How Wes Anderson Creates a Whimsical World of Nostalgia in His Films (Directors' Cuts) Download Epub Mobi Pdf Fb2
The Cinema of Wes Anderson: Bringing Nostalgia to Life (Directors' Cuts)
Wes Anderson is one of the most distinctive and influential filmmakers of our time. His films are known for their eccentricity, unique visual and narrative styles, and frequent use of ensemble casts. They often contain themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. In this book, you will discover how Anderson brings nostalgia to life in his cinematic world, and why you should watch his films or read his scripts.
The Cinema Of Wes Anderson: Bringing Nostalgia To Life (Directors' Cuts) Download Epub Mobi Pdf Fb2
Who is Wes Anderson?
Wesley Wales Anderson was born on May 1, 1969, in Houston, Texas. His mother, Texas Ann (Burroughs), is an archaeologist turned real estate agent, and his father, Melver Leonard Anderson, worked in advertising and PR. He has two brothers, Eric and Mel.
Anderson graduated from St. John's School in Houston in 1987, which he later used as a prominent location throughout Rushmore. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he met his roommate and future collaborator Owen Wilson in 1989.
Anderson made silent films on his father's Super 8 camera as a child, but his first ambition was to be a writer. He started his filmmaking career with a short film called Bottle Rocket, which he shot in 1992 and released in 1994. The short film was later expanded into a feature film of the same name in 1996, starring Owen Wilson and his brother Luke Wilson.
Anderson has directed 10 feature films to date: Bottle Rocket (1996), Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Isle of Dogs (2018) and The French Dispatch (2021). He has also directed several short films, commercials, and promotions.
Anderson is widely regarded as a modern-day example of the work of an auteur, a filmmaker who has a distinctive and personal vision that is reflected in his films. He has received numerous awards and nominations for his work, including six Academy Award nominations, seven Golden Globe nominations, nine BAFTA nominations, and four Cannes Film Festival awards.
The Early Years: Bottle Rocket and Rushmore
Bottle Rocket and Rushmore are Anderson's first two feature films, and they established his signature style and themes. Both films are comedies that follow the misadventures of young men who are trying to find their place in the world.
Bottle Rocket is based on Anderson's short film of the same name, and it tells the story of three friends who attempt to become criminals after a botched robbery. The film stars Owen Wilson as Dignan, the leader of the gang; Luke Wilson as Anthony, the disillusioned former mental patient; and Robert Musgrave as Bob, the getaway driver. The film also features James Caan as Mr. Henry, a landscaping boss who turns out to be a master thief.
Rushmore is set in a prestigious private school called Rushmore Academy, and it tells the story of Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a precocious 15-year-old student who is involved in numerous extracurricular activities but fails academically. The film also stars Bill Murray as Herman Blume, a wealthy industrialist who becomes Max's friend and rival; and Olivia Williams as Rosemary Cross, a widowed teacher who becomes the object of their affection.
Both films received critical acclaim and cult following, but they were not very successful at the box office. However, they helped launch the careers of Anderson and his collaborators, and they attracted the attention of influential filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, who praised Anderson's talent and vision.
The Breakthrough: The Royal Tenenbaums
The Royal Tenenbaums is Anderson's third feature film, and it is widely considered to be his masterpiece. It is a comedy-drama that follows the lives of a dysfunctional family of former child prodigies who reunite after their estranged father announces that he is dying.
The film stars Gene Hackman as Royal Tenenbaum, the patriarch of the family; Anjelica Huston as Etheline Tenenbaum, his separated wife; Ben Stiller as Chas Tenenbaum, their eldest son who is obsessed with safety; Gwyneth Paltrow as Margot Tenenbaum, their adopted daughter who is a secretive playwright; Luke Wilson as Richie Tenenbaum, their youngest son who is a former tennis champion; Owen Wilson as Eli Cash, their neighbor and Richie's best friend who is a successful novelist; Danny Glover as Henry Sherman, Etheline's accountant and suitor; Bill Murray as Raleigh St. Clair, Margot's husband and a neurologist; and Alec Baldwin as the narrator.
The film was a critical and commercial success, earning $71.4 million worldwide on a $21 million budget. It also received several awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Anderson and Owen Wilson, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and four BAFTA nominations.
The film is widely praised for its ensemble cast, its witty and poignant script, its distinctive visual style, its eclectic soundtrack, and its exploration of themes such as family, love, failure, redemption, and nostalgia. It has been ranked among the best films of the 21st century by various critics and publications.
The Adventurer: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited are Anderson's fourth and fifth feature films, and they are both adventure comedies that follow the journeys of eccentric characters in exotic locations.
steau, and it tells the story of Steve Zissou (Bill Murray), a renowned oceanographer and filmmaker who sets out to avenge the death of his partner by a mysterious shark. The film also stars Owen Wilson as Ned Plimpton, Steve's long-lost son and co-pilot; Cate Blanchett as Jane Winslett-Richardson, a pregnant journalist who joins the expedition; Anjelica Huston as Eleanor Zissou, Steve's estranged wife and producer; Willem Dafoe as Klaus Daimler, Steve's loyal but jealous first mate; Jeff Goldblum as Alistair Hennessey, Steve's rival and former friend; and Michael Gambon as Oseary Drakoulias, Steve's financier.
The Darjeeling Limited is set in India, and it tells the story of three brothers who embark on a spiritual journey across the country after their father's death. The film stars Owen Wilson as Francis Whitman, the eldest brother who organizes the trip; Adrien Brody as Peter Whitman, the middle brother who is expecting a baby with his wife; Jason Schwartzman as Jack Whitman, the youngest brother who is a struggling writer; Anjelica Huston as Patricia Whitman, their mother who is a nun living in a Himalayan convent; and Amara Karan as Rita, a stewardess who becomes Jack's love interest.
Both films received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, but they have gained appreciation over time. They were praised for their visual effects, production design, cinematography, soundtrack, and humor, but they were criticized for their lack of emotional depth, coherence, and originality. They also performed poorly at the box office, earning $34.8 million and $35 million worldwide on $50 million and $16 million budgets respectively.
Both films explore themes such as adventure, friendship, fatherhood, death, spirituality, and identity. They also feature Anderson's trademark elements such as ensemble casts, quirky characters, stylized settings, chapter titles, and narration.
The Animator: Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs
Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs are Anderson's sixth and ninth feature films, and they are both stop-motion animated films that are based on children's books by Roald Dahl and Kunio Kato respectively.
Fantastic Mr. Fox is an adaptation of Dahl's 1970 novel of the same name, and it tells the story of Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney), a cunning fox who steals food from three cruel farmers: Boggis (Robin Hurlstone), Bunce (Hugo Guinness), and Bean (Michael Gambon). The film also features the voices of Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox, Mr. Fox's wife; Jason Schwartzman as Ash Fox, Mr. Fox's son; Bill Murray as Clive Badger, Mr. Fox's lawyer and friend; Willem Dafoe as Rat, Bean's security guard; Owen Wilson as Coach Skip, Ash's school coach; and Jarvis Cocker as Petey, a banjo-playing troubadour.
Isle of Dogs is inspired by Kato's 1988 short film The Story of Yanagawa's Canals, and it tells the story of Atari Kobayashi (voiced by Koyu Rankin), a 12-year-old boy who travels to Trash Island to find his dog Spots (Liev Schreiber) after all dogs are banished from Megasaki City by Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura), Atari's uncle and guardian. The film also features the voices of Bryan Cranston as Chief, a stray dog who becomes Atari's ally; Edward Norton as Rex, a former house dog and leader of a pack; Bob Balaban as King, a former spokesdog for Doggy Chow; Bill Murray as Boss, a former baseball team mascot; Jeff Goldblum as Duke, a gossip-loving dog; Scarlett Johansson as Nutmeg, a former show dog and Chief's love interest; Frances McDormand as Interpreter Nelson, a translator for the human characters; Greta Gerwig as Tracy Walker, a foreign exchange student and activist; Yoko Ono as Assistant Scientist Yoko Ono, a member of a pro-dog science team; and Tilda Swinton as Oracle, a pug who can predict the future.
Both films received critical acclaim and several awards and nominations, including Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature. They were praised for their animation, voice acting, script, humor, and social commentary, but they were also criticized for their cultural appropriation, stereotyping, and marginalization of certain characters. They also performed moderately at the box office, earning $46.5 million and $64.2 million worldwide on $40 million and $60 million budgets respectively.
Both films explore themes such as animal rights, environmentalism, corruption, loyalty, family, and rebellion. They also feature Anderson's trademark elements such as ensemble casts, quirky characters, stylized settings, chapter titles, and narration.
The Romantic: Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel
Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel are Anderson's seventh and eighth feature films, and they are both romantic comedies that follow the love stories of unlikely couples in nostalgic settings.
Moonrise Kingdom is set in 1965 on a fictional island called New Penzance, and it tells the story of Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), two 12-year-old misfits who fall in love and run away together. The film also stars Bruce Willis as Captain Sharp, the island's police chief; Edward Norton as Scout Master Ward, the leader of Sam's Khaki Scout troop; Bill Murray and Frances McDormand as Walt and Laura Bishop, Suzy's parents; Tilda Swinton as Social Services, a stern woman who wants to take Sam away; Jason Schwartzman as Cousin Ben, a relative of Suzy's who helps the lovers; Bob Balaban as the narrator; and Harvey Keitel as Commander Pierce, the head of the Khaki Scouts.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is set in 1932 in a fictional country called Zubrowka, and it tells the story of Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the concierge and lobby boy of the titular hotel who become involved in a murder mystery involving a wealthy widow named Madame D. (Tilda Swinton). The film also stars F. Murray Abraham as an older Zero who narrates the story; Jude Law as a young writer who interviews Zero; Adrien Brody as Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis, Madame D.'s son and Gustave's nemesis; Willem Dafoe as Jopling, Dmitri's henchman; Jeff Goldblum as Deputy Kovacs, Madame D.'s lawyer; Saoirse Ronan as Agatha, Zero's girlfriend and a pastry chef; Edward Norton as Henckels, a military officer and friend of Gustave; Bill Murray as M. Ivan, a fellow concierge and member of the Society of the Crossed Keys; Owen Wilson as M. Chuck, another fellow concierge; and Bob Balaban as M. Martin, yet another fellow concierge.
Both films received critical acclaim and several awards and nominations, including Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay for Anderson and his co-writers Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom) and Hugo Guinness (The Grand Budapest Hotel). The Grand Budapest Hotel also received eight other Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Anderson, and won four of them: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score. Both films were praised for their acting, script, humor, visual style, soundtrack, and exploration of themes such as love, nostalgia, and history. They also performed well at the box office, earning $68.3 million and $172.9 million worldwide on $16 million and $25 million budgets respectively.
The Journalist: The French Dispatch
The French Dispatch is Anderson's tenth feature film, and it is a comedy-drama that follows the stories of the staff and contributors of a fictional American magazine based in a fictional French city in the 20th century. The film is inspired by Anderson's love for The New Yorker magazine, and it is divided into four segments: a prologue that introduces the magazine and its editor; a story about an artist who is imprisoned for murder; a story about a student revolution; and a story about a chef who kidnaps a police officer.
the chef's hostage; Bill Murray as Arthur Howitzer Jr., the editor; Owen Wilson as Herbsaint Sazerac, a travel writer; and Bob Balaban as the narrator. The film also features a large ensemble cast of supporting and cameo roles, such as Elisabeth Moss, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Christoph Waltz, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, and many others.
The film was originally scheduled to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2020, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It finally premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021, where it received a nine-minute standing ovation and positive reviews from critics. It was also selected as the closing film of the New York Film Festival in 2021. The film is set to be released in theaters on October 22, 2021.
The film is expected to be a tribute to journalism, literature, and art, and to showcase Anderson's signature style and themes. It is also expected to be his most ambitious and complex film to date, with a reported budget of $40 million and a running time of 103 minutes.
The Future: Asteroid City and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Asteroid City and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar are Anderson's upcoming projects, and they are both expected to be released in 2023.
Asteroid City is Anderson's eleventh feature film, and it is described as a sci-fi comedy that takes place in a futuristic city on an asteroid. The film will star Tom Hanks in his first collaboration with Anderson, as well as Tilda Swinton, Margot Robbie, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Rupert Friend. The film will also feature the voices of Scarlett Johansson, Jeff Goldblum, Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, and Edward Norton. The film is currently in production in Spain, and it is slated for release on June 9, 2023.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is Anderson's third animated film, and it is an adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1977 short story collection of the same name. The film will consist of six segments that are based on the stories in the book: \"The Boy Who Talked with Animals\", \"The Hitchhiker\", \"The Mildenhall Treasure\", \"The Swan\", \"The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar\", and \"Lucky Break\". The film will feature the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch as Henry Sugar, a wealthy man who learns to see through cards; Dev Patel as Ram Das, a yogi who teaches Henry his skill; Saoirse Ronan as Mary, Henry's girlfriend; Rami Malek as David Taylor, a boy who can talk with animals; Daniel Radcliffe as Ronald Dahl, the author and narrator; and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Bixby, a teacher who finds a Roman treasure. The film is currently in pre-production, and it is slated for release on December 22, 2023.
How does Wes Anderson bring nostalgia to life?
One of the most distinctive and appealing aspects of Anderson's films is his ability to create a nostalgic atmosphere that transports the viewers to a different time and place. Anderson uses various techniques and elements to achieve this effect, such as his visual style, his soundtrack, his narration, and his references.
The Visual Style
Anderson's visual style is one of his most recognizable trademarks, and it contributes to his nostalgic aesthetic. Anderson uses symmetrical compositions, color palettes, fonts, costumes, sets, props, and cinematography to create a stylized and whimsical look that evokes a sense of nostalgia.
Anderson often uses symmetrical compositions that center the characters or objects in the frame, creating a balanced and harmonious image that draws attention to the details. He also uses color palettes that are either muted or saturated, depending on the mood and tone of the scene. He often chooses colors that are associated with certain periods or genres, such as pastels for the 1960s (Moonrise Kingdom), browns and yellows for the 1970s (The Royal Tenenbaums), blues and reds for adventure films (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou), or pinks and purples for romance films (The Grand Budapest Hotel).
Anderson also uses fonts that match the setting and theme of his films, such as Futura for the modern and futuristic (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Isle of Dogs), Archer for the vintage and nostalgic (Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel), or Courier for the literary and journalistic (The Royal Tenenbaums, The French Dispatch). He also uses costumes, sets, props, and cinematography that are carefully designed and selected to create a realistic or fantastical world that reflects the characters and their stories. He often uses vintage or handmade items that have a history and a personality, such as the Tenenbaum house, the Belafonte ship, the Darjeeling train, the Fox den, the Budapest hotel, or the French dispatch office.
Anderson's visual style creates a nostalgic atmosphere that immerses the viewers in his cinematic world, and makes them feel like they are watching a storybook, a painting, or a memory come to life.
The Soundtrack
Anderson's soundtrack is another important element that enhances his nostalgic aesthetic. Anderson uses pop songs, classical music, original scores, and foreign languages to create a diverse and eclectic soundtrack that complements his visual style and his narrative style.
and Alexandre Desplat. He also uses classical music that adds a sense of elegance, sophistication, or irony to his films, such as Vivaldi, Mozart, Schubert, Ravel, Stravinsky, Britten, and Saint-Saëns. He also collaborates with composers who create original scores that capture the mood and tone of his films, such as Mark Mothersbaugh, Alexandre Desplat, and Randall Poster. He also uses foreign languages that reflect the setting and culture of his films, such as French, Italian, Portuguese, Hindi, Japanese, and German.
Anderson's soundtrack creates a nostalgic atmosphere that enhances his visual style and his narrative style, and makes the viewers feel like they are listening to a mixtape, a radio show, or a record collection that tells a story.
The Narration
Anderson's narration is another distinctive feature that contributes to his nostalgic aesthetic. Anderson uses voice-over narrators, chapter t