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The Grand Budapest Hotel: Familiar Faces & Colourful Rooms
Other | Friday 28th February 2014 | Michael
Wes Anderson has been moving from strength to strength with every film he has made, becoming sure of himself as a screenplay writer, director and producer. His cinematic style is now unmistakable and his dedicated troupe of actors continues to grow. As he enrolls Ralph Fiennes and Jude Law to execute his newest quirky vision, it is worth investigating why so many people want to be involved in his latest feature and what we can expect.
The Grand Budapest Hotel certainly promises to be colourful. Trailers confirm Anderson’s characteristic elements of visual symmetry, vibrancy and detail, ensuring the film will be a joy to watch no matter what. Following the brilliant execution of design and direction in Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) and Moonrise Kingdom (2012), we can expect to see a continuation of the stylised landscapes, eccentric sets and perfect costumes. However, what is most eye-catching about the film is its unbelievable cast; of course the usual suspects are there - Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman - but new faces to Anderson’s scene bring new possibilities, with the likes of Adrien Brody, Harvey Keitel and even Willem Dafoe making appearances to spice things up.
Perhaps the reason so many familiar faces aspire to join this exciting team, if even for a brief cameo, is that the characters are designed with such impeccable quality. As a result of the eccentric worlds that Anderson creates the characters are especially unique and memorable, with distinctive attributes that pin them to the film’s style, yet bizarre enough on page for each actor to interpret and adapt to their own satisfaction. Luke Wilson’s performance as Richie in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) is subtle, poignant and entertaining, achieving a relatable and humane character, despite his troubled circumstances. The Grand Budapest Hotel looks as though it will have been a joy to film, with allowance for the actors to experiment with their personas, under the certainty that their director will achieve his vision regardless.
The big question in regards to Anderson’s film-making is where it is heading. Is his aim purely to create a perfect story-telling picture, or has he got bigger plans in store? What will The Grand Budapest Hotel bring to the table? Does he have the ability to evolve as a director? Considering the film’s success at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, at which it won the Silver Bear (beaten only by Japanese film Black Coal, Thin Ice) and faced rave reviews, perhaps no change is necessary. This winning combination of wonderful visuals and endearing comedy characters seems to be maintaining interest, both critically and commercially, but for how long?
The Grand Budapest Hotel is in UK cinemas 7 March 2014
Mike Pickering
