- Messages
- 14,899
- Reaction score
- 2,425
- Trophy Points
- 228
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
I adored Wes Anderson's 'The Royal Tenenbaums' but I thought his follow-up 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' was overblown and more interested in kookiness and outlandish visuals than strong characters. The budget was more than double that of TRT and I think it's Anderson's only box-office flop. So his next, 'The Darjeeling Limited' is a noticeably stripped back, smaller scale, lower budget affair but thanks to gorgeous panoramic location shots of India it looks expensive and is a welcome return to decent, character-driven story telling. There is just the right amount of Anderson's trademark visual delights, every object and printed word still looks designed and arranged with precision, there is just fewer of those objects and they are there to serve the story e.g. the matching animal print cases that the characters carry, as literal/symbolic "baggage". Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman are so believable as three brothers, trying to reconnect and change but weighed down by falling into old patterns of negative behaviour and fraternal "button pushing". One of Anderson's best films.
Hotel Chevalier (2007)
A 13-minute short produced alongside the movie 'The Darjeeling Limited', taking place sometime prior to where that story began. Jason Schwartzman plays his 'Jack' character meeting up with his ex Natalie Portman in a hotel room. It didn't do a lot for me beyond appreciating some of the crisp dialogue and well composed visuals. I'm glad it has introduced me to Peter Sarstedt's wonderful 1969 song 'Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?' which features prominently.
I adored Wes Anderson's 'The Royal Tenenbaums' but I thought his follow-up 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' was overblown and more interested in kookiness and outlandish visuals than strong characters. The budget was more than double that of TRT and I think it's Anderson's only box-office flop. So his next, 'The Darjeeling Limited' is a noticeably stripped back, smaller scale, lower budget affair but thanks to gorgeous panoramic location shots of India it looks expensive and is a welcome return to decent, character-driven story telling. There is just the right amount of Anderson's trademark visual delights, every object and printed word still looks designed and arranged with precision, there is just fewer of those objects and they are there to serve the story e.g. the matching animal print cases that the characters carry, as literal/symbolic "baggage". Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman are so believable as three brothers, trying to reconnect and change but weighed down by falling into old patterns of negative behaviour and fraternal "button pushing". One of Anderson's best films.
Hotel Chevalier (2007)
A 13-minute short produced alongside the movie 'The Darjeeling Limited', taking place sometime prior to where that story began. Jason Schwartzman plays his 'Jack' character meeting up with his ex Natalie Portman in a hotel room. It didn't do a lot for me beyond appreciating some of the crisp dialogue and well composed visuals. I'm glad it has introduced me to Peter Sarstedt's wonderful 1969 song 'Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?' which features prominently.