •Anderson cites Battle of Algiers as guerrilla filmmaking blueprint
- •Non‑professional actors boost realism, a technique Anderson adopts
- •VistaVision used for rich imagery in Anderson’s new film
- •John Wayne’s flawed hero archetype influences Anderson’s protagonists
- •TCM interviews bridge classic film education to contemporary creators
Pulse Analysis
Turner Classic Movies has carved a niche by pairing legendary filmmakers with the very works that molded their vision, and the recent Paul Thomas Anderson interview is a prime example. By unpacking *The Battle of Algiers*, Anderson not only acknowledges the film’s reputation as a “training course” for 1960s radical groups but also celebrates its raw, documentary‑style realism achieved through local, non‑professional talent. This approach resonates with his own commitment to authenticity, especially in scenes where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character watches the classic, echoing its political urgency for modern audiences.
Equally revealing is Anderson’s reverence for John Ford’s 1956 western *The Searchers*. He points to the film’s VistaVision format—a larger‑area 35mm process that delivers deep, saturated images—as a visual template for his own high‑resolution storytelling. The discussion also highlights John Wayne’s portrayal of a deeply flawed hero, a character type that Anderson repeatedly revisits, allowing audiences to grapple with moral ambiguity. By linking Ford’s expansive landscapes to his contemporary narrative, Anderson demonstrates how historic techniques can be repurposed to enrich present‑day cinema.
The broader takeaway is that classic films function as a living curriculum for today’s creators. Anderson’s willingness to dissect both the political grit of *Algiers* and the mythic scope of *The Searchers* signals a resurgence of film‑school pedagogy outside academia, driven by streaming platforms and specialty channels like TCM. For industry professionals, this reinforces the commercial upside of integrating timeless storytelling principles into new projects, while also affirming the cultural imperative to preserve and study cinema’s rich heritage.
Paul Thomas Anderson Breaking Down a 'Battle of Algiers' Clip Is Basically a Full Film School Curriculum
I'm not sure TCM gets enough credit in this wild world. They are such a fun channel and so good at bringing in cool directors to talk about the classics that have influenced them.
And this month, they brought in Paul Thomas Anderson, who sat down with Ben Mankiewicz to discuss the films that have shaped his cinematic DNA. The conversation covered Anderson's latest film, One Battle after Another, and dug into the power of film history and the visual language film created.
Let's dive in.
PTA on 'The Battle of Algiers' and 'The Searchers'
So if you watch TCM, you know the conceit of these interviews is that the director ticks some influences and goes over what they love about them.
Anderson chose the 1966 masterpiece The Battle of Algiers for a very specific reason. In his new film, there is a scene where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character is watching the movie, and it's a nod to how it was viewed in the 1960s.
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A "Training Film" for Anarchists: Anderson called the film a "blueprint" for guerrilla movements like the Weather Underground and the Black Panthers. It was so authentic that critics at the time, like Jimmy Breslin, famously called it a "training course" for revolutionaries.
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The Power of Non-Professional Actors: One of the film's most striking features is its documentary-like realism. Anderson notes that almost every actor, except for Jean Martin (who plays the French General), was a local non-professional. And that's why he used those people in his movie, too. This "pseudo-documentary" style, influenced by Italian neorealism, makes the camera movement and the unfolding story feel so natural.
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Nuanced Perspectives: Director Gillo Pontecorvo isn’t blind to the brutality on both sides of the war. The movie explores the "absurdity and ridiculousness of human nature" through a cycle of back-and-forth violence. Sounds like a certain PTA movie, too.
The Searchers
Another movie that PTA brought to the table in this discussion was John Ford’s 1956 Western, The Searchers. This is a movie that Anderson considers essential to the American cinematic canon.
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The Beauty of VistaVision: Anderson’s new film was shot in VistaVision. Invented by Paramount, it uses a larger portion of the 35mm negative, which gives you a deep, rich image. While it fell out of fashion for standard filming in the early 60s, it remained a staple for high-quality special effects, including the original Star Wars.
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John Wayne’s Performance: PTA highlights John Wayne’s role as Ethan Edwards, calling it "one of the great performances you’re ever going to see". It's so cold and angry and brutal. He notes that the weight of the story perfectly supports Wayne’s stature as an actor. And you can see echoes of it in Leo's work in One Battle, but he does it with a softness, like it's the other side of the coin.
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Flawed Heroes: Mankiewicz noted a parallel between The Searchers and Anderson's own work, where we see the presence of "massively flawed heroes". Anderson admits that when he makes films, he is constantly "struggling to try to get" the same kind of indescribable emotion found in Ford’s masterpiece.
Summing It All Up
I found this discussion to basically be a film school all unto itself. Hearing PTa break down the gritty, handheld realism of The Battle of Algiers and the sprawling, high-fidelity landscapes of The Searchers was inspirational.
And I really love that these films continue to inspire one of modern cinema's greatest directors.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
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