Searched query: tom wilkinson
Return to “"The Grand Budapest Hotel"”
- by Kublai Khan
- Sat Jan 31, 2015 2:03 pm
- Forum: Movie-Specific
- Topic: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
- Replies: 13
- Views: 7963
Rufflesack wrote:Meaningful in that there are two engaging stories in the film. The telling of the story and the story itself, neither of which could really exist without the other and both of which can influence how the other is interpreted. Essentially, it's Tom Wilkinson telling the story of an aging Zero telling the story of Mr Gustave. All of these characters have perspectives of their own, that color the way the story is told to the viewer of the film. The story goes through several filters, each of which leave a distinctive mark on it. In the case of the port wine stain, my theory is that this might be exaggerated, embellishment or simply made up by Tom Wilkinson writing the book of the Grand Budapest, because it is an evocative description for a book. It's kind of speculative, but that's what I like about the framing and the way the story is told, it's very open for interpretation and there's no right answer. We can't know why that detail is included. Perhaps it's an important detail to Zero. Perhaps it's just embellishment.
I think this is the best interpretation of it. A lot of Wes Anderson movies (and this one in particular) give the impression that he's giving 3-dimension life to characters and stories that had only been previously just the work of a quirky writer. The "shape of Mexico" is a type of throwaway description assigned to a port wine blob when describing a heroic character got translated in perfect detail to some comedic effect.
Absolutely gorgeous movie to watch though. Beautiful architecture, design, vistas, details, etc. Even the drabbest scenes were a feast for the eyes. I haven't seen the competition, but I'm rooting for this to win Best Cinematography.
- by cagedwisdom
- Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:31 pm
- Forum: Movie-Specific
- Topic: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
- Replies: 13
- Views: 7963
Meaningful in that there are two engaging stories in the film. The telling of the story and the story itself, neither of which could really exist without the other and both of which can influence how the other is interpreted. Essentially, it's Tom Wilkinson telling the story of an aging Zero telling the story of Mr Gustave. All of these characters have perspectives of their own, that color the way the story is told to the viewer of the film. The story goes through several filters, each of which leave a distinctive mark on it. In the case of the port wine stain, my theory is that this might be exaggerated, embellishment or simply made up by Tom Wilkinson writing the book of the Grand Budapest, because it is an evocative description for a book. It's kind of speculative, but that's what I like about the framing and the way the story is told, it's very open for interpretation and there's no right answer. We can't know why that detail is included. Perhaps it's an important detail to Zero. Perhaps it's just embellishment.
- by Stewball
- Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:47 pm
- Forum: Movie-Specific
- Topic: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
- Replies: 13
- Views: 7963
Rufflesack wrote:A magnified footnote is a decent description,
(magnified
inconsequential footnote, to be precise)
really it's just flavor text. But a lot of what the film is about the origins of stories, how they are told and experienced - Tom Wilkinson more or less spells this out in the very first scene.
If you imagine the narration as a written story I don't think you would react to the description of a port wine stain in the shape of Mexico in any other way than adding it to how you picture that character. It's all about how Zero remembers the events and people, and how Jude Law's character pictures them in turn. In that sense throwaway details bear a lot more importance than they would on their own. I rarely care for this kind of framing in film (see Life of Pi), but in Grand Budapest it works, because the story and the telling of the story are interwoven in a meaningful way, rather than being a lazy expositional device.
I guess that's my question, what meaningful way? I mean Alice in Wonderland rambles, but as a vehicle for satire. IOW, it has a point, which I don't see here. For me
Life of Pi and
GP are polar opposites. They're both beautifully framed, but the latter's aimlessness is off-putting for me.
- by cagedwisdom
- Tue Mar 25, 2014 3:42 am
- Forum: Movie-Specific
- Topic: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
- Replies: 13
- Views: 7963
A magnified footnote is a decent description, really it's just flavor text. But a lot of what the film is about the origins of stories, how they are told and experienced - Tom Wilkinson more or less spells this out in the very first scene.
If you imagine the narration as a written story I don't think you would react to the description of a port wine stain in the shape of Mexico in any other way than adding it to how you picture that character. It's all about how Zero remembers the events and people, and how Jude Law's character pictures them in turn. In that sense throwaway details bear a lot more importance than they would on their own. I rarely care for this kind of framing in film (see Life of Pi), but in Grand Budapest it works, because the story and the telling of the story are interwoven in a meaningful way, rather than being a lazy expositional device.
