We all know I hold a special place in my heart for alternative film directors. I am however torn between two particular directors and and their subsequent style.
Wes Anderson has a particularily dry style. It is analytical, clinical and surreal in its use of mundacity. His dark humour is intelligent and its always a pleasure to notice back references to his own films and his stylistic traits. He reuses all his actors which, instead of becoming tired repetition, creates a family effect. The more we watch his films the closer we feel to this family. His films are aimed at the “outsider” clique. As we identify with this family and distinctive style the feeling of isolation is sapped. His clashing of vivid costumes and enviroments with emotionally conservative characters is staggeringly obvious and even realistic in a strange way. People don’t talk all the time in real life and the majority of the time its inconsequential. His films are socio-culturally critical and analytical at the same time. Interaction betweeen his characters is what drives his films instead of the plot. His work is artistic while at the same time not pretentious or inaccesible. I’m going to go watch The Royal Tenenbaums now.
Where i admire Wes for his defined style I admire the cohens for their versatility. The Cohens films definitly have things common but its harder to finger a direct thread. They dabble in almost every genre, from the cutsey baby-comedy of Raising Arizona to the darkly unconventional No Country For Old Men. They create success where they find it. They write, produce and direct their films ensure their creation is an embodiment of their original vision. This is integrily important to their take on Dark humour. Hilarity is found in a facial contortion at the right time or old fokey music to a grusomely horrific scene. Like Wes they have their “family” of actors. The Cohen’s crew feels more like a posse and is comprised of top rank A listers. The Cohens can get get who they like for what they like. An impressive boast for an alternate film director by no account. Of course these are the boys who made the first awardwinning independant film Blood Simple. On a bass note they have made seriously unsuccessful films, such as The Ladykillers where they did not have full control. But of course they have made quite alot more films and everybody has their bad days. After a three year lull 2008 will see the release of 2 more (much anticipated) Cohen films. Most notably a film with Pitt, Clooney and an allstar cast of the Cohens favourite actors. Interestingly enough the idea for this film was created because the Cohens were thinking “wouldn’t it be awesome for all these people to be in a film together”.
So who do you prefer? Wes or the Cohens? Or someone else?
