We've seen very little of Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice so far – just a few stills and a snatch of footage – so each little nugget is to be cherished. The latest of said nuggets is another still from the Thomas Pynchon adaptation, providing our first glimpse of Reese Witherspoon sporting an impressive beehive. She's accompanied by Joaquin Phoenix's muttonchops, but they're not the only cast members that should grab your interest. Other players include Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Jena Malone, Martin Short and Benicio Del Toro, possibly suggesting a return to the ensemble feel of Anderson's earlier films. Meanwhile, a piece in The New York Times suggests that Pynchon himself may cameo in the film.
It's all based on Pynchon's 2009 novel, which is a lot shorter and more straightforward than the rest of his oeuvre (we're looking at you, Gravity's Rainbow) – perhaps explaining why this is the first time we're getting a Pynchon book on the big screen. Still, it's only relatively shorter and simpler so it should provide plenty for Anderson to get his teeth into. It tells the tale of private eye Doc Sportello (Phoenix), whose old girlfriend hires him to look into a kidnapping plot threatening her current (billionaire) boyfriend.
The film reunites Anderson with his now regular composer Jonny Greenwood, having previously collaborated on There Will Be Blood and The Master, but further details are pretty scarce. Fortunately, there's not long until we know more. Inherent Vice premieres at the New York Film Festival on October 4, although UK audiences will have to wait until January 30, 2015.