Wes Anderson

            We were asked to watch 3 movies by any particular director. I chose Wes Anderson, a director who I was already somewhat familiar with. His films left me with lot of observations of repetition.

            Wes Anderson has made many films that some of which, I was familiar with already. The titles of his, that I chose to watch and observe were, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Awesome narratives and personal/quirky character designs and personalities. These were just two of a few things that I found the movies to have in common with one another. Although I think that the aspect of these films that I appreciated most was the Set Design(s).

            The set designs in all of theses films were very unique into how they fit into the narrative. For example, in The Grand Budapest Hotel, you can see how spectacular and grand (no pun intended). all the architecture is. Another scene that is a good example is when the two protagonists are on the train together and they are scene in a blue snowy landscape. This scene really sets the intended mood by the director. Also the outdoor environments and Anderson’s use of color within the backgrounds to emphasize different points of the narrative is an incredible aspect to the set designs. For example, all of the landscapes in Moonrise Kingdom are beautiful and gran, especially with the “Khaki Scouts.” The scenes start to become more surreal though. There is a scene in particular where Edward Norton is jumping over something like a small bridge and he looks like a cartoon. The Landscapes in Fantastic Mr. Fox are, for lack of a better word. Fantastic. It’s dream like outdoor landscapes and detailed intimate indoor scenes are great for making the narrative that much stronger and at points, advancing the plot.

            In conclusion, Wes Anderson’s movies have lots of things in common from character personalities and cast, to cinematography and use of color. I found the set designs to be among these things. The set designs were incredible in these three films and strengthened the narrative so much more.