From the most scholarly cinephile to the casual movie goer, we all know the power of films. We’ve all had, or will have, that ‘religious experience’ where a movie draws you in and keeps you in the frame for ninety or more minutes and then releases you back into the world you came from, changed. Prior to my pivotal moment, I knew little of Wes Anderson’s work. After that moment I found myself watching every movie of his going all of the way back to his first film, Bottle Rocket.
In 2014, my friend James and I were getting serious about becoming filmmakers. We decided the best way to become a filmmaker is mingle with fellow filmmakers and see new, cutting edge films at one of the largest film festivals in North America, South by Southwest. After sitting through a number of lesser known films, we decided to take a break from some of the more poorly made movies and wound up waiting three plus hours to see Wes Anderson’s newest film at the time, The Grand Budapest Hotel.
As we settled into our seats in the grand auditorium of the Paramount Theatre the audience was alive with excitement which was heightened when a voice over the speaker system proudly announced that Wes Anderson would be taking questions after the film.
The film began.
Before I knew it, the lights brightened and film was over. As The Grand Budapest Hotel credits rolled, I knew at that moment that I’d never be the same. I had always wanted to be a filmmaker, but now something was different. As Wes Anderson sat on the stage for an hour taking audience questions, there was only one that remained burned into the back of my skull. How did he become a master storyteller? What was he like in the beginning when he began working on his very first film?
This experience inspired me to beg the question, what was the story behind Anderson’s first film, Bottle Rocket? Stylistically, it wasn’t the same as his future films, but rather it felt more like a distant cousin to his other works. At what point in his career did Wes Anderson become the auteur I’ve come to know and love?
In this video, I dive into the history surrounding Wes Anderson’s first film and his quick rise into public consciousness. I’m excited to continue our month of First Films by Great Directors in The Cinematropolis’s debut video essay by looking at Wes Anderson’s first film, Bottle Rocket. Or as I like to call it, the triumphant failure.
