Stanford Humanities Center
Brandon Rupp is a senior studying English originally from a small town in Texas. He runs Flying Horse Films, a production company through which he has made a few dozen films. He has previously written about the historiography of Thomas Jefferson scholarship, David Lynch's Eraserhead, and Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica. He owns a few hundred too many vinyl.
SHC Project
Thomas Pynchon’s Filmic Literature and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Pynchonian Cinema
Advisor: Karla Oeler
What is the focus of your current research?
I am currently writing about the intersection of film and literature, focusing on the influence of author Thomas Pynchon on the works of Paul Thomas Anderson as well as the pervasive cinematic influence seen in Pynchon’s fiction.
What drew you to this topic?
Put simply, Pynchon and PTA are two of my favorite artists—both of which I view as postmodern innovators at the formal extremes of their respective fields. As a life-long cinephile and lover of language, the pairing only seemed natural.
How are you conducting your research?
A large part of the challenge in conducting research on Thomas Pynchon is unpacking his many massive tomes—it’s easily a few thousand pages of reading just to finish his bibliography. Thankfully, I spent the summer finishing my primary texts with the gracious assistance of the Bing Honors College.
What would people be surprised to learn about the topic you are working on?
Rumor has it that Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming movie—a roughly-140-million-dollar IMAX blockbuster starring Leonardo DiCaprio—is yet another Pynchon adaptation, this time of Vineland. Catch it in theaters in 2025!
In your view, why is it valuable to study this topic?
Studying the intersection between film and literature can give us great insight into the cultural shift towards screens, which have dominated the latter half of the twentieth century to the present. Furthermore, considering that cinema is a (relatively) nascent artform, this adaptative exchange speaks to the transformative impact of technology on our lives: we have emerged from The Time of Paper to embrace The Pixel.
How is your honors thesis impacting you academically and/or personally?
It is unbelievably fulfilling to work on a massive, long-form academic project. I would venture as far as to say it has no parallel in the undergraduate student experience. While I won’t deny how much work it has taken, seeing even a small amount of progress towards the completion of my thesis just feels…so…good!
How do you anticipate the fellowship will be able to support your research?
The gracious support of the Stanford Humanities Center and the Hume family has been incredible, and I only see this continuing for the rest of the year. Engaging with an accomplished community of brilliant scholars is a daunting but rewarding experience. I feel incredibly supported, and I look forward to a great year with a group of wonderful people.
