In the shadow of the newly-released feature The Grand Budapest Hotel, I went to my local cinema to catch it. I live in East London and this cinema is in a mall full of people (it was a Saturday). After attempting to get a ticket to the earlier screenings, I settled with having to wait for a showing four hours later as the others were all full. It made me question Wes Anderson's appeal as a filmmaker and auteur- his universal appeal with subject matter and character's so niche and indie that you just wouldn't expect to see these films released in the UK yet here they are- opening the Berlinale last month to a packed crowd and shown around the South East of England liberally. So why are we living in the Anderson-age? Here are the reasons that I love his films (and perhaps the reason that others do to.)
1) He gets the best from his cast.
I have never loved the likes of Ed Norton, Tilda Swinton and even (dare I say it) Bill Murray more. They give the most understated roles a surreal twist that fits with the Wes world, and then some. In The Grand Budapest Hotel Ralph Fiennes showed such a refined and perfect choice of casting as to override all previous conceptions of him as a character-actor. Thanks Wes!
2) The ride we don't want to get off.
Whether it's a coming-of-age tale (Rushmore), the hunt for a Boy Scout (Moonrise Kingdom) or the story behind a Hotel Concierge (The Grand Budapest) we are carried on a ride of a journey that we just don't want to get off, meeting various favourite characters along the way.
3) Awkwardness is real life.
Yes his characters seem far fetched but we believe in them - They could very well exist in real life as a kind of gem in the smoke of reality. When the characters pause awkwardly or say exactly what they think (to an unsuspecting audience, and very often to much hilarity) we appreciate it and feel as though we are learning from them too. Say what you think, live life being the person that you should be!
4) The Puppet-master of Cinematography
Why is it that we long to jump into the world of Wes Anderson when watching one of his films? The cinematography is so nostalgic, with muted pastel colours and phenomenal wideshots (often with puppet forms of our main protagonists running from whatever situation they have found themselves in.) It's as though our childhood dreams have been rocognised, and wherever the film is set it remains the same; this isn't an American High school/ a island off the coast of America/ a Hotel in Europe - this is the world of Wes Anderson, and you can't dispute the joy at having found yourself there again.
5) New "Beat' generation
The Beat generation had Ginsberg and Burroughs to bring the dark (yet comic) reality of their characters to light in the cultural phenomenon that has, I argue, been handed over to Wes Anderson in his films.
1) He gets the best from his cast.
I have never loved the likes of Ed Norton, Tilda Swinton and even (dare I say it) Bill Murray more. They give the most understated roles a surreal twist that fits with the Wes world, and then some. In The Grand Budapest Hotel Ralph Fiennes showed such a refined and perfect choice of casting as to override all previous conceptions of him as a character-actor. Thanks Wes!
2) The ride we don't want to get off.
Whether it's a coming-of-age tale (Rushmore), the hunt for a Boy Scout (Moonrise Kingdom) or the story behind a Hotel Concierge (The Grand Budapest) we are carried on a ride of a journey that we just don't want to get off, meeting various favourite characters along the way.
3) Awkwardness is real life.
Yes his characters seem far fetched but we believe in them - They could very well exist in real life as a kind of gem in the smoke of reality. When the characters pause awkwardly or say exactly what they think (to an unsuspecting audience, and very often to much hilarity) we appreciate it and feel as though we are learning from them too. Say what you think, live life being the person that you should be!
4) The Puppet-master of Cinematography
Why is it that we long to jump into the world of Wes Anderson when watching one of his films? The cinematography is so nostalgic, with muted pastel colours and phenomenal wideshots (often with puppet forms of our main protagonists running from whatever situation they have found themselves in.) It's as though our childhood dreams have been rocognised, and wherever the film is set it remains the same; this isn't an American High school/ a island off the coast of America/ a Hotel in Europe - this is the world of Wes Anderson, and you can't dispute the joy at having found yourself there again.
5) New "Beat' generation
The Beat generation had Ginsberg and Burroughs to bring the dark (yet comic) reality of their characters to light in the cultural phenomenon that has, I argue, been handed over to Wes Anderson in his films.