A Reel 10: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

“Keep your hands off my lobby boy!”

 

This month marks the 10^th anniversary of Wes Anderson’s THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. 

 

The eighth feature film from stylistic and quirky director Wes Anderson, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL told a layered story, starting with a famed author recalling his encounter with the owner of a sad relic of a hotel. The encounter leads to the owner telling his story of his time as a lobby boy at the Grand Budapest Hotel, and his adventure with the hotel’s concierge, Gustave H. 

 

Heavily inspired by the writings of Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig, Anderson and his longtime collaborator Hugo Guinness set the bulk of their story in a fictional Europe of 1932; a Europe that was enjoying high society while on the brink of war from a fascist state. The film would explore themes of nostalgia, friendship, and love…themes that were familiar in Anderson’s films, but this time brought to life in a lush adventure taking place over several timelines. Anderson would complete the screenplay in six weeks. 

 

As with most of Anderson’s films, the cast would be an impressive ensemble. Ralph Fiennes would take the central role of Gustave in what would become career defining. The rest of the cast would include Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Lea Seydoux, Bob Balaban, Lucas Hedges, and Mathieu Amalric. 

 

Filming would take place in locations across Germany. A defunct shopping mall which had miraculously survived bombing raids from WWII was re-dressed as the hotel’s lobby. The film would utilize several different aspect ratios, to act as a visual aid to the viewer as to which timeline was being presented. The uses of color and simple visual effects were dazzling. Alexandre Desplat provided the score. 

 

Upon release, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL was met with critical acclaim; heralded as one of the best films of 2014 and of this century. Its box office revenue would make it Anderson’s highest grossing film. At the 87^th Academy Awards, it would be nominated for nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Director, winning four. It would win Best Film at BAFTA, Best Picture at Critics Choice, and Best Film – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes. 

 

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It is rare that this Blogger will mark the anniversary of a film that is only a decade old, but in the case of THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, an exception had to be made. It is easily the best film of Wes Anderson’s rich filmography, and every viewing seems to reveal more. The film is saturated in nostalgia; remembering a bygone era that we will never see again and yet we yearn for. While it is very funny, repeat viewings reveal that sad melancholy of all things that must pass from this world, things that include grand hotels, the independence of a country, and our loved ones. When there is a need to get away and get wrapped up in action, adventure, romance, and a touch of tragedy...check into the Grand Budapest Hotel and enjoy your stay. 

 

 

“There are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. And he was one of them.”