540 The Darjeeling Limited

[kinjitsu]

Louise Brooks would have been inclined to disagree with you.

[Antoine Doinel]

So would Woody Allen.

[Steven H]

I haven't seen the film, nor am I fan of Anderson but applaud Domino for this post. Barmys review was quite clever but I never got the feeling he was passing himself off as cool. Perhaps if Slave questioned Barmy on his review instead of being threatend there could have been a meaningful discussion.

Actually, in spite of what some people might say (and I'm sincerely sure he/she has their heart in the right place) these kinds of comments do *not* lead to meaningful discussion. Its a dead end. Why is it racist? What makes it more twee/fey/nostalghic than, say, Garrel's Regular Lovers? I'm no Truffaut fan (I only like his Roche adaptations, maybe more for the source material) but his little Truffaut references just make me smile like its a joke, not some godawful crime against humanity wos wrong wit dat?, etc.

Then again, the film's not even out yet. I bet it will immediately become everyone's favorite movie, and they might even name a child after it. From what I'm hearing it could be one of his best. (and for what its worth a friend told me he thought Portman reminded him of Seberg in Breathlesss.)

[Polybius]

So would Woody Allen.

"There you go, knockin' my hobbies again..." - Mickey Sachs

[David Ehrenstein]

What makes it more twee/fey/nostalghic than, say, Garrel's Regular Lovers?

Regular Lovers is an overwhelmingly serious film about May 68 and its immediate aftermath by Someone Who Was Fucking THERE!!!!!

The Darjeeling Limited is a film about luggage.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder does not constitute mise en scene.

[Barmy]

But isn't all the luggage a clever metaphor for "baggage"?

[David Ehrenstein]

No.

[Barmy]

Can we let the following opinion piece posted on imdb be the last word?

I don't like Wes because his movies are very depressing. I only watch them because Anjelica is in them, but when I'm done watching the movie I feel so drained. Like....I've lost some brain cells LOL! He is a good director, but horrible as well. Great mind, but gaaah too depressing for films. I only own Life Aquatic, but not Royal Ten. my mom won't let me have it haha and I don't want it! Although I don't understand why Anjelica likes Wes Anderson....she confuses me a lot.....Also a love crush on Bill Murray? How funny is that XD

one who knows Anjelica is seeing the light to God

[tavernier]

Amen.

[David Ehrenstein]

Sounds like a stalker to me.

[Donald Brown]

I bet Anjeclica reminds him of his mother, the mother who won't allow him to own a copy of Royal Ten. (WTF? Maybe she's disturbed at the thought of him rubbing one out to images of her likeness. No oedipus complex porn for you, sonny.)

[Jeff]

Philippe Garrel discussion moved here.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Wes Anderson will be having a discussion on Wednesday at the American Cinematheque theatre, Aero, in Santa Monica.

I would love to go, but it's sold out. Anyone going? Anyone going to harass him with "Is Darjeeling going to be Criterion?"

[Barmy]

Will Anjelica be there?

[Jeff]

Anyone going to harass him with "Is Darjeeling going to be Criterion?"

I would imagine that the sub-Zissou reception the film is receiving would have squelched any enthusiasm the Criterion brass may have had in regards to acquiring it.

[souvenir]

Anyone going to harass him with "Is Darjeeling going to be Criterion?"

I would imagine that the sub-Zissou reception the film is receiving would have squelched any enthusiasm the Criterion brass may have had in regards to acquiring it.

Are you being serious Jeff? Almost every review I've read prefers it to Zissou. It did outstanding box office this weekend, making $140,000 total at 2 theaters in 2 days, and is frequently being called "a return to form." In the podcast interview with Susan Arosteguy I posted in the Two-Lane Blacktop thread, she cautiously says she doesn't know whether Criterion will release it, but she also mentions how Anderson has made sure to have the studio(s) let Criterion put out his DVDs. Readers of the recent New York magazine article posted above might have noticed how Anderson obviously does things his own way and is adept at talking studios into accommodating him (like editing Darjeeling at a specific Manhattan hotel with the bill footed by Fox).

Contrary to the gospel in this thread, I thought the film was outstanding and I want to see Eric Anderson do the DVD cover art, hopefully for a Criterion release.

[Jeff]

Are you being serious Jeff? Almost every review I've read prefers it to Zissou.

I guess the negative reviews are standing out to me more than the positive ones, but that could very well just be my pessimistic nature. I won't get a chance to see it for another week or so. As a certified Anderson fanboy and accused Zissou apologist, I hope it's wonderful. I know that it had a record-breaking weekend in it's very limited release, so at least people are going to see it. The early reception struck me as tepid-at-best, with cries of "twee!" coming from all quarters (especially here). I'm still quite anxious to see it, hope to love it, and would certainly be pleased to see Criterion release it. Perhaps the critical vibe I'm getting is completely off base or will turn around, and Criterion will enthusiastically pursue it.

[chaddoli]

I feel Anderson followed up his best film with his worst one. I didn't hate it, but it was for the most part unfunny and unmoving and, though only 90 minutes, too long. It felt somewhat lazy. Anderson, after the wild experimentation of The Life Aquatic - a bold furthering of previous themes and styles - is here playing it safe.

Spoiler

The dramatic scene in this film was interesting to me, though - the boy's accident. It was entirely contrived, not plot or character motivated, but once it got going, Anderson's talent as a filmmaker and the actors' talents showed through. A lot of very powerful moments, including my favorite line in the film: "I didn't save mine."

I don't think I'll be buying the Criterion.

[Barmy]

You didn't seem to notice that "I didn't save mine" is one of the most narcissistic and racist lines in cinema history. But entirely in keeping with Anderson's overall approach.

[chaddoli]

You didn't seem to notice that "I didn't save mine" is one of the most narcissistic and racist lines in cinema history. But entirely in keeping with Anderson's overall approach.

Yeah, I guess I didn't. Thank you.

[toiletduck!]

Barmy, that's the sort of uber-sensitive culture-killing PC reading between lines that aren't there that I expected least of all from you.

-Toilet Dcuk

[domino harvey]

Ebert loves it :-k

[kaujot]

I guess I have to hate it.

[The Elegant Dandy Fop]

Saw this yesterday. Can't see why people keep calling it a comedy. It's too serious to be funny. Or course there are chuckles here and there, but nothing like Caddyshack or The Jerk. Those are comedies. This is very different.

Critics are having a field day with it saying Anderson hasn't matured, but you really feel by the characters and the story that he doesn't want to, and we should thank him for that. In a time where directors are too focused on telling stories about bullshit or making comedies with people I don't care about, this comes along with it's great cast of characters.

Zissou is a funnier, but then again, it's a sillier movie. He really has grown up when you think about it, but it's things from when he was younger that makes him happy. Or so it seems.

The slight open ended-ness of the film added a lot as well. They go to India trying to find home in the form of their mother, but then at the end, they realize they had themselves and people waiting for them outside of India.

I was so worried this movie was goin to be awful after seeing Hotel Chevalier, which was, honestly, a lot of nothing, but it ceases to be nothing when it's watched with the film. Damn shame it isn't, it doesn't work on it's own.

On a final note, anyone catch the cameo by Barbet Schroeder? I doubt the people in the theatre knew who he was, but it got me excited.

[mikebowes]

Wes Anderson and Jason Schwartzman are going to be at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, MA (www.brattlefilm.org) for a special screening on Thursday at 7:00pm. Not sure if they're doing a national tour with it right now or not, but I'll certainly check this out!