The Aesthetics of Wes Anderson movies

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Symmetry, eccentricity, and distinctive narrative and visual styles are some of the filmmaker Wes Anderson’s trademark features. His unique films have earned him the reputation of a modern-day auteur. Anderson has cited Satyajit Ray, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, and Roman Polanski, among other filmmakers, as his cinematic influence. Famous Wes Anderson projects include films like The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Fantastic Mr. Fox, among other notable works. Most Wes Anderson movies are fast-paced comedies with some serious or melancholic defining moments in them. Critics often describe his movies as being unusually character-driven. His unique style allows the audience to recognize his aesthetics, regardless of the film. Here are some things that make Wes Anderson’s movies a quirky treat for the eyes:

  • Popping color palettes: One thing to notice in a Wes Anderson film is the matching color patterns in a scene. The audience can find the thematic colors in everything, ranging from the background and props to the actor’s clothes and lighting.

  • Unique Set Decorations: In addition to the well-distributed color palettes, the scenes use classically themed detailed decorations to add to the general ambiance of the story.
  • Horizontal/Vertical camera movement: Anderson’s cinematic style does not just restrict to pretty backgrounds and colors, but the actual shots are well-thought-out. The camera movement is often cartoonish and straightforward and adheres to straight lines. This unique style adds to the dramatics of the scene and matches well with the aura personalities of the characters.
  • Specific Typeface: Another trademark of the Wes Anderson films is the Futura Bold typeface, occurring in almost every single film of his.
  • Soundtrack: Most Anderson films use pop music from the 60s and 70s as the soundtrack.
  • Recurring collaborators: Many of Anderson’s films include recurring actors like Bill Murray, the Wilson brothers, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Defoe, Edward Norton, and Tilda Swinton, among others.

Wes Anderson’s style has amassed a cult-following of his work. There’s even a dedicated Instagram account called Accidentally Wes Anderson that features images of locations and people in the filmmaker’s signature style.

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