Wes Andersonis one of the few directors whose films are essentially their own genre; whether that’s something that everyone enjoys is up for debate, but it would be unfair to say that each of his films isn’t unique in one way or another. Anderson has always shown a versatility with genre, even if he conforms to similar visual tendencies.Bottle Rocketis a comedic neo-noir,Moonrise Kingdomis a coming-of-age romance,The Grand Budapest Hotelis a political statement,The Darjeeling Limitedis a road trip dramedy, and his ventures into animation tone down the violence and profanity in order to appeal to a youthful audience. It’s admirable that Anderson has shown such dexterity not just within the fluidity of his stories, but in his format as well.His short filmsrepresent an important side of his career that bears a significant impact upon his feature-length projects.
Thus far, Anderson has directed three significant short films that all connect to his films specifically. The original short forBottle Rocketestablished his working relationship withLukeandOwen Wilson, and served as a proof-of-concept for his feature-length directorial debut.Hotel Chevalierserves as a prequeltoThe Darjeeling Limited, and actually gives some depth to some of the characters in what is often referred to as his worst film. His most recent shortCastello Cavalcantiisn’t just another great collaboration withJason Schwartzman, but a love letter to the European cinema that bears such a significant impact on his work. These shorts offer a catalog of his career, and show how he hasprogressed, improved, and refined his idiosyncratic styleto become one of the most prominent American filmmakers of the last several decades.
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Bottle Rocket Laid The Groundwork
Bottle Rocketisn’t just Anderson’s cinematic debut, but the film that established all his strengths as an artist. Not every director is able to craft such a refined and unique film as their first major project, yet Anderson succeeded in creating a modern classic that is worth ranking among the finest indie features of the 1990s. Prior to getting the feature greenlit andadding a major co-star likeJames Caan,the 1994 short film of the same name told the same story in about 13 minutes. It revolves around Dignan (Owen Wilson), a boastful thief and makeshift criminal who convinces his mentally disturbed friend Anthony Adams (Luke Wilson) to join him on a heist. Production on the film began following the short’s screening at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Wilson brothers have continued to be frequent Anderson collaborators over the years.
Unlike the feature, theBottle Rocketshort was shot in black-and-white, a format that Anderson had experimented with over the years; an extendedsegment of his anthology filmThe French Dispatchalso uses black-and-white, tying together to ends of Anderson’s career in an interesting way. While it’s clearly a scrappy production, the short has the same energy, style, and immediate attention to detail that make his films so iconic and rewatchable. However, it’s the characters that truly stand out; they talk like no one else, yet their struggles feel real, and that mix of oddity and emotion is a large component of Anderson’s style. It doesn’t even matter that the 13-minute adventure is working on such a shoestring budget, as the film itself is a standout within his filmography because of its correlation with the rise of neo-noir crime thrillers in the 1990s.
Hotel Chevalier Explains The Darjeeling Limited
2007’sThe Darjeeling Limitedfocuses on the three brothersFrancis (Owen Wilson), Jack (Schwartzman), and Peter (Adrien Brody), who journey together on a train ride in India as they mourn the death of their father. It’s a film that has its charms, but it feels less refined than Anderson’s more clearly identifiable masterpieces. The emotional resolutions are somewhat corny, and the character of Jack in particular is rather irritating. However, Schwartzman was able to show a more empathetic side to the pesky younger sibling inHotel Chevalier, a prequel short screened at the Venice Film Festival. Schwartzman reprises his role withNatalie Portmanstepping in to play his ex-girlfriend Rhett; Portman also has a brief cameo at the end ofThe Darjeeling Limited.
Similar toThe Darjeeling Limited, Hotel Chevalieris operating under tight parameters, as the entire 20-minute short takes place in a hotel room and balcony as Rhett and Jack work through the challenges and future of their relationship. Jack’s attitude had been generally dismissive and rude inThe Darjeeling Limited, but the short shows that he is recovering from an emotional crisis. He and Rhett had previously broken up under tense circumstances, but she shows signs of affection and tries to seduce him. Jack cannot resist her charms, but by the end he makes the difficult decision to end their friendship, thus explaining the dour demeanor he has later on.
Castello Cavalcanti Is A Love Letter To European Cinema
Anderson fans can clearly see his admiration for several European auteurs such asRoman Polanski, Federico Fellini,andMichaelangelo Antonioni.It’s apparent that he was heavilyinfluenced by the French New Wave,and bears a resemblance to several prominent French directors such asJean Luc-GodardandFrancois Truffaut. While Anderson isn’t necessarily obligated to indicate his inspirations,Castello Cavalcantifeels like a sincere tribute to something that clearly means a lot to him. Considering that many of his films were screened at the Rome Festival, it’s touching that he crafted a short highlighting the aesthetic beauty of Roman architecture and culture.
The short stars Schwartzman as the Italian-American Formula One driver Jed Cavalcanti, who crashes in the center of a public venue in a Roman village and subsequently has to spend a day in the city. In an amusing and heartwarming series of events, Jed learns that is the ancestral home of his family, and subsequently has his spirits lifted as he partakes in the local culture. While theshort is far more than just a commercial, there’s no one you want advertising the naturalism of a cultural way of life more than Anderson.
Even in these small glimpses at Anderson’s work, the auteur is able to give us a brief snippet of his style and tone, often in ways that are just as solid as his feature films.
