The French Dispatch | How The Stories Connect

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This video essay looks at Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch, and explores the common themes found throughout the individual stories.
#wesanderson #thefrenchdispatch
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[@atomsofstardust]

I have no idea how you’ve done it, but you definitely made me appreciate The French Dispatch way more now. Because truth be told, I didn’t really like it on my first watch, it felt too much “style over substance” kind of a movie, but apparently a part of the problem is that I’m just too dumb for it 😂😅 Great essay!

[@ColeRyanBrewer]

I only watched the film once in theaters and suspected that I missed most of the influences and subtle allusions to other works. I definitely will enjoy The French Dispatch more now but I can't help but feel this is one of Anderson's weaker films (and it's still far superior to most films released this year).

[@calliph]

Don't feel too bad. I didn't even finish watching this one and I'm a big wes anderson fan. Most def my least enjoyable thing he's done, but nobody bats perfectly all the time.

[@lonelyboat4179]

Same here

[@andytan1430]

When I watched it for the first time , I didn't really appreciate the film enough as I couldn't really understand what the movie was about. After awhile , I watched it again and I did have an enjoyable experience watching the movie. I feel like this is by far the most subjective film Wes Anderson has ever made. Unlike other of his films , this one basically brings you in as a reader's perspective to "read" through different stories from different people. Even though the stories aren't connected through characters , oppression do share a common theme in these stories that we get. Overall , it's Wes Anderson , he doesn't stick his filmmaking to the "Hollywood" way or the "Indie" way , he's just a filmmaker who wants to express his perspectives towards art and film 🤣

[@gundamcollector77]

It is 100% style over substance. This film had me bored to tears beacuse there was nothing interesting going on at all threw out the entire film.

[@janedoe3043]

May I add one more interpretation of the use of color. I believe that like all of his films he uses the inspirational source material as a meta narrative in itself. That's why Rushmore has a play like feel, Royal a book, Budapest a Biography, Life a pulp documentary, and so on. Here I think the shift to black and white is to express the literal pages of story. I believe he flips it here and uses the black and white to illustrate the reality of the stories while the color becomes the page. I think he does this to show when you are getting the inside story that is truer to life and the color for the sensational. I believe he is telling the audience the art and excitement of life is in the stories rather than living it, because existing through it is naturally full of banality just like the name of the town. The writers all seemed trapped except on the page. It also seems to hint that some of the stories may be embellished. I think you can believe the black and white with certainty and the color may line up with reality or be sensational or just be both. It's like an unreliable narrator. I am not saying they are lying, I am saying that is the nature of all writing and journalism and I believe the film is making that statement by framing the story in the editing process. The editor is making a grand statement not to edit anything out but he sometimes has to do so to run a business. The world makes demands on artists and journalists that hide the story. I do believe it does also link up with progression of the story, but because in writing everything must progress the story the sidebar is more real so it still fits in my interpretation as well. I would make a KZbin video on this myself but I simply don't have the skills to do so. So I am stuck in the black and white ennui. Thank you so much for your stories and your art.

[@MultiRamaan]

This comment is just amazing

[@WaspRidiculous]

Just add to your point regarding each Wes film’s expression of narrative style. Old newspaper supplements would have glossy colour photo pages alongside seperate black and white text pages to save print costs. The French Dispatch reads like an old magazine.

[@Hakajin]

@@WaspRidiculous Wow, that's a great point, too!

[@bobross4447]

One theme you didn’t touch on that connects all the stories together is hidden in plain sight in the name of the fictional town, Ennui. Ennui is defined as “a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.” This theme is a driving factor in all the individual stories in many ways. Ennui causes Moses to paint, causes Zeffirelli to attempt a revolution, and causes Roebuck to pursue journalism in France. These are just to name a few, I’m sure there’s many more examples. While watching the film I felt that there was some connecting theme between the stories that I couldn’t quite figure out, and it wasn’t until I learned the meaning of ennui that it clicked.

[@EarlofSedgewick]

Very astute comment! The full name is Ennui-sur-Blasé, which I think is Anderson's sense of humour shining through, although still carrying your observation. It's quite funny, because to anyone from the USA, a town in Kansas is going to feel exactly like ennui on top of blasé. This probably feels similar to how a French town might be perceived by other French citizens: unremarkable, over-exposed and fully explored. Perhaps Anderson is drawing attention to the need to travel and experience a place rather than visit. I think this is why there is a brief travel piece at the start, which feels charming but shallow. Travel itself isn't enough to satisfy the itch to find the "feeling that is missing". Instead it is the ability to partake in a new story somewhere between home and away, using your inner artist's eye and voice, that brings colour into bland experience. May we all be lucky enough to find those bits of home we wished had been there in the first place 🙂

[@caringheart34]

​@@EarlofSedgewickMaybe possibly, even sister towns!

[@danianto1818]

In my opinion this is the saddest wes anderson movie: the yuxtaposition between moses (a prisioner) and Simone, 'free' but trapped at the same time; the life and its unexpected lenght in the manifesto story and the constant feeling of being searching something that is not here anymore. Just like life itself. Thanks for this video

[@domhuckle]

Do you think it's ironic? In the land of Liberté he displays so many instances of captivity

[@wankovich]

yuxtaposition doesnt mean contrast

[@nathananderson8928]

@@wankovich It means being able to find the humor between two things compared or contrasted one against the other... Yuxtaposition.

[@kubolor1234]

As someone who cries just looking at old photos and would do anything to forget my tumultuous childhood, I really envy artists who are able to revel in the guilelessness and naivety of memories of their youth.

[@olliemartinelli4034]

I genuinely loved this film. I think it will be remembered and possibly studied, but as with many great films, not immediately appreciated by a public not used to change.

[@analogue_microwave7006]

I've heard alot of people hate on this film as they find the different story lines confusing to follow, or the overall look of the film being too pretentious for it's own good. Despite all this, it still remains my second favourite Wes Anderson film. The way it's structed to emulate the feeling of reading the magazine yourself, really helps you to understand the many lives that go on in the French town of Ennui-sur-Blasé. I honestly believe it is one of his most artistic and most importantly, human, films he has ever created.

[@valentins.905]

What's your favorite Wes Anderson Movie? You made me curious lol

[@johnsailorsgoat]

I don't care what anybody says The French Dispatch is a masterpiece! And your video has strengthened my opinion all the more so my good sir!

[@Knuts_n]

An important connecting through line is the art of stories. It's structured in segments as articles of a magazine to illustrate the profound stories of life. Each segment is experienced by a writer and told in a way to emphasize their presence in the story. Because ultimately they're the final say of what gets told, what they deem important enough to include is indicative of themself as a person. The final scene where they're writing the editor-in-chiefs obituary ties these stories together beautifully. Every writer in that room was influenced by the editor because of the pushes he made. They all had the support from him to write what they really felt needed to be written. His life was dedicated to stories and in a room of writers gathered around his body. They each recognize the need to tell his story. This movie is a love letter to writers everywhere.

[@edoardoruini199]

My first partial interpretation of the use of color was that black and white sections remind written paragraphs (usually black letters on white paper) since i felt right away like the movie was a celebration of that, but i couldn't quite identify the meaning of color sections, but now i feel like a way to interpret that accordingly would be that color sections are the grand images of these stories, those that in printed media are usually reserved for colored front covers and illustrations. The image that symbolizes the story as a whole. But yeah, also all these other interpretations are great.

[@h_maukens]

Watching French Dispatch, I tried (but struggled) to understand why the color scenes felt different from the black and white. I like this interpretation. It makes the most sense to me.

[@antoinepetrov]

You rarely see such innovation in form nowadays, even from Wes.

[@kapuccinno1163]

What do u mean by that

[@fullm3taljack3t55]

@@kapuccinno1163 yeah I thought French dispatch was a really good movie I watched it 2 times

[@domhuckle]

Maybe we all went into the film with reviews like "indulgent from Wes" ringing in our ears and it distracted us from a masterpiece?

[@sarahhegarty5020]

Some people enjoyed the movie and others didn't. I can't say much about the people who didn't enjoy the movie since I am not one of them. But I can say that the people who enjoyed the movie have an analytical as well as emotional way of looking at the world. The French Dispatch took us for a ride, and we enjoyed the ups and downs of it all. I think the flaws of this movie make it even more impactful, interesting, and most importantly, human.

[@kapilmsingbal]

It's a joy to watch Anderson's movies and this one is right up with his other great movies. The movie deserves multiple viewings as well to appreciate every individual aspect of moviemaking - cinematography, screenplay, background score, production design and the ensemble acting. I feel it's a loss for the people who didn't love it as much. Wish Anderson keeps making such masterpieces

[@stirfryjedi]

On my second viewing - which happened to be with my parents - they insisted I stop the film because they didn't like it (35 minutes in). I couldn't merely skip to Nescaffier's monologue and expect the same impact in the ending.They said they didn't like the style - that it was too choppy and wordy. They made me feel like I wasted their evening. It's heart-wrenching when the things you love are not appreciated by those closest to you.

[@KansasViking]

Thank you for analyzing one of the most underrated films of 2021!!! One of my top 10 and an incredible entry for the master Wes Anderson!

[@meltz911]

My favorite movie of the year. Well done.

[@nicklarsenjazz]

The French Dispatch is one of my favorite film and it's disappointing to see how many people are quick to dismiss it when they don't see the genius beneath the beautiful imagery. Wonderful video on this masterpiece

[@tobyrightenger9748]

I love the way the color improves as the plot begins unfolding. Because we are being described the colors as if we were reading the story. They wouldn’t explain it all the time, so when we change scenes and return to black and white. It puts focus only on the characters

[@keinname2481]

wonderful your understanding of his art not only shows in the things you say but even more in the way you use his pictures

[@jackofsuit]

Love to see the Third Man clip--one of my favorites. Most memorable closing scene of all time.

[@insertnamehere1867]

absolutely loved this movie, and this video gave me about 10 more reasons to love it! Thanks for this

[@leeannlawie6883]

I never could have put all of that in words. But hearing you explain it made me know that I Felt It.

[@barfingonurcouch]

I was in love with the French Dispatch before, but I appreciate it so much more after watching this video. It's so fun and interesting seeing different artists' processes of art making and the different influences that go into it

[@NnekaLuke]

I was overwhelmed by the style of this film the first (and only) time I saw it. Your film essay gives amazing context for the story and connections and how WA communicates through it; give me a new appreciation for it that I will take into a second viewing. Bravo.

[@0cer0]

Thank you! I don't know exactly why, but I was close to tears several times while watching this video essay. You showed me how wonderful and complex this film is and now I like it even more... Wes is a treasure.

[@maitev.5511]

Amazing analysis! I already loved the french dispatch, bit this has truly made me see it in a whole new light. Well done.

[@jeywithane130]

gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous video essay! this is what i saw watching this film. people said it was empty, meanwhile i felt so full at the end of it. this captures why so well

[@hoodlumandrew1749]

didnt think it was possible to love this movie any more but thank you very much for this video, you’ve done it

[@nabii5951]

Roebuck Wight's cadence, juxtaposed with Juliette's, called to mind the difference between their plights: Wright fights concrete, practical injustices with a sense and air of tranquility, as Juliette rails against subterranean societal evils at the speed of a McLaren-Honda MP4/4 on an Oklahoma highway.

[@trentonkraczek]

Another great video. Thanks for all the hard work.

[@jamespiper8736]

Superb, very well put and will no doubt help many people viewing this to dissect Wes Anderson and in my opinion, his greatest work yet - the French Dispatch. 👌🏼

[@asmrgrotto8715]

love this movie. work of art. there will never be another movie like it and it's almost heartbreaking but that's how good it is.

[@thethinkingcatakaneonormie3527]

Really what I found most interesting about this movie is how much it reminds me of the Coan Brothers Hail Caesar in the idea of the distance between the artist and reality and how well that can equate with Art and Politics

[@MarkSeymourSinged]

This is such a brilliant video, one of your best

[@TheoNikolaitchik]

Such a great video! I picked up on the shared theme of incarceration and the state when I watched this in the theatre but I really appreciate you digging into it and finding that connection to the creative impulse that's really fundamental to all of Wes' movies.

[@davidshead1323]

I just love how the stories are different but still feel like theyd fit in the same magazine but feel like they are written by the different characters. Its just nice. Three short stories that are all fun and interesting. I do feel like some of his films, especially when he doesnt have a co-writer, feel like their conceits only really fill 30 minutes. Moonrise kingdom and isle of dogs dont have quite enough to them for me to fill out a whole movie but have interesting aesthetics and are funny with unqiue characters. French dispatch very much played to that weakness and used it as a strength.

[@mks191rb]

i really like that you just jump in the topic!

[@khavelisa]

I'm crying. I've watched French Dispatch 3 times and i haven't thought aboute most topics, which you covered in this video. Now i want to watch it again and STUDY every frame and every character closely.

[@awesomelife3710]

I love the layers upon layers of meanings, references, tones and textures presented throughout the film. Also, I very much enjoyed the myriad references to historical moments, social movements, and philosophical endeavors.

[@MultiRamaan]

Great analysis! I enjoyed

[@warpspeed9877]

An excellent essay on a wonderful film. Much appreciated!

[@nhihoang5434]

this was the first Wes Anderson movie that made me feel something. Especially the end when the chef said what he said. it stuck with me. I felt emotional

[@violentcroissant]

I always had love The French Dispatch as much as Anderson's other works, and couldn't understand the hate of some others to it neither my love for it. This video put it into a clearer picture onto why some could easily dismiss the beauty and the message behind the movie and the very reason why I and some many others love it. Great work!

[@jordaneckenrode2956]

Beautiful video. Thank you.

[@CNsays]

Everytime I read the economist, and get to the obituary section, i alway remember this movie quite fondly, and appreciate even more.

[@ViolentStillness]

Solid assessment. Thanks.

[@jessebruul2185]

Great video and a great analysis of one of my favourite movies! Thanks ;)

[@ZaimGamePlay]

i love how you portray this movie in this video.. your video is like wes anderson style i love it :D

[@johnberryconwayiii7071]

What a lovely essay on the film!

[@claytonandres1194]

Wow, yeah, I think I appreciate this movie a lot more now, thank you

[@rockinresurrection6542]

This one 🇨🇵 and Grand Budapest 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇭🇺 are my favorite Anderson films so far!! Really excited for Asteroid City

[@ClemiHW]

Being French myself I just love seeing these analysis on this move's love letter to the country

[@sebastiancubillos2373]

Thank you for this.

[@INDIGOandNICO]

This is stunning and inspiring thank you

[@elonwhatever]

The author of Tintin is named Hergé (well technically Georges Remi, but Hergé was the pen name and the name you used). The é at the end is not silent, it has the accent acute that means it is stressed. It is the /e/ from hey. "Herg" would not be recognized as the author of Tintin by anyone in Belgium (country of origin). Had there not been a cut of a Tintin comic included I genuinely wouldn't have known who you'd have referred to. Other that than, your French names were fairly good.

[@thork6974]

"Hergé" is a phonetic reading of Remi's initials reversed and spoken with a Gallic accent: "R.G."

[@jannsse]

Great video, as usual.

[@iandoesthings]

Awesome video! The connection is noticed was that, in some way, each story is about a son separated from his father. Arthur moved away from home to start the French Dispatch and ended up dead. Moses left home to travel the world and eventually ended up in prison for life. Zeffirelli rebelled against his father's way of life and ended up dead. It was only Gigi, who was willing to follow in his father's footsteps (as you mentioned), who was kidnapped and saved in the end.

[@aretnap3653]

"Moses" is in The Suprise Picture, When Swinton's Character Changes ThePhoto Slide to Her Being Nude, in TheLecture Hall!

[@cegalo12]

Excellent!

[@fabio77123]

this is a great video essay

[@EndingSimple]

This is really well done. I think I'm going to see me some Wes Anderson.

[@jasperhoekstra4889]

i really like your voice and choice of words

[@aidanking9070]

Man the uptalk is really killing me here. Great video other wise.

[@lukebrazinski8021]

Great video! You have an interesting cadence.

[@bobleponge9150]

love ur stuff

[@9RepeatingMonkeys]

I think you might have missed it a bit? The constant battle between those who are creating and those who are keeping them in check is the relationship between the writer and the editor, or the director and the actor and on a deeper level the artist and the vision. The unrestrained creativity strays from the vision and the artist must balance between that creativity and their vision. I think in the medium of a film you need to have two characters to potray the internal battle the artist and the vision have, freedom and constraints, and as the movie is quite literally about the editors relationship with all of his writers I think the overarching theme is supposed to resemble how they fulfill the roles of that battle which then trickles into each story.

[@andS7]

I’ll probably only watch this one once a year. Still nice to see it through a better view cause I left the theater feeling MEH

[@jonhinson5701]

My favorite film of his after "Grand Budapest Hotel".

[@pjokkenroll]

Thank you for this analysis! I loved the movie right away, even though I wasn't smart enough to catch the references besides that art, revolution and food = very French. (Hergé was Belgian, though)I liked the first story the best, del Toro is just killing it! I can't for the life of me even begin to understand how Anderson does it, every shot, every scene just breathtakingly beautiful, original, poetic and a little weird at the same time all the way from beginning to end. How the hell does he plan, communicate, finance and execute these movies?? Dude's a genius.I get stunned from brushing my teeth and scratching my ass at the same time

[@beartoven6116]

One of my favourite films its nice to understand it 0:17

[@coa3967]

necesito tomarte un cafecito con Wes A. 🤩

[@Multivitamina7]

You begun to accentuate like Mark Cousins kinda love that

[@rabiyahelle9102]

James Baldwin actually lived in Istanbul much longer than he lived in Paris. Fun fact.

[@ajpip9719]

This got a subscribe out of me, beautifully done

[@Flyerviitorul92]

How was I supposed to understand it without you...

[@cianwalsh409]

great video.

[@neo.5327]

I think we can all Agree , the shots of this movie , the way , the color and cinematography , I know nothing about that shit so excuse me but I love the direction.

[@crypticTV]

0:14 8:50 herge comic 11:29 travel - finally someone saw this too 11:50 projects his movie through other media 12:25 decline of print media

[@domhuckle]

Maybe we get so used to consuming films we forget to participate?

[@jerrygil1965]

I love how quirky this essay is, it's literally directed by Wes

[@matahariscreen1175]

you do know leberty statue in new york was from french

[@MinuteMigz]

you are amazing

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

6:16 =That's what impedes me from acting out what I actually want to do in the first place...

[@jasperhoekstra4889]

wtf im 4 minutes in and im so jealous of ur analysis

[@shantheknight]

Does anyone know the film at 0:58? It looks very interesting and I can't figure out what it is.

[@TheDiscardedImage]

The 400 Blows (François Truffaut)

[@shantheknight]

@@TheDiscardedImage thank you very much!

[@machiel5888]

7:40 you call it The Cosmic Space/Time...... Asteroid City mentions "The Cosmic Wilderness"

[@steruas]

I love this movie. It might be just my interpretation, but another thing that to me are similar and connect the 3 stories: the journalist in each story got personally (sexually) involved.

[@KeshenMac]

8:47 Your pronunciation of Hergé 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@sc_art_lettmeza]

I guess you could say that the link between all the characters is that they are all searching for the antidote to their ennui. Moses a prisoner who utilizes art as escapism from captivity. Students who escape the banality of the educational institution via riots. Ms. Krementz who escapes the ennui of aging via her mentorship/relationship with Zeferelli, permitting her to participate in the cause of the youth. Etc etc. Anyways, saw this video is a year old but just felt like getting on my soapbox nevertheless. Maybe throwing my college student tantrum like Zeferelli lmao.

[@keeperofthecheese]

Good video, but why are all of your comments inflected as questions? They all go up at the end?

[@aretnap3653]

"The Cadazio's Represented Them All." 😜

[@caifothiazz]

11:35 - not eastern europe, but central, or "habsburg countries".

[@AlanWright14]

Great essay. I enjoyed it very much. I noticed that you end every sentence with an upward inflection, which makes it sound like everything is a question. Maybe try varying your delivery?

[@mosikkaengyi_DdangDdang]

8:37

[@Closedposterity]

At 01:10 don't Brits cross the channel to France? and the pond to the states?

[@ianmoore6165]

Why do I feel like this film was a failure - perhaps it tried too hard, it was too familiar, I was expecting The Budapest Hotel which I love and was given ...still trying to figure it out actually. But I do like your analysis - very cool.

[@xavseq727]

It's a great synopsis thanks. I don't want to work that hard when I watch a movie, this is definitely not for me.

[@johnsailorsgoat]

That's just lazy.

[@chunellemariavictoriaespan8752]

7:16 = I wish... They say at 21 I can be more... But to be more I have to destroy... What's the point of being more if the point you are doing it is also the thing you have to destroy to do it?

[@brianhotaling5849]

The New Yorker/ The Paris Review

[@c.a.savage5689]

I really enjoyed this video. Living in France for more than 30 years now, l was utterly smitten with the first 20 minutes of the film. The Owen Wilson part and was more than a little dismayed when other stories took over. Still, l enjoyed it overall. One note: the very famous excerpt from The Third Man, brilliantly adlibed by Orson Welles is completely false. Switzerland had a long and bloody history (attacked by Germanic forces, France and Italy) not 500 years of brotherly love and peace. It's only been "peaceful" since 1848 (and neutral) since WWI and II.

[@hiufgterde]

This movie felt like someone else tried to make a Wes Anderson movie and went completely bonkers. It's too much. I really hated it.

[@mystic_mimi21]

This is one of the fave WA films. I don’t really like the last story ( I don’t like children so I don’t really care about the child) and do get fatigued by the time it comes around. I love the use of black and white vs colour. It’s short wonderfully, the characters are great and I love Timothy in this and think it’s his best. His acting and performance is subtle and I notice little things each time