The Visual Direction of Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson, so-called contemporary auteur, returns to the spotlight with his next feature length film, Isle of Dogs. Anderson’s newest stop motion animated feature centers on an exciting journey with Atari and a pack of dogs in search for Atari’s pet dog that was exiled with the rest of the canines to Trash Island.

With Anderson’s second feature stop motion released in theaters on March 23, 2018, devoted and new fans should take the time to watch Anderson’s previous films to consider his creative visual style that bleeds throughout all his films. From the stunning color palettes and patterns, to the framing and tracking of the camera, it is no surprise that Wes Anderson is seen as a visual director and auteur in the more indie side of Hollywood.

Visual Style and Color

To anyone who has watched a Wes Anderson film, it is apparent that he has a selective style when it comes to color. Anderson’s use of color blends in with the era and subdued, thus making the psychology of color in a scene to be an afterthought. However, with Anderson’s films, he stylistically uses his color that makes a scene pop. His use of color has cinema junkies raving about the mise-en-scène: the arrangement and design of everything win a frame– actors, lighting, props, colors, etc.

Wes Anderson’s 2014 feature, The Grand Budapest Hotel, is his most stylistic film yet through the stunning symmetrical shots and use of color. As we can see from the image above with Zero (Tony Revolori) and Agatha (Saoirse Ronan) where Anderson specifically chooses from the hues of pink and blue. One can theorize that the use of these colors were to signify young and budding love between Zero and Agatha.

In Anderson’s first feature length stop motion animation, Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), he uses the hues of red, orange, and brown throughout the film. The colors in this stop motion animation unified the characters and the world; and they contrasted the warm hues, such as the cool tones of Kristofferson and the wolf towards the end, signifying an ethereal aspect to the scene. Kristofferson’s white fur and blue eyes complemented his natural abilities that overshadowed a envious Ash throughout the movie. The black wolf stood in a snowy setting that juxtaposed the warm autumn tones around the main cast, therefore showing the significance of the contrast in colors. Anderson’s color palette in Fantastic Mr. Fox unifies the narrative and paints a motion picture that is equally entertaining and emotionally heartwarming.

In his most renown film, possibly more than The Grand Budapest Hotel, Anderson’s 2001 film, The Royal Tenenbaums, use of warm colors juxtaposed the strained storyline of a broken family. The choice of colors blends itself into costume design, and in a way adds depth to the character’s personalities. Furthermore, the costume designs, such as the patterns, play a role in Anderson’s visual language in this film. Throughout the film Margot is seen continually wearing striped patterns (much like the one in the scene above), but with a different color palette depending on the scene. Ben Stiller’s character consistently wears a red track suit (a matching one with his children) to possibly signify his rage, yet conflicted love, towards his absent father.

While Anderson’s 1996 film, Bottle Rocket, showcased his use of color (the varying shades of yellows and greens), it was actually The Royal Tenenbaums that gained him praise and solidified his artistic style.

Visual Symmetry 

If it isn’t the color or the odd narrative Anderson typically employs, it is his consistent symmetrical framing in his films. The geometric framing and crafted composition employed adds a sense of order and even respect for the one-point perspective style. By centering his objects, Anderson brings emphasis to what is in the frame and pleases the audience’s eyes through the visual aesthetic; symmetry is known to be artistically beautiful and breathtaking. 

Anderson’s heightened focus of the mise-en-scène allows his story to be impactful visually and emotionally. His awareness and assemblage of the framing of a scene turns a passive viewer into an active viewer through the sharp focus of everything within a scene. Watch this compilation created to showcase Wes Anderson’s symmetry in his films here.

The Ensemble of Actors

When a Wes Anderson film comes out, an ensemble of actors come with it: typically Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Anjelica Huston, and Adrien Brody. If the visual style didn’t tip off an audience member, it would most likely be the presence of Bill Murray or Owen Wilson. Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson were college roommates that became quick friends as their paths crossed during their studies at the University of Texas. Wilson acted in about six of Anderson films and co-written four of his feature films. Bill Murray became an instant recurring actor in Anderson’s films after his role in Rushmore (1998), and will even be featured in Anderson’s newest film, Isle of Dogs (2018). 

The consistent use of actors allows the creative direction of the cast and crew to become a more collaborative project, and allows room for more creativity. The creative connection between Anderson and his loyal cast and crew emphasizes the visual branding that has been associated with Wes Anderson.

Quirky Narratives

Anderson takes a seemingly simple idea– two young men in a suburban rut (Bottle Rocket) and a broken family of child geniuses (Royal Tenenbaums)– and twists them with strange narratives that brings originality to a mundane plot. Anderson’s films typically have an underlying theme of strained relationships, and specifically, familial hardships. Despite the portrayal of broken families, Anderson still conveys the importance of family and camaraderie– the relationship between Anthony and Dignan in Bottle Rocket— and the dynamics of a family seen in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

In addition, Wes Anderson typically has a dog involved in his films–remember Buckley from The Royal Tenenbaums? Poor Buckley. Also, the beagles in Fantastic Mr. Fox that were poisoned by blueberries because they apparently can’t resist them. This strange trait of films makes one wonder about Anderson’s next feature, Isle of Dogs, that is a cast of canines, and if there will be a twist to this dog going under theme.

The Visual Modern Auteur

Wes Anderson is a modern auteur through his consistent visual and narrative style depicted in all of his films. His unique style has gained him attention, as well as his artistic style in mainstream cinema. With reviewing his stapled style through his previous films, the release of Anderson’s newest film, Isle of Dogs, brings to question of just how much will this modern auteur keep to his artistic style?