The Absurd Intricacy of The French Dispatch

[@ThomasFlight]

Support my work on Patreon: www.patreon.com/thomasflight

[@christopherdwyer7678]

Okay I admit I usually completely ignore ad reads but that is an incredible deal

[@Num43]

freking fine, I did it. Jesus. :P

[@alexusrillo2429]

This film was absolute dogshit. Came off ass annoying probably because of the first minute of this video.. it was boring and up it's own ass harrrrrrd.

[@imaginative-monkey]

@Thomas, I searched for "Obit" on Curiosity, but it's not found. Could you please share a direct link? Thanks! 👍

[@John_Peterson]

Don't put to much emphasis on facial expression. Of course he might have blinked reacting to an emotional cue or a certain phrase or whatever in response to an other actress in this scene. But reading any small emotions others might have at any time in life can become a lot of a task and might be even missleading. So i think, psychologicly, and of course everything in the end has something to do we the human mind, you shouldn't extrapolate every single detail you see into something too big or even godlike. That will always get people into some kind of a manice in the end... and also maybe, whtch the movie agian with a different mindset later on and I am sure u'll see many other connections just by being at another emotional state. So please stop lookong for perfection, in my small opinion, perfection in a scriptet enivremonet is neber the perfection you are looking for.

[@rohitr7294]

As an animator, this movie blew my mind, the timing and framing was so purposeful and came together beautifully. Peak Wes Anderson and I loved it.

[@joshryan9560]

Hi fellow animator! Yeah you can tell doing animated films really pushed Wes into more of his own tendencies and proclivities

[@1zxtv]

easily wes andersons weakest film

[@joshryan9560]

@@hugh-jasole Jesus dude, did someone named Wes assault you as a child or something?

[@thereisonlycis3566]

@@1zxtv guess you've never seen bottle rocket

[@radi2986]

Wes Anderson doesn’t hold a candle to Abbas Kirostami tho

[@ruslanetss]

Imagine Wes Anderson throwing chairs at people screaming "Not quite my tempo!"

[@ItumelengS]

Are you rushing or are you dragging 🤣🤣

[@lara.z7393]

Im getting whiplash from his artistry 😂

[@blinco1539]

Whiplash Anderson lmao

[@TshegofatsoSekgothe]

Most underrated comment

[@TshegofatsoSekgothe]

Most underrated comment

[@ThatGuyFromYorkshire]

As one of the visual effects artist working in this film, I can assure you this was all intentional. There were many occasions where Wes would have us stitch together a completely different take for each actor in one single scene and to retime each one so everything was perfectly in-time to his rhythm.

[@hellothisisbenji]

Love this! I’m a production designer and try to tell stories through my sets that take on new life as soon as actors interact with the space. I love hearing about artistry from other departments.

[@ThatGuyFromYorkshire]

@Brother Andy You really don't understand that timing is as important to dialogue as the words themselves? Like you ever heard of comedic timing? That's just one way timing is important to dialogue. Not only that but Wes' style has a specific timing to it. Like you should probably watch some plays and musicals, my friend. Another reason is just... why not? It's a tool at your disposal when making a film. Books you can't control timing, but with films you can so... Why not?

[@woulg]

@Brother Andy i think you forget that most people who watch films (or consume any type of art) aren't connoisseurs, and for most people this style stands out. It may have deeper meaning to him (and clearly some others, hence this video and all the positive comments) but it's a gimmick, and it really works as a gimmick. Underneath this gimmick he's exploring a feeling (as far as I can tell, I'm not a hardcore fan of him) and is coming back to that feeling over and over from different angles. The gimmick is just there to draw you in. Exploring the same idea over and over is common in basically every form of art (in fact this is what most artists do). I can't explain that feeling to you, but it seems that you're frustrated that you don't identify with it (and instead you think the gimmick is the substance), which I think you shouldn't be. You don't like his movies, that's fine.

[@woulg]

@Brother Andy hey man I feel you, I'm in the music industry and it is also crap. And I went to art school and popular modern art is also garbage. This is what big money does to things. Maybe you wanna dig a bit deeper in that case? The underground scenes can be less crap, or at the very least, crap for different reasons. Digital tools have been democratizing traditionally expensive forms art for a while now, hopefully with the addition of some AI tools they can be democratized even more (tbd I guess hahah). Idk sounds like you're really stressing about it though, and I get that, I've been there, but also, idk, maybe it would be worth talking to someone about irl? Idk about you but I only usually yell at strangers on the internet when I'm in a pretty bad place.

[@woulg]

@Brother Andy then again, reading some of the other comments on this video also sorta makes me wanna go on a rant so who am I to judge.

[@simonlegendary]

"I only watch 52 bpm Wes Anderson films" sounds like the most cinephile thing one could possibly say.

[@shinydino]

Wait, do you mean you DON’T only watch 52 bpm Wes Anderson films? Wow, some people are so basic. 🙄

[@eliasvargas4978]

This video months ago lead me to watch the French dispatch over 20 times now and organize each shot into a organized file systems

[@naurdil]

only if ~phile is a synonym for pretentious

[@Puppy_Puppington]

@@naurdil yeah exactly what I was gonna say

[@halfmettlealchemist8076]

We've reached levels of kino previously though impossible

[@sullivandmitry1416]

Wes, in my opinion, shows the perfect balance between stage plays and film. His movies are essentially a film made as a stage play.

[@joshryan9560]

as an animator they feel more like animated films with precision timing and staging!

[@dpixvid]

@@joshryan9560 would tend to agree... if you animate the effort shows intent... while theatre can be precise at any given moment, including cues, etc, an animator has to deal with timing or “over time” intrinsically. Coming from mograph mostly, not so much stop frame, it takes so much effort to fill the space over time. Usually seamlessly, also, gives the appearance of ease of creativity, fluidity... very difficult to explain to the uninitiated...

[@takenby_cj]

i agree!

[@SrijanGuha]

I see echoes of Derek Jarman

[@tanzkatzen]

@@SrijanGuha for me there's an element of Jacques Tati

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

I would’ve never guessed to use a metronome to analyze a film. Wow.

[@AleveguzMusic]

Usually, as a film composer myself, that's the first thing we do... not as macro as we see here, but on individual scenes.

[@timelesswisdom597]

It is sooo farfetched. You can use whatever you want: barometer, stethoscope you name it. And you will always find (RATHER CREATE) bunch of meaning anywhere.

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

@@timelesswisdom597 I’ve always struggled with analyzing film and watching video essays is equally inspiring and debilitating

[@rruusseell9948]

@@timelesswisdom597 if we create meaning anywhere, why is it so far-fetched to use any tool possible to enrich our experience? it's a deeply human thing

[@threeleggeddog7120]

@@timelesswisdom597 It isn't shown as "proof" of anything but more as a way of materializing an idea. Wether the director constructed it with that in mind or not isn't really the point, there is undeniably a rythm to this movie. By measuring it, quantifying it, you can dissect why it works, what makes the movie or the scene particular. Style isn't an absolute black and white thing. It is complex and personal to a director's voice. A director who thinks and constructs but is also lead by emotions, instincts and internalized influences. I think that's why analysis are interesting and can be so different..

[@angelicaaranda6424]

When this movie came out I was about to turn 20, I left my home and was living in Denmark. I decided on a Tuesday night, the night of my birthday, to watch the French Dispatch's last showing at the movie theater. I was like one of three people in there. I felt so incredibly alone and lost and I was sitting in a movie theater alone on my 20th birthday. Then the movie started and I was blown away, it felt like push of encouragement at a hard time. I always idolized Baldwin so the last story struck me the hardest, and the chef saying he tasted a new flavor after almost dying brought me to tears. I left, found the trains stopped running and took an hour walk home. It was one of my best birthdays so far.

[@loganbenson3266]

Wonderful comment. I’ve traveled and worked abroad before, and your birthday story captured the feeling of connected loneliness I often felt in foreign cities.

[@sanssoleilfilm]

beautiful - I'm from Denmark. Which cinema did you go to? Sincerely

[@magicknight13]

That's an amazing story, well told

[@angelicaaranda6424]

@@sanssoleilfilm loll Cinemax in Copenhagen in like the mall

[@henryjoseph5500]

When I first saw The French Dispatch, I remember thinking that certain moments or sequences reminded me of the work of Dr Seuss, where things had just enough realism to remain recognizable to everyday people, but twisted and bent into a fantastical space, which is what the surrealism aspect of the French Dispatch meant to me. I truly cannot imagine the events of the film taking place in the real world.

[@rae-everything]

Seems befitting considering he has a contract with Netflix to adapt a Roald Dahl story.

[@connor48880]

An adaptation of Boy: Tales of Childhood?

[@rae-everything]

@@connor48880 The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. I believe other Dahl short stories will be interwoven, or it'll be another anthology of sorts. Cumberbatch stars, and Dev Patel, and Ralph Fiennes are attached too. Seems promising imo.

[@CraigWelchans]

I'm going to steal how described wes Anderson films. It is perfect way to describe.

[@NameNik223]

When you're trying to explain to others why you like Wes Anderson's movies: "The point is, he can paint *this* beautifully (shows at the usual Hollywood movie) if he wanted, but he thinks *this* (shows at French Dispatch) is better. I sort of agree with him"

[@montueswedthursfri]

love this analogy lol

[@josiemclain9801]

this is great a great way of describing it, im using this later :))

[@qualitydyl7088]

Beautiful honestly he was inserting himself into the story and was giving pieces of why he does what he does in this movie. You know someone is talented when they can make a perfect humming bird but decide to make this instead. It’s like he is paying an image to the original styles of the writers in the New Yorker by flexing his style in this movie as they did in their stories

[@bolicob]

The phrase you're looking for is "gestures towards"

[@VietVuHunzter]

I think this comment perfectly nailed how and why Wes Anderson is great. It's like Wes Anderson is referring to himself.

[@Nkanyiso_K]

Feels good to hear someone talking about this film. I had so much fun watching this one

[@Nkanyiso_K]

I've had curiosity stream for a year but I guess Obit will be my first time actually watching it

[@dinghaoluo2769]

The best WA film since… idk, forever. The loneliness captured using his unique technique and scene layout is superb and super emotional. It’s like a stubborn, nonchalant old man telling a story of intense drama and constant developments.

[@ThomasFlight]

Forlorn Whimsy.

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

@@ThomasFlight 4:30 why doesn't this physically work? I haven't seen the film but to me it just looks like depth isn't very apparent.

[@niandra_falls]

@@2KOOLURATOOLGaming using the shoes on the floor as a reference, it looks like the wall on the left, perpendicular to the door, only comes out about a foot. But in the scene with the woman sitting against that same wall, it is much wider.

[@El_Wrath]

Meh... Too pretentious this one. All his.other films are fantastic

[@G3SM]

@@ThomasFlight Put that in Futura, maybe with a dash of Art Nouveau flair, and you've got a shirt I'd buy.

[@nedbodin4704]

The French Dispatch was amazing, and Wes Anderson in general is just so amazing and interesting. Your video about why his movies look like that helped me appreciate it even more. I can't wait to watch it again after seeing this one.

[@mazurchris]

This is the first Wes Anderson film that didn’t fully “click” with me, but this video gave me a greater appreciation for it. Definitely gonna have to give this film a rewatch. Great video as always!

[@RedPandaStan]

I love this movie because of what it's not. It's not an attempt to appeal to my emotions, nor an attempt to suspend my disbelief. It is a simple collection of stories, presented beautifully, all laid out like a real piece of journalism. Even the controlled flow of time and camera work is to try and make it feel like you're reading something out, and this is your piecemeal imagination of the scene. It doesn't make you feel, that's not the point of journalism, it makes you think. That's why despite never crying once and only laughing a few times, this is my favorite film of 2021 and one of my top films of all time. It succeeds perfectly at what it attempts, and it does not need to attempt anything else.

[@ftm84]

Precisely. Just like Wes's love of his favorite magazine, the New Yorker. He made the film version of that magazine. Delightful.

[@m.syauqiabdurahman2798]

Yeah When i watch the movie The emotion i feel is interest . And watching this movie is like reading an unique visual magazine .

[@maddieb.4282]

@@ftm84wow you are so right. Wow

[@sp8715]

I thought it was meh

[@darth5039]

Thomas once again reminding us why he's basically the best film youtube channel. Keep it up sir. Love this video.

[@DouwedeJong]

I could not stop laughing. The amount of jokes, jumping from narrative to visuals and back, are continuous. How can there be so many reviews of this movie where people did not laugh? The jokes are so well crafted, timed and perfectly setup. All in order to set up the next one. And it was non-stop.

[@maddieb.4282]

Not everyone has the same sense of humor and I think that’s nice 😊

[@BT37GU]

because the humour is totally lacking of any charm or endearment as seen in his previous works. His worst film to date by a country mile

[@tobylerone4285]

While intricately constructed, this movie left me emotionally cold. I think it says a lot that your analysis usually speaks about people as homogeneous entities, almost as if the characters are merely a more sentient component of each set and camera setup. I’m very glad you got so much out of this style, but for me I find it easy to admire but nigh on impossible to love. The enfolding frame narrative of Grand Budapest gave the references to nostalgia, memory and stories a purpose rooted deeply in the core characters. FD just seems to be overly stylised and referential to the point where it’s not possible to truly understand the point of the film unless you’ve consumed everything WA is evoking. Now I love intertextuality and meta-commentary, but there has to be an emotional core for it to orbit around for me to truly engage

[@mrfish1178]

100% agree. I personally found it a bit too wordy too and I felt like the 3 story structure dragged in the middle. I think it may have been better as a tv series maybe? Where you can pause between each story, and I found the overarching narrative wasn’t that strong. So I too can appreciate the style and mise en scene but I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it. It’s my least favourite of Wes’s films so far

[@adelina-805]

absolutely agree, the humor and storyline is usually lost to me, so I can only really enjoy it from a visual and artistic standpoint

[@nickmonks9563]

Fair enough. Art is, after all, subjective. It doesn't necessarily need to inspire emotions...though it appears that it does (at least in the context) for you. An understandable perspective.

[@brid101286]

ahhh but i found it extremely funny and at the same time so pleasing for the eyes, while the message shines through the aftertaste but i guess everyone has their own taste.

[@tobylerone4285]

@@nickmonks9563 tbf this film did inspire emotions, it’s just that those were intrigue followed by frustration followed by detachment. Although by the end I wasn’t annoyed or bored anymore; putting the worst of the triumvirate of storylines in the middle definitely makes the last feel refreshingly focussed, despite it still being fairly asinine

[@iblame_nargles]

The point of this video is exactly why Wes Anderson and Edgar Wright are my favourite directors. It's purely because they understand that storytelling is a ridiculously fun thing to experience; coherent or not. Of course, they also love good stories and excel at those also but the act of preserving their style over the main plot is what I find so fascinating about their filmmaking and it always, without fail, makes me remember why I love film. My favourite quality they share is that they both make films that you can watch once and be satisfied with. A lot of lazier directors do this as a "quick cash grab" method but the way they put EVERYTHING into it to ensure that it's valuable to one time viewers/one hundred time viewers is what makes their filmmaking so fucking wonderful. They want to give an enjoyable film experience to their audience and thus, don't talk down to us. Every editing choice, every shot composition, every set; everything in their films is set up to be an enjoyable piece of film. I understand why people dislike their work but to me, having two voices consistently producing great art that doesn't talk down to the audience is such a treat.

[@rachelpevsner4269]

I feel the exact same way. You've put it into words :)

[@iblame_nargles]

Fuck yeah :)

[@JoHe_SonicBanana]

Very well put. I really like how they use audiovisuality to its maximum potential.

[@BlenderGuy1]

When I finished watching the movie, reality felt wrong for a few moments. Like nothing had rhythm anymore. The only other time I’d felt something similar was when I finished reading the Dr. Seuss book, “Oh the places you’ll go”. Every word spoken was so wrong because there was no rhythm. Wes Anderson succeeds to make a new extremely vivid reality that even tricked my brain a little.

[@the_Rade]

Maybe spend a couple of minutes to understand what rhythm means

[@RagnarokMic]

Grand Budapest Hotel is still his masterpiece, but this was another great addition to his filmography. Del Toro's segment was my favorite of the bunch.

[@eddievanbasten1751]

I’m glad there are directors like Wes Anderson. He knows how to tell a story well.

[@luismarioguerrerosanchez4747]

3:43 It sounds awfully pretentious, but so many people often overlook, or worse, maligne the art of the mise en scène. You can call it style over substance, but that doesn't take away from the ammount of effort an precision it requires to achieve. It's disappointing to see people bashing the film for being "too stylish" when that is what makes it so special and unique, plus saying it doesn't have any substance is a downright false statement. The film does have a lot of themes and ideas that are beautifully enveiled by complex camera movements, precise composition and stylish editing.

[@j.avocado]

Rare movies where the style is substance

[@thenorsepioneer7311]

It's more a frustration that he's using the same style for every single one of his films. It's becoming tedious at this point.

[@tobylerone4285]

My criticism is that this film focuses on the mise en scene to the detriment of the characters and real emotion that abounded in Life Aquatic and Grand Budapest. While this movie was intricately woven, I never got a sense of aching tragedy like I did with Gustave, or the renewed joi de vivre of Steve Zissou. The characters were less incisively drawn than usual, the dialogue less sharp, leading to an aesthetically marvellous but spiritually hollow experience

[@kgpspyguy]

@@tobylerone4285 Boom. Well said. I'm a huge Wes Anderson Fan (like own all the Criterion releases of his films huge fan). But after watching this movie twice, I can say with confidence that I just don't like it. The FIRST story is alright, mostly because Adrian Brodie was great as usual, but it all felt emotionally hollow. Like it was going through the motions more then anything. I didn't FEEL anything for the characters. And I've never had that be the case with an Anderson movie. I didn't like that it was an anthology with similar themes, and yet nothing really tied together. I wasn't really a fan of most of the film being in black and white, and then flipping occasionally to color. Etc. (You can argue the artistic purpose of this choice, but I still found it visually distracting, and even kind of exhausting at times). And I know that there's no way to express this opinion without catching heat, but I hated all of the nudity. It didn't feel artful to me (or any of the people I saw it with). It felt weirdly sleazy. Especially when you consider that the actress who plays "Simone" admitted in interview that she had no idea that the role would require nudity when going into it. Overall. This film felt like the Wes Anderson equivalent of "The Phantom Menace." I doubt that this is the case, but this film FEELS like he was given free reign to go wild and make whatever he wanted, with no input from others whatsoever. It's ok. He couldn't bat 100 forever. He's entitled to a disappointment now and then.

[@tobylerone4285]

@@kgpspyguy I absolutely agree man, I think the problem is self indulgence is a criticism that has been unfairly levied against Anderson so much that now that he’s made a film that actually is self indulgent and navel gazing in a way none of his earlier films were, it’s easy for people to brush off criticism as just more of the same. All the structural choices made, from the weirdly specific framing narrative to the triptych structure, seem purposeless because the characters don’t seem to have any unifying theme. Anderson has previously show himself to be an absolute master of synthesising intricate production design, framing etc. with romantic, frail and wonderful characters, but in this they all seemed to speak in the same pretentious, riddle-like manner which didn’t draw me in but disengaged me. By the end of the movie I was paying more attention to the Wes Andersonisms than the story unfolding, and that’s not something I could say about any of his other movies. I am really glad people can appreciate it for what it is, but I guess I need some more dramatic meat to get me really hooked

[@danomorrison8839]

I loved Tilda Swinton's character so much in this film. Delighted to hear that she was based off of a real person, Rosamund Bernier.

[@olliemartinelli4034]

I think this is a modern masterpiece. Throughout history, most masterpieces seem to always somewhat fail initially because it dares to change and forces you to think. Since most people don’t want to think or are repelled by the concept of change, it takes time for the work to be truly appreciated. For example Mozart’s music or la Dolce Vita by Fellini. I have never seen a film like the french dispatch, and never been so enticed by any other film in recent history. I hope it eventually gets the recognition it deserves.

[@MrClafou]

Funny thing is that Thomas clearly has his own style. So... I'm watching a video told by someone with a distinctive style, making shots to celebrate Wes' style, about a movie with its own style which itself is about writers that have their own styles. Thank you Thomas!

[@S1ipLikeFreudian]

Hey MrClafou, I'd go as far as to say you've got your own style there too, meaning I'm acknowledging the distinctive style of a KZbin comment on a video with its own distinctive style, which in turn is in fact celebrating a film with its own exquisite, distinctive style, perfectly utilised by the director to celebrate the distinctive style of the writers who are the film's subjects.

[@dromontero]

This movie went over the heads of many of my friends, but I can't help but think its the best film Wes Anderson has ever made. I appreciate the supreme attention to detail you presented, it helped me understand the film in a deeper way, thank you! The metronome idea is a mind-blow!

[@zoeysheldon5634]

I was sure I was going to enjoy The French Dispatch when I went to watch it. What I didn't expect was it to be my favorite movie from him. I'm so glad to see it broken down more clearly.

[@sharonho754]

I love how you incorporated his film style and techniques into your editing as well. Brilliantly made!

[@kshitijkumar5004]

There is somethings inherently beautiful, innocent and vulnerable about Wes's film. And yes, people talk a lot about the doll-house symmetry, or retro aspect ratio, and artificiality (or dramatised) acting - but I always come out teary eyed, like everytime he touches something within that instantly makes me cry. Even while watching this essay, I felt how much his films encompasses so many layers of emotion and empathy, and again I felt teary eyes. I hope he continues onto this journey for many more years. And continue to make us bewilder, cry and laugh.

[@SpikimaMovies]

Woooww this was such a refreshing video - made my exhausting day a bit better. Thank you Thomas.

[@cmooreHD]

This film was problem one of the best I’ve seen in the last year or years. As soon as it was done I watched it again. Not even a joke. Definitely added to one of my favourites films ever. Art at its highest form.

[@afroceltduck]

I just watched this last night, and I agree with your statement about how focusing too much on the content of the art makes you lose focus on the other things the art is doing. I didn't enjoy the stories in The French Dispatch like I did The Royal Tenenbaums or the Grand Budapest Hotel, but I did very much enjoy living in Wes Anderson's world for another two hours. I enjoyed seeing him play around and do things he hasn't done with previous films.

[@annemariestrehl]

Wait, I never noticed the aspect ratio changing. The details are crazy. Great analysis!

[@warpspeed9877]

Wes is a genius. He has pinned down in cinema history his personal style like no other. I feel like i am watching a cinematic Edward Hopper...

[@jailaburton8512]

Wes Anderson films are such a unique experience, if you know like Wes Anderson movies you can distinguish his films from anywhere

[@Happy_Shopper]

I find Wes Anderson's films so personal because you are able to gain a sense of his personality through the way in which the film is directed and composed. Every part is so purposeful, no matter how small, which imparts his individuality into each of his works. I believe this counts for just as much as the narrative of the film itself and allows Wes to directly connect with the viewer in a uniquely intimate manner. It allows his films to stand a part from anything else which is particularly rare in modern cinema.

[@alexlennen]

already watched the whole thing twice, love you Thomas

[@lucinematic]

I am glad I found your channel when I was looking materials about Wes Anderson's style and techniques. Thank you for this!

[@pietro822]

Happy to see someone talk about this. I feel like it was a really overlooked film this year.

[@silly8917]

I really don't see how anyone could dislike this movie. It's just so pure and genuine.

[@PostTraumaticSwagDisorder]

"Opinion"

[@jakubwoziwodzki6907]

I loved the movie but I understand that some people may find it fatiguing and overly saturated with visual tricks. Trouble is, audiences also want storytelling and not just displays of form.

[@ileutur6863]

I loved the movie, but it lacks the overarching narrative and character study elements of his previous work. I hoped we would get some interaction between the writers or some deeper drama behind the magazine ending and the responsibility of writing the last issue. The 4 sections felt too disconnected

[@KingPeepeepoopoo]

A lot of people just had all of the themes, social commentary and emotion go over their heads... and that breaks my heart.

[@KingPeepeepoopoo]

@@jakubwoziwodzki6907 there is no shortage of storytelling, it's just done in a more nuanced way. Which is nothing new btw, I take it you're not a fan of French new wave cinema?

[@fuwafuwa5363]

The first time I was subconsciously introduced to visual tempo was when I first watched Delicatessen, and ever since I've been lured to watch more oddball visually appealing abstract contemporary works. Wes definitely has a way with that. I love all his works.

[@robertpristupa6816]

Thank you for this analysis. I live Anderson films and you provide an insight I was unaware of. I always sensed there was something special going on beyond just the static visual styles.

[@tiessmckenzie]

I just rewatched the movie on the weekend - great video and great timing! When I saw it at the theatre I came away thinking that the black and white vs. colour distinction was primarily structured around what is in the written story in the magazine, and what is outside of the magazine. This is most obvious in the third story, with Roebuck Wright reciting. Some colour moments also seem like the colour photos printed in the magazine - like the paintings in the first story and the food photos in the third story. This is obviously broken sometimes - for example when Saoirse Ronan shows her eyes through the door slot to the commissioner's son. But I think that's still the basic structure - maybe Anderson's starting point at least? And for me it was reinforced with the graphic novel depiction of the car chase. A commenter on another video told me that section reminded them of Tintin and I thought that was an amazing comparison. Unrelatedly I've had "Aline" stuck in my head for four days now :)

[@jodythomas4324]

This film is firmly in my top 3 Wes Anderson films all time. I still put The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Budapest in front, sometimes I pick the former as #1, sometimes the latter, just depends on my mood I guess. Either way The French Dispatch is easily #3 all time for me.

[@priyachoudhary9896]

For me The Grand Budapest hotel will be the first while The French Dispatch is second ( really love how he based on the former and outdid himself more) while Isle of dogs comes third

[@ryanpattison6]

For me it's The Grand Budapest Hotel, then The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou and then Fantastic Mr Fox. It's a very hard top 3 to make.

[@dancincoolkid]

This video perfectly illustrates why I love wes Anderson films, and this one in particular. Watching this movie reminds me of reading a book. Everything is purposeful in the way syntax and connotation within a literary narrative are purposeful. It's not just what is being said but the way that it is said.

[@HunterMann]

Thank you for this informative journey through the work of Wes Anderson. I’ve been working in motion picture production for over three decades, film education It’s truly an ongoing thing for me. Watching every Wes Anderson film over the years, seeing most of them on the big screen at the cinema, is going to be a major force in letting me transition from being a “filmworker” into a filmmaker.

[@shilstone_arts]

It's great to see how timing influences comedy. Setting a familiar rhythm and purposefully breaking that rhythm is essential.

[@elfsieben1450]

True.

[@TheAppeyes]

While I wasn’t a fan of the story (I don’t enjoy anthologies), Wes Anderson’s filmmaking, cinematography, editing and just style in general is the most incredible and interesting I’ve ever seen.

[@mrpalaces]

Thank you, too few people is talking about this absolute gem of a movie

[@trashcan4065]

I won’t be able to recall a thing you said in this video by tomorrow morning, but that’s kinda good. I’ll probably rewatch it without noticing.

[@Sicaoisdead]

With The French Dispatch, we’re witnessing an artist at the height of his creative output. Really brilliant and intricate.

[@TheGhilamonster]

Woah... As someone who had only ever seen Fantastic Mr. Fox and LOVED it, I could never even put into words why I loved it, the distinct pacing just made it so memorable compared to other childhood-defining movies for me.

[@LoDaFTA]

I have no idea about art, music, theatrics, dramaturgy and all of the sort, but seeing this video gave the feeling that this film has a theatrical quality to it. It's seem like the sort of thing that would be on a play instead of a TV screen or at the movies. Everything seems so... planned. Like a musical without music. It really has a surreal feel to it. Like the actors could start singing and dancing at any time.

[@writtenanddirectedbyhano]

"Sometimes the rhyme and rhythm of a poem is enjoyable even when you don't understand what it means. Not all music needs lyrics.'' that's really something.

[@the_Rade]

Interesting. Music doesn't need language to be music. What a take

[@rosebudkanebergman]

The movie is an ultimate exercise in stylization and I loved it for that. The screenplay was miles bellow his standards though. I dont expect to return to it anytime soon.

[@ileutur6863]

Well said

[@maryleecarlin9390]

“The beauty of a shot or how it’s constructed is enough.” “Sometimes the rhyme and rhythm of a poem is enjoyable even though you don’t understand what it means. Not all music needs lyrics” Beautifully written💖

[@papanovembermusic]

Lovely essay, really enjoy your perspective and delivery, clearly lots of work and thought go into these.

[@louisemaaree]

Wes Anderson is the only person who gives me hope for the film world. I feel like lately there is no such thing as an original idea, but all of his stories are just captivating and fresh, and I am grateful to have these in my life!

[@sapphic.flower]

I’m excited to see this movie, I love Anderson’s style and it’s something undervalued in mainstream for being artsy and kitschy when you don’t have to emulate real life to have strong story telling.

[@user-mn9zg5gb1o]

i’m so obsessed with wes’ style and art it’s just so interesting

[@huacho4371]

Im not the most involved film enthusiast but I think Nacho libre would be an amazing movie to break down as it’s undeniably underrated for its cinematography and unbelievable character development. Worth checking out and possibly looked over in a video

[@LicensedInternetProvider]

I enjoyed how right when you began to talk about how the French dispatch was paying homage to the writers being given creative freedom by the movie itself being so creatively free, I noticed how your video was employing and paying homage to the very editing techniques in the French Dispatch that you were talking about. i.e. the framing and the black&white and the close ups, and the body language. Exquisite!

[@razorboy251]

Good god this movie was just amazingly beautiful! It completely blew me away and I really wish I could've seen it on the big screen (sadly it did not play in any theaters in my area).

[@joaquinherrera1403]

This video delved so much into Wes that when you came on screen I couldn't tell if you were real or an actual character of the movie and I just I forgot. That's how much that man (and your genius breakdown) got me immersed.

[@fratilatiberiu9586]

great video! i think that part of Wes's particular tempo for this movie may have been inspired by Jacques Tati's Playtime, that deals a lot with rhythm and complex choreography. The scene with the waiter going up the building is another obvious reference to Tati's earlier work, Mon Oncle. At least for me, as a Tati fan, I loved Wes's tribute to this great french director!

[@dingothps]

i love andersons movies. even though there is so much change in the format, like color aspect-ratio, speed and so on, youre still so immersed and invested in the quick and snappy, yet well thought out dialogs and breaks, that you often dont even notice. anderson, known for this stylistic device, does not fear of overusing them. theyre placed in such a deliberate and excellent way, that even though its a big red string, pulling through most his movies, its never too much. it does not pull your leg or shoves it into your face, it always feels fresh, delighting and never gets old. that is great art to me and not many directors can pull that off. anderson seems to master it with ease and never disappointed me.

[@Craw1011]

Damn, yet another brilliant video. Amazing analysis and love how much we gain from the research you did. Would love to see you do one on a book you love, because I feel like literature doesn't lend itself to video essays but I feel like you could manage it really well.

[@nikisaku]

You take in words all of my love for Anderson's films, and I'm so incredibly thankful for that.

[@blanktester]

I know it's kind of trite to say in a youtube comment but it's genuinely pretty amazing to me that no matter the topic, no matter how little I understand the title before clicking, Thomas always puts out stimulating content. I feel like I'm always in the mood for his video essays.

[@santanapylesss2407]

It's like every single frame is a beautiful surreal painting. The composition is always so satisfying

[@prestondaniels3890]

I had the pleasure of viewing this movie in a completely empty movie theatre when it came out . What a glorious experience it was indeed.

[@CRneu]

Watching your videos has encouraged me to go back and watch quite a few films with a new appreciation for what's on screen. Thanks a bunch!!

[@willdenham]

That's interesting about the homage to 'The New Yorker.' Reminds me of an angry review of 'Royal Tannenbaums' by a local columnist who's chief complaint was just that. He said the characters were hollow and continually harped on how the entire film felt like a stuffy New Yorker piece come to life. In retrospect he may have been unaware of the director's intent.

[@BlakeBuk]

I like how you use some of the elements you touched on in this video yourself, it adds to it and helps keep the rhythm of the video.

[@opedromagico]

Subscribed and watching this movie tonight. Thanks, Thomas!

[@devilsivy777]

this is so interesting to listen to, the French dispatch for me was my favourite of the wes Anderson films, and that's saying a lot, I was raised on his films and am heavily influenced by him creatively but also in my everyday life. Every single piece some how hit home with my current life situation and the way he is so purposeful about the beauty and contrast makes everything so much better. This was so good!!! thank you fo making this video

[@bjedo3]

A lot of this film sometimes felt like watching a film student who was heavily influenced by Wes Anderson. Except for the Benicio Del Toro segment that part was awesome

[@Islandboytb]

You are responsible for some of the best content I’ve watched on KZbin. Thank you.

[@harbl99]

Wes Anderson movies get more abstract and mannered over time. Lars von Trier: * territorial barking *

[@benjikaplan8752]

As always, really enlightening and impressive video thomas!! I have seen The French Dispatch twice already but you make me want to wtach it a third time now that I understand why I subconsciously loved and appreciated it so much!

[@tinmanakapetscop2guy85]

This movie was just amazing

[@JohnMitchellCalif]

I adored the stylistic ludicrousness of this movie! A few parts quoted Cocteau's "Orpheus" (1949), another wonderful visual surreal film

[@wickedpixelated1428]

It's top 3 for sure. Introduced my friend to the level of intricate editing in his movies

[@michaelrinaldi7175]

Thomas, the magnificence of Wes Anderson's work aside, I want to congratulate you for your own stellar work. This is a beautifully put together commentary.

[@G3SM]

Agreed.

[@dominokos]

I feel like The French Dispatch at times felt more like a memory than a recording, which movies usually go for.

[@mrdunngoofd]

I feel this video truly helped me to appreciate Wes Anderson as a filmmaker in a way I never had before. I foolishly wrote off some of his quirkiness as gimmick or overcompensating; I felt a comparison to Andy Warhol was accurate. This video made me feel that these artistic choices go much deeper than what meets the eye (color palette/symmetry).

[@theroebuck123456789]

While Wes Anderson's style can carry the film on its own, I wish he or him and Owen Wilson would go back to writing character studies like The Royal Tennenbaums or Rushmore.

[@atomsofstardust]

Thank you, I felt sort of similar: too much style, too little emotional depth.

[@hansolo3882]

He doesn't seem to be slowing down at all man. Even writing this feels hard,But if you aren't connecting with him now then this is the best time to jump off the Wes Anderson bandwagon because we clearly saw that he can out-Wes himself every single time.

[@theroebuck123456789]

@@hansolo3882 what do you mean "Out-Wes Anderson himself"? This film is the least "Wes Anderson" film ever, just a look at this film's shotlist. Snorri cams, 360 panning shots, handheld shots, these shots don't belong in a Wes Anderson film.

[@tico5058]

@@theroebuck123456789 The French Dispatch is insanely Wes Anderson, wtf are u talking about. There’s like 2 or 3 hand held shots, that’s it.

[@ileutur6863]

@@theroebuck123456789 Who are you to say what belongs and doesn't belong in the works of an author?

[@0981462]

The only Anderson's movie I didn't enjoy, at all. Couldn't drag me in anytime, however, it's so technically well done that hurts. I may give it a 2nd chance, after this video. Thanks.

[@marcusmendoza7677]

agreed. although its mostly because of my inability to click with anthology stories but ill definitely rewatch it after seeing this vid.

[@WhatsMikeUpTo]

Same here. I struggled to connect with the characters. It may be that I was expecting a more traditional WA movie where one of these stories would have been the whole feature. Knowing now that it’s basically a series of shorts, and with the added context of this video, I’ll go back and watch it again and probably enjoy it more.

[@thewarhammer6606]

This video is so great! Editing, writing, analysis. Everything is on point

[@Budsport_TV]

I wasn’t the biggest fan of this WA film. With that being said, it was still extremely beautiful and fun to watch, per usual

[@MoonBlinked13]

Wes's movies are shot like photographs. Everything is precisely where it should be because everything is constructed. It's amazing.

[@andrewmarinelly5838]

I was really torn by this movie and I couldn't figure out why. I've seen all of Wes Anderson's films besides the fox and isle of dogs.. I think... I'm not a super fan of his but love Rushmore and then loved seeing his style develop. Anyways I had the distaste of pretension throughout parts of this film, but I didn't feel it was pretentious. I loved the Benicio art segment and was continuously impressed throughout it. It felt like he captured something like The Darjeeling Limited but perfected it as far as love and its often unrequited nature and how it compel action or spark a change. Capturing the illusive and subjective nature of art itself, I can't think of a better example than this. I was off put by my perceived lack of dimension of the side characters until they were all fleshed out even if remaining shallow. The second piece was a struggle for me as I could not relate to it at all, but enjoyed the visuals and was only happy when gravity ensured its ending. The third was fun, remotely funny (the humor wasn't landing in a lot of this film personally and felt forced) to me personally. I thought the absurdity and surrealist aspects landed in that piece in a way I haven't seen from him before. The dispatch thread didn't stitch this film together for me as tightly the art lecture and interview did. I think it might be the performance that gave me that impression and not the writing. Yet I had a suspicion that the weight of the writing contrasted by the onscreen frivolity was the part that gave me that gut feeling of repulsion. In some ways it felt like a second draft when a third one was needed. (I'm fully aware I'm just some asshole that likes watching movies and Wes, whatever you think of him, is a master of his craft.) I don't know why I wrote a mini synopsis of my experience watching it once. When I just wanted to say despite not loving it when I was asked by friends and family if they should watch it., I said, "If you have ever enjoyed a Wes Anderson film or are in anyway a cinephile you must watch it. Worse case view it as homework." Also I had a sneaking suspicion that I was out of the loop on this one and may be dead wrong.

[@quaseau]

I think what you said from 9:06 - 9:58 is one of the best, simply put descriptions of what this movie truly is. well said

[@jaym.2793]

You are my favourite film commentary channel, I love the perspective you have on things :))

[@briansinger5258]

This film is amazing, a beautiful love letter to the written word; or rather a celebration of life for the literary Editor as a parallel to the death of the written word, not with sorrow but the joy which wears down to become sorrow. The attention to _visual_ detail while paying this homage to _words_ is nothing short of the biggest of big dick energy. Just a friendly reminder that 50 bpm is also 100 bpm.

[@chrisneyman]

Wes is a great artist... but great art thrives upon great observers. Thank god for the greatness of Wes as well as this channel. ❤️

[@diurnalall]

"The French Dispatch" is perhaps the greatest expression of what has always been an issue in WA films. The issue for me is this: despite the undeniable technical mastery, the arrestingly beautiful art direction and overarching creative vision of Anderson and his team, all of these intricacies and details cannot take the place of narrative. As involving as all of these details are, taken individually and in relation to one another, their resonance is strictly *formal* - not emotional or psychological, etc, which is what makes us care about the characters, the story. While the segment with Timothée was formally dazzling, I found myself unable to follow or care about what was happening to the characters. It's not even that the "story" is the issue here; on paper, it's brilliant and interesting. But there's just too much going on. I found myself pining for an entire film worth of Jeffrey Wright's Baldwinesque character, not only because he was interestingly conceived and excellently played by Wright, but because he was given more time to disclose himself, his thoughts and feelings, his interiority. Each "chapter" really just needed to be its own feature film for there to have been enough space to unpack all the ideas crammed into each vignette.

[@iy42]

I think this has always been the primary WA critique, and, as usual, it misses the point that this absolutely works for WA and the people who like his movies. The fact that the general attitude towards film biases towards economy and narrative doesn't mean that every single movie must be economical and narrative-focused. The fact that we generally value high drama as the best of cinema doesn't mean that a movie can't simply decide to be emotionally shallow. This is simply the is-ought problem. Part of the appeal of WA movies is they're stubbornly of their own aesthetic and detached from many of the general principles of what should make a good movie. Which is fine, there's dozens of great movies that come out every year that adhere better to those principles. But I would suggest that it's fine to have pockets of cinema that don't have broad appeal and that diversity of thought and style aren't hurting anyone, and we might find more enjoyment in the works of others if we appreciate their unique talents, rather than listing the things we would have done differently. We watch movies to see other people's art, not our own.

[@michaeljordan4737]

I felt the exact same, beautifully put.

[@javierheras2327]

Exactly. Well said

[@usernamed4642]

@@iy42 perfectly said, literally what I was thinking

[@zoeysheldon5634]

I have to disagree with this. To boil a movie down to being a narrative is just hamstringing yourself into not accepting what else the medium can do. Art, and specifically movies, aren't about narratives, it's about experiences. Every piece of art wants you to experience something, usually be aiming for certain emotions. Sometimes, that emotion can be the shear enjoyment of the scale of what you're watching in a movie. It's valid not to like it because you personally don't enjoy the lack of a solid narrative, but I think it's honestly a bit obtuse to tell people how to make their art. Wes Anderson made the art he wanted to make, and the rest of us can be damned on what we think about it. All that matters is it did what it wanted to do. To me, I feel people have a certain set of expectations for the art they interact with, and when it doesn't deliver on what is ultimately a selfish desire, they can start to fault the art for it. But when do we ever ask what the artists intended? Not often enough. Successful art does what the artist wants it to do, it doesn't appease your notions on what the specific characteristics should be. People criticized Antichrist for it's whacky, nonsensical "story telling" for not having a meaning. Well, Von Trier literally stated the film "has no reason to exist," which gives us a good idea into what he intended for the film, and that definitely doesn't come off to me a thorough and thoughtful narrative. It's fine not to like art for really any reason at all, but I think you (and all the rest of us) would do good to remember that art is abstract. It will not, and should not, always bend to our selfish desires on what we want out it if -- and that's okay,

[@robbiejobbie4302]

I'm really sad right now but your video made feel a little better

[@92GreyBlue]

I used to like his work a lot more when I was younger now I find quite pretentious. I feel he panders to hipster try hards in college. I'm using the term hipster very loosely by the way. I'm quite aware "hipsterdom" hasn't really been a think since like 2008 at the latest which kind of makes it seem like Wes Andersons work is somewhat dated since it's been so heavily associated with hipster culture. I just made myself cringe unironically using the word hipster in 2023.

[@JB-gt5no]

Totally agree. I feel like they’re all the same movies. Darjeeling limited and royal tenenbaums and life aquatic are my favs of his. But, after moonrise, it’s just repetitive and so quirky you don’t understand type of movies.