The Grand Budapest
Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014) is a modern day auteur film. Themes that are
evident in most of Wes Anderson’s canon are present in his latest film. However
in this film Mr. Anderson truly brings to bear all the various tools of modern
filmmaking. Editing (speeding up the
FPS), aspect ratios, miniatures & scale models, set design, CGI, wardrobe,
voice over, narrative structure, and score are all utilized with expert
craftsmanship.
Different
and out of place accents don’t interrupt your suspension of disbelief. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson,
2014) in many ways is a fairy tale that takes place in a heightened world
that satirizes both pre and post World War II Europe. Some characters who were clearly not American
speak with American accents. Yet it doesn’t break the suspension of disbelief
and it still feels cohesive and maintain the characters believably that inhabit
this slightly off kilter world.
A young
man who is in many ways more mature and or capable then his father figure is a trope
in much of Wes Anderson’s canon. The
Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014) is no different. Ideas and themes
that are evident in Anderson’s debut film Rushmore
(Wes Anderson, 1998) are still present and being elaborated on in his most
recent film. The relationship between a neophyte and his father figure is not yet
stale despite it being present in most of Anderson’s work. This is perhaps due
to the casting of Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori in the roles that would
typically be inhabited by Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. Similar to Woody
Allen’s casting decisions in his recent films a fresh face can revitalize a character
type that we have grown accustom to.
This fairy
Tale takes place in fake eastern European nations and fake Middle Eastern
nations are named. Despite the fake names they sound eerily real. The fake but real sounding names give a sense
of era and location without being overly specific. Pre WWII e & pre
communist Europe help depict the dying days of Aristocratic old money Europe.
The elements of the story that take place in mid 80’s communist Eastern Europe
provides a juxtaposition to the era that the primary narrative takes place. The
shifting of eras is one of the ways Anderson plays with narrative structure. Because
of the expert art direction and set design one is never confused as to what era
they are viewing.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014)
is whimsical, epic, and sometimes downright laugh out loud funny tale. Wes
Anderson has the uncanny ability to take absurd elements of a heightened world
and make the people who inhabit it utterly believable and relatable. Wes
Anderson is one of the few modern day filmmakers I’m comfortable calling an auteur.
5 out of 5 Mendl’s pastries
Recommend
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Thank you & have fun at the movies.