Posted on 16.10.2023

Wes Anderson's cinema is always conveyed through the meaningful use of a series of symbols.

The typewriter

With Anderson, there is no technology, just mechanics, which are much more interesting in terms of sound. The typewriter symbolises the considerable time it takes to write a good story. The American filmmaker indeed underlines the importance of storytelling, from short stories to New Yorker-style features and books.

The record player

This often-colourful object is the pop incarnation of Anderson's cinema. Thanks to an LP, the characters perform the ritual of "putting on a record" to plunge into another world, often in the form of a French pop song by Françoise Hardy, for example.

The on-point dress code

From a general point of view, the clothing choices in Anderson's cinema are crucial. Boy scout attire, tennis players’ outfits, hotel concierges’ uniforms, complete with accessories - Anderson makes use of the wardrobe aspect enormously. They correspond to a function, and above all they must remain unchanged no matter how long the action lasts. This makes his cinema visually reliable, yet seductive, with its use of a thousand hues.

The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014 © DR

The knee-high socks

Visible socks, worn in perfect symmetry, are a symbol of childhood, especially for the adults who don them.

Moonrise Kingdom, 2012 © DR

Moonrise Kingdom, 2012 © DR

The maps

In this cinema of precision, it is vital to get your bearings. Maps are graphic elements that help to bring focus to a world that is complicated for characters who are sometimes wonderfully fussy.

The binoculars

They go hand in hand with the map. The idea is for the characters to find each other by observing from a distance. In this powerful cinema of human communities, it's all about getting back to your group as quickly as possible, including through the labyrinth or the underground, other Andersonian fixations.

Moonrise Kingdom, 2012 © DR

The diorama

The set is a character in itself in Anderson's films. The meticulous beauty of these animated dioramas makes you want to stay inside the film.

Virginie Apiou