C I N E M AT O G R A P H Y
NER GIN
’S GUIDE
TO
WES AND ERSON BE
by LaurenVaughn
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Laura Vaughn A Beginners Guide to Wes Anderson AUT HOR
TITL E
DAT E DUE
BOR ROW ER’S NAM E
COD E 424- 02
ROO M #
BEG
INNER’S GUIDE TO
WES AND ERSON
NER GIN
’S GUIDE
TO
WES AND ERSON BE
by LaurenVaughn
A Beginner’s Guide to Wes Anderson ©2018 Claire Shin ALL RIGHTS RESERVED This book or an portion thereof may not be reproduced or without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use for a brief quotation in a book review. Printed in the United States of America First Printing, 2018 ISBN–13: 940-10014612 ISBN–10: 391740X
C I N E M AT O G R A P H Y
P A R T O NE
THE CONTENTS
COLOR (p. 11)
{Paletting & social commentary}
COMPOSITION (p. 30)
{lights, symmetry, & slow motion}
TECHNIQUE (p. 48)
{camera operation & shot quality}
C I N E M AT O G R A P H Y ( p . 1 0 )
P A R T T WO
SET DESIGN (p. 62)
{creating new worlds from scratch}
MUSIC (p. 74)
{nostalgic scores & soundtrack}
SCRIPT (p. 83)
{key writers, themes, & storyline}
P A R T T H R EE
PRODUCTION (p.61)
WES ANDERSON(p. 97) {into the world of the director}
BILL MURRAY(p. 102) {actor: Zissou, Mr.Bishop & more}
EDWARD NORTON (p. 105) {actor: Scout Master, Rex & more}
INTERVIEWS (p.56)
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P A R T O NE C I N E M AT O G R A P H Y
COLOR
{Paletting & social commentary}
F
ilmmaker Wes Anderson has de-
rector’s unique world has a retro quality
veloped a distinct aesthetic style
that casts his films in a nostalgia for a time
that is early recognizable through
that could have been. The muted pink of
his use of striking color palettes. They tell
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL that makes
much about social stratification, construc-
the hotel itself the biggest character in the
tion and the role of family as they relate to
movie; the French mustard that comes to
color in Anderson’s films. Relying on the
define Gwyneth Paltrow’s Margot Tenen-
auteur theory, the research related Ander-
baum in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS; the vin-
son’s personal experiences with those of
tage boy-scout green in MOONRISE KING-
his characters and aimed at discerning the
DOM; the marine blue evident in THE LIFE
importance of color as it connects to social
AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU — all of these
structure.
hues are captured in the Wes Anderson Co-
The fictional worlds evoked in film by
lour Palettes Tumblr, which breaks down
Anderson have such a precise coloration —
thwe shades that colour Wes’s world scene
the very particular pastel-hues that paint
by scene with precise accuracy, and also
the skies, drench the buildings and dress
the Movies in Color site, which considers
the characters, render Anderson’s micro-
individual frames of many films, including
cosms almost dream–like. The hazy-hued
Anderson’s, distililng them down to their
lens through which we peer into the di-
myriad different shades.
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THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
T H E R O YA L T E N E N B A U M S
Muted pink French mustard
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MOONRISE KINGDOM T H E L I F E A Q U AT I C W I T H S T E V E Z I S S O U
Boyscout green
Marine blue
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Unquestionably the most laborious efforts in Anderson’s films lie with the pro-
viewer. Anderson says of his film THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS:
duction and scenic designer. From the lavish hotel in THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014) to the unassumingly intricate sub-
I am from Texas, but there were so many New York movies and novels which were among my favorites and I didn't have an accurate idea of what New York was like. I wanted to create an exaggerated version of that imaginary New York.
marine in THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU (2004), his production design is unmitigated
extravagance.
Anderson,
working with designer Adam Stockhausen, comes into a production with a specific color palette in mind and they work off of what colors work well in contrasting the presence of these colors. An interview with Stockhausen revealed the following about the process behind THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL:
This also appears in the pastel-hued sea creatures in THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU (2004). Anderson gives audiences a glimpse of a seemingly perfect
The funny thing is, we started with all this pink, and I think this would be true of any color if you use too much of it, you stop seeing it because it's everywhere and you start taking it for granted. So, we found that we had to add in yellows and different colors to kind of cut it back so you could see it more.
world of “dollhouse perfectionism” hat juxtaposes the somber tone of his content. This brings about a certain perceived irony in his filmmaking when associating characters and the context in which they perpetuate their “type.” Owen Wilson, a close friend and reoccurring player in the game of Wes Anderson cinema, said in a commentary, “It’s a world that Wes Anderson creates . . . slightly artificial, but I think
Anderson plays with color in his set
within that world the emotions and feelings
and production design in order to create a
are very real.” Anderson is a talented indi-
fantastical world unlike that known to the
vidual in that he can manipulate sound and
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1 Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001)
2 Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) and his crew aboard the Calypso submarine wearing red caps in THE LIFE AQUATIC OF STEVE ZISSOU (2004)
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childhood. His stylistic choices and themat-
continuums. He is an “unrepentant hipster”
ic elements of his original screenplays are
who uses exuberant color tied to somber
portrayed through his lens as if he were a
themes, creating “whiplash juxtaposition”
character. The filmmaker has an avid fas-
for the audience. This visual modality is
cination with recurring themes and inter-
magnified by the contrast of what you see
connectivity in his films. Social structure
on screen with the action that is happen-
is one such large focus, as well as familial
ing. Just as Truffaut does, Anderson tends
structures and intergenerational bonds
to suffuse dark material with humoristic
and rivalries. Much of his work focuses on
interactions. This is apparent especially
parents’ relationships with their children.
in the childish bickering between Royal
Anderson tends to portray a specific
Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) and his ex-
social niche of eccentric affluence. These
wife’s suitor (Danny Glover) Henry Sher-
characters are precocious and immature,
man after Richie (Luke Wilson) tries to kill
but not, on the whole, badly–intentioned
himself. The characters in Anderson’s films
problematic fathers also tend to be a cen-
often appear in multiple of his works. Bill
tral theme to Anderson’s work as a whole,
Murray, Angelica Huston, Owen and Luke
while mothers are less of a presence (in
Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman
fact, many have died as a precursor to his
and Tilda Swinton all appear in at least 2 of
films). This is evident in the case of Steve
his 10 films. Anderson grew up in Texas and
Zissou (Bill Murray) in THE LIFE AQUATIC
went to high school with the Wilson broth-
WITH STEVE ZISSOU (2004), Royal Tenen-
ers, calling upon them to act in and write
baum, and Herman Blume (Bill Murray) in
numerous films and short film. His mother
RUSHMORE (1998). On the topic of father-
was an archaeologist, just like the char-
hood, Zissou says to his illegitimate son,
acter of Etheline Tenenbaum (Angelica
Ned: “I hate fathers and I never wanted to
Huston), and his father was not very pres-
be one.” It is interesting that all of these
ent after divorcing his mother, just like the
male characters wear red, as if to evoke a
character Royal Tenenbaum1 (Gene Hack-
certain boyish dominance. Zissou has his
man) in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001).
documentary crew wear red headwear2 as
Much of Anderson’s films, in keeping with
he does, for in this case red represents the
the auteur theory, is a self-reflection of his
overcompensation of his insecurities about
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image to transport an audience to other
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filmmaking. In THE DARJEELING LIMITED,
a sense of boyish enthusiasm. Red in THE
the three sons on the quest to find their
DARJEELING LIMITED appears most vi-
mother find themselves at their father’s
brantly in the father’s car — the item about
funeral, with whom they were not close.
which he cared most.4 After his death, his
His red vintage automobile is the only
sons both covet and resent the car because
item that connected him and his sons. Chas
of the void it represents in their lives and
Tenenbaum, Royal’s son played by Ben Still-
how they could never live up to the esteem
er, wears a red Adidas tracksuit from his
of the vehicle itself.
adolescence until adulthood. As we come
This reversion back to childlike depen-
to know his two younger sons, Ari and Uzi,
dency is common in the themes of Ander-
they wear the exact same suit.3 Max, Her-
son’s work. Critics fault him for neglecting
man Blume’s son in RUSHMORE, wears a
character development in light of fantasti-
red hat to his prestigious private school as
cal set design, though his characters offer
he yearns for the affection of his father.
viewers a sense of restraint juxtaposed
Red seems to be a color of longing,
with their lavish settings. Monsieur Gus-
having deep-rooted issues attached in the
tave (Ralph Fiennes) in THE GRAND BUDA-
realm of fatherhood.
PEST HOTEL (2014) is a character of refined
In the case for these three fathers,
elegance, running the nicest hotel in the
they are a main source of conflict in their
fictional republic of Zubrowka. Though, his
families. Even more than most directors,
films do tend to center on childhood, both
Anderson uses costumes as an extension
“literal and prolonged” and the need to
of his characters. Colors and costuming
create communities in the face of familial
foil the neurotic personalities associated
abandonment. It is worldly communities,
in his films. The sense of self-importance
i.e. Jamaica and Africa, in which Margot
garnered by these three fathers has caused
Tenenbaum and her mother separately go
them to be ostracized in some way by their
searching for themselves after they sepa-
families. Their emotional maturity lags be-
rated from the family. Monsieur Gustave, a
hind their perceived triumphs in society
man who trained for years without a family
Royal and Herman are wealthy business-
to become the concierge of the hotel, finds
men; Zissou is a semi-accomplished marine
solace in Zero Moustafa, the immigrant
documentarian. For them, red is a color of
lobby boy also without a family who later
power and security, though it also evokes
becomes his most trusted friend. Anderson
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3 Chas Tenenbaum’s sons wearing red adidas tracksuits in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001)
4 The brothers Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) in front of their father’s red car in DARJEELING LIMITED (2007)
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5 Camp Ivanhoe Khaki Boyscouts yellow uniform detail in MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012)
6 Yellow sky in FANTASTIC MR FOX (2009)
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In THE DARJEELING LIMITED when the
concept of youth.
young Indian boy dies, his funeral rites are
In THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, M.
set against glimmering golden light, stark
Gustave sleeps with older women as a boy-
white vestments and a vibrant town in
ish conquest for wealth. MOONRISE KING-
the background. Socially, the three white
DOM is a film that centers on the concept
protagonists stick out as irreverent Amer-
of lost youth and the rediscovery of it in
icans. Often times he uses whiteness as a
young love. The “moonrise kingdom” is the
framework for social stability. We also see
refuge for which Sam and Suzy, both ado-
this in the familial structure of the Tenen-
lescents, are looking. Yellow is often a color
baum family. Anderson uses deep, rich
of optimism in the films of Anderson, which
colors to highlight the color of the charac-
is apparent in the uniforms of the scouts
ters’ white skin, as we see in the scene with
in this film.5 Yellow is also symbolized in
Royal at the dinner table. “As in THE ROY-
many of his films as a color of peace. For
AL TENENBAUMS, colors in the film serve
example, the sky in THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX
to highlight and reinforce the whiteness of
is yellow when the foxes are happiest.6 The
the main character.” For non-white char-
submarine of Steve Zissou is yellow, one of
acters, Anderson tends to use neutrals to
the only things that brings him happiness
accentuate their skin. Likewise, characters
until he finds the yellow sea creature he
of color often portray second-class citizens
had been searching.
of society. Kumar Pallana, a reoccurring
Color can establish a mood that is in
actor in Anderson films, typically portrays
keeping with the action or environment a
an elderly ethnic man who does not seem
director wishes to portray on the screen. It
to comprehend everything going on. He
brings about this fairy tale-like existence
acts often as a foil for the disillusioned old-
in Anderson’s films because his levity of-
er white gentlemen in his films. This is one
ten times contrasts grim situations. The
such case in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, as
hospital room is bright and bustling with
Pallana’s character, Pagoda, provides a
family members after Richie Tenenbaum
sense of stability and unwavering gump-
tries to commit suicide. Here Anderson
tion for the isolated Royal.
plays with the stress that society places on menial factors–in darkness he presents us with light as a sort of childish optimism.
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constantly positions himself around the
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NOTE ON T YPE This book is set respectively at 8.5/16 in Cheltenham, a typeface drawn by architect Bertram Goodhue and Ingall Kimball in 1896 for the city press. The headings are set in DIN, a version of the typeface designed by Albert-Jan Pool in 1936 for German road and railway signage. Additional typefaces such as Futura. released in 1927 by Paul Renner, and Archer, created in 2001 by Hoefler and Frere–Jones, are included.
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