by Bernardo Zorzetto Rech From Stanley Kubrick’s obsessive attention to detail, to David Lynch’s dreamlike surrealism, unique cinematographic stylistic choices in cinema have been ever present. However, there is one current director that has been able to stand out from the crowd: Wes Anderson. Carefully positioned shots, a love for symmetry, along with vibrant, primary colours in a scene that almost seems stage-like has been the standard in Anderson’s filmography. No director has been as successful as he has when bringing to life comical performances that indulge in a twinge of dramatism. Accompanied by almost the same ensemble of actors, including the likes of Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansson, Adrien Brody, and Owen Wilson, Wes Anderson creates playful, almost child-like personas, in an environment where characters are able to keep their innocence regardless of how tough the world may seem. Nevertheless, it appears that Anderson has become a distinguishable personality for the wider audiences, becoming a household name on TikTok and Instagram. But what has made him such a recognizable figure in the industry? A recent TikTok and Instagram trend has started in the dawn of Anderson’s new film, Asteroid City (2023), in which users slap on a song from the soundtrack of The French Dispatch (2021) while portraying a moment in the user’s life through an Andersonian perspective. The users saturate the colours of the video via a filter, and portray Anderson’s iconic symmetry and set design while showing a moment in their daily lives, like a commute to work; or a more fun endeavor, like a trip. The trend has gotten a lot of traction in the past few months, with users sharing all of their fun twists on Anderson’s stylistic design. The #WesAnderson has been able to achieve over 1.5 billion views on TikTok, with many more sharing it on Instagram. Wes Anderson himself has been vocal about the trend, in which he expressed appreciation to the users for using his style, but is cautious about watching any of the videos out of fear of seeing how people may interpret his work. It seems that the trend has done its job in increasing the popularity of Wes Anderson’s films, with Asteroid City achieving the mark of more than $50 million in box office. Then how has Wes Anderson been able to captivate audiences from across the world? Wes Anderson’s stardom as one of Hollywood’s most prominent directors has not always been a constant throughout his career. For many years, Wes Anderson was considered to be a fringe director, with a very peculiar art style that was not always popular with wider audiences. His first two films, Bottle Rocket (1996) and Rushmore (1998), bombed at the box office, and it was not until The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) that Wes Anderson would achieve global stardom and would be hailed as a brilliant filmmaker with one of the freshest and most innovative art styles in the industry. Neither Bottle Rocket nor Rushmore possessed the unique art style that is ever-present in Anderson’s work, making them two forgettable additions to the fans who fell in love with the feel of his filmography. That is not to say that Anderson’s work prior to The Grand Budapest Hotel went unnoticed. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), and The Darjeeling Limited (2007) became cult classics soon after their release, with Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) also attracting their respective crowds. When The Grand Budapest Hotel was released, the world was able to witness the ingenuity in which Anderson composed his scenes, while simultaneously creating a fan base that would permeate into social media channels. The reviews of the 2014 film were astounding, with many hailing it as the best film of the year while also praising its planned use of cinematography, set design, charismatic characters, and vibrant colors. What, however, has made the people fall in love with his style? How has this fringe director with particular stylistic decisions conquered the hearts of many? Primarily, Wes Anderson’s stories are simple, concise, and easy to follow. They are, in fact, secondary to the overall context of the film. The plot is merely a way to convey Anderson’s art style into reality. His art style, however, does not completely define the direction of his films. People may be interested in watching them as a form of escapism. Usually, his themes are childlike, with much of his filmography approaching coming-of-age stories. Moonrise Kingdom can trigger a feeling of nostalgia for a past that may not even have necessarily been experienced by the viewer. The saturated color palate gives the film an ambiance akin to a childlike experience, like a foggy distant memory that has been heavily altered through the tests of time. Many viewers may relate to these occurrences, and the escapist element of Anderson’s filmmaking may highlight a feeling of longing for that faraway past. To finish it off, Anderson has always made smart use of the way he uses soundtrack, with an appropriate set of tunes that fit the occasion, while also calling attention to that playful, childlike association. As such, users feel compelled to use his theme songs to perform an Andersonian version of their own lives.
It can be said that there are not many like Wes Anderson, and the way he creates a world that is capable of being identifiable by many has not gone unnoticed, especially in the internet age. With many recreations of his style, it is only natural that his movies gain even more traction, and such has been the case with his latest film. It remains to be seen, however, if the trend carries on with his next feature films, with another having already started its production with a release in 2024 or 2025. What is certain, however, is that Wes Anderson’s style has been immortalized as one of the most original and unique in Hollywood. a
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May 2024
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