Wes Anderson

[mteller]

As long as we're sharing, here's my take:

1. The Royal Tenenbaums
2. Fantastic Mr. Fox
3. Rushmore

4. Moonrise Kingdom
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel
6. Isle of Dogs
7. Bottle Rocket
8. The Swan
9. The Life Aquatic

10. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
11. Poison
12. The Darjeeling Limited
13. The Rat Catcher
14. Bottle Rocket (short)

15. Hotel Chevalier
16. Asteroid City
17. The French Dispatch

[Finch]

Not seen all of WA's films. The ones I've missed are Bottle Rocket, The Darjeeling Limited, Isle of Dogs, The French Dispatch and most of Asteroid City which I bailed on after 15 minutes.

I soured a bit on Fantastic Mr Fox on a second viewing. I've only seen The Life Aquatic once, back in the day, and I liked it but also felt a bit indifferent to it. I'd like to revisit especially if Criterion and WA can convince Disney to let them upgrade to 4K. Would also like to revisit Tenenbaums. The soundtrack played nonstop in my CD player in 2001. Still remains the only film other than Se7en where Gwyneth Paltrow doesn't annoy the shit out of me. Her appearance in the film as she gets off the bus in slow motion scored to Nico is the chef's kiss. Grand Budapest and Moonrise Kingdom would be in my Top 5 for sure, maybe even top three.

[The Curious Sofa]

Gwyneth Paltrow is great in James Gray's Two Lovers (one of my favourite films of the 21st century) and I thought she brought a screwball movie quality to the Iron Man films that really worked. She is hated, possibly with good reason, for cynically peddling overpriced woo and rumours of proma donna behaviour, but I always thought she was an excellent actress.

[flyonthewall2983]

He recently dropped the news that he’s working on a box set of his first ten films.

[swo17]

Already discussed here

[domino harvey]

One hour Vanity Fair interview with Anderson discussing every feature in order

[Matt]

Anderson has used a flat-fee salary system for actors in his films since Rushmore. Bill Murray wanted to be paid the same as Jason Schwartzman, and he's kept it ever since. Gene Hackman was not happy about it when he signed on to Tenenbaums, didn't enjoy making the film, and never spoke another word to Anderson after walking off the set without saying goodbye.

[Mr.DarjeelingLimited]

Anderson has used a flat-fee salary system for actors in his films since Rushmore. Bill Murray wanted to be paid the same as Jason Schwartzman, and he's kept it ever since. Gene Hackman was not happy about it when he signed on to Tenenbaums, didn't enjoy making the film, and never spoke another word to Anderson after walking off the set without saying goodbye.

This was a good read.

[domino harvey]

Anderson has used a flat-fee salary system for actors in his films since Rushmore. Bill Murray wanted to be paid the same as Jason Schwartzman, and he's kept it ever since. Gene Hackman was not happy about it when he signed on to Tenenbaums, didn't enjoy making the film, and never spoke another word to Anderson after walking off the set without saying goodbye.

Mamet, with good humor, admitted Hackman was a complete asshole during the entire Heist shoot around this time as well. I have to wonder if Hackman didn’t get Oscar nommed for Anderson’s film despite good press for the same reason Willis wouldn’t almost fifteen years later: everyone in Hollywood hated him

[hearthesilence]

I doubt that was the reason. Even with the friction he had on that film, I don't get the impression he was "hated" in the industry - I've heard plenty of testimony on other films where colleagues said he was good. Not just for his performances, but also very professional and very serious - he wasn't a prima donna, but he was completely by-the-book so if someone was lackadaisical like chronically late to set or unprepared, he wouldn't take it well. I knew a guy (long retired) who got to work with him on a film in Chicago, and he basically said the same thing - he didn't come off as a big movie star, he was very serious about doing his job which meant he was kind of moody. Not angry or anything, but not exactly happy either.

tbh I think most great performances in Anderson's films get overlooked, from Bill Murray (who was actually favored to get nominated in Rushmore but didn't) to Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Even his own films get shortchanged with only The Grand Budapest Hotel getting a Best Picture nomination, and that was likely aided by the expansion of Best Picture nominees. If I had to guess, it's because his work remains somewhat polarizing, and even if people like his cast members, there's always a substantial block of people who simply don't like the work.

[domino harvey]

Anderson on his exhibition “the House on Utopia Parkway: Joseph Cornell’s Studio Re-Created by Wes Anderson"

[JAP]

Many thanks for pointing this out. The exhibition at the Gagosian site and corresponding press release. No catalogue, though.