Vintage settings, weird characters and then color, a lot of color, better if warm and saturated. This is how Wes Anderson does, but also much more. Over the years his cinema has exceeded all ambitions and has become a real language. It’s not unusual to find yourself in a situation a little out of the norm, perhaps underlined by pop music and seventies atmospheres.So, it is precisely in situations of this type that we say: “It seems to be in a Wes Anderson movie.”In Anderson's crazy world, the car cannot fail to find space. From vintage ones to the most sophisticated, but also great classics still in trend. Let's review some of them, taken from his most famous films.
Rushmore (1998)Wes Anderson's second film tells the sentimental upbringing of teenager Max Fischer (played by a very young Jason Schwartzman) in love with the widow Rosemary Cross and in conflict with his new friend, steel magnate Herman Blume (a superlative Bill Murray).Here there are a lot of cars that you can recognize: starting from the Jaguar XK8 driven by Mrs. Calloway (Connie Nielsen) to get to the historic Ford Club Wagon van driven by Bill Murray. This film is a gem, preparing the audience for what will be the revolution of Wes Anderson's cinema. And then to "The Tenenbaums".
The Tenenbaums (2001)Those who love this movie madly cannot fail to mention the scene in which Margot Tenenbaum / Gwyneth Paltrow gets off the green GMC TDH 5307A's bus with the inscription "Green Line" to meet Richie Tenenbaum / Luke Wilson, former tennis prodigy. Margot gets off the bus and approaches Richie in slow motion, in the background "These days" by Nico, a piece that well underlines the nostalgic atmosphere of the entire movie.The film, released in 2001, deals with the complex dynamics of the Tenenbaum family from the 70s to today, led by the harassment of the head of the family, Royal Tenenmbaum / Gene Hackman. The range of cars featured in this film is disproportionate: it starts from the Austin-Healey 3000 driven by Margot and Eli Cash / Owen Wilson to get to the BMW 740iL sports car driven by Ben Stiller (the other Tenenbaum brother). But here and there it is possible to identify several goodies: one above all, the Chevrolet Caprice Estate (visible during the scene of the meeting between Margot and Richie) which represented, during the years of production, the most expensive and luxurious car of the Chevrolet full-size car range.
Fantastic Mr.Fox (2009) In 2009, Wes Anderson made the stop motion movie "Fantastic Mr. Fox". The film is based on Roald Dahl's "Crafty, Mr. Fox," which he acquired the rights to in 2004. The protagonist of this film is the Fox family: Mr. Fox voiced by George Clooney, Felicity Fox voiced by Meryl Streep and little Ash voiced by Jason Schwartzman.Also in this case, the cars – although made in stop motion – are there and are inspired by the real ones. We thus find examples of Volkswagen Type 1 (the classic Beetle), but there is also the presence of a Commer 1500, a historic English van produced between the 50s and 70s of the twentieth century. Not to mention Mr.Fox's means of transport: a BMW R75, a motorcycle produced by the German brand during the Second World War.
Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)Let's play a game: try to think of all the actors and actresses in this film. We bet there are so many that we forget some? Yes, because from this film onwards the presence of great stars of the world film scene in Wes Anderson's films will be increasingly strong.Here, in addition to the protagonist Zero played by the young Tony Revolori, we can count: Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, Harvey Keitel, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, Lea Seydoux, Jason Schwartzman.Among all the cars featured in this film, the Citroën 10 NH Rosalie stands out, the black companion of many characters to the Grand Budapest Hotel. But class cars are not wasted: here in a scene Bill Murray in the role of M. Ivan travels aboard an elegant Mercedes-Benz 230 Lang Pullman-Limousine in the snow.
The French Dispatch (2021)To tell the truth, the French brand has appeared in numerous films in the course of its activity. But it is in the vintage mood of Wes Anderson that glorious vehicles of the past such as Traction Avant and Type H are revived (and it is no longer a "passing" car, but the protagonist of dedicated close-ups).
In this film we notice a real collaboration between Wes Anderson and the car manufacturer Citroën. To tell the truth, the French manufacturer has appeared in numerous films. But it’s in the Wes Anderson's vintage mood that they find their consecration, with close-ups devoted to masterpieces such as the Traction Avant and Type H.The choice of Citroën is not accidental: in this film, in fact, Wes Anderson stages a series of articles and stories taken from the latest issue of a magazine, "The French Dispatch" published in the imaginary city of Ennui-sur-Blasé.The Citroën Type H featured in this film is branded "The French Dispatch", unequivocally sanctioning the artistic collaboration between the carmaker and the director. A visit to the Conservatoire Citroën before filming made it possible to identify the models that best suited the story, mainly the Traction and Type H. Other Citroën models are also present on the streets of this typically French fictional city: 2 CV, Ami 6, DS and GS.
In this film we notice a real collaboration between Wes Anderson and the car manufacturer Citroën. To tell the truth, the French manufacturer has appeared in numerous films. But it’s in the Wes Anderson's vintage mood that they find their consecration, with close-ups devoted to masterpieces such as the Traction Avant and Type H.The choice of Citroën is not accidental: in this film, in fact, Wes Anderson stages a series of articles and stories taken from the latest issue of a magazine, "The French Dispatch" published in the imaginary city of Ennui-sur-Blasé.The Citroën Type H featured in this film is branded "The French Dispatch", unequivocally sanctioning the artistic collaboration between the carmaker and the director. A visit to the Conservatoire Citroën before filming made it possible to identify the models that best suited the story, mainly the Traction and Type H. Other Citroën models are also present on the streets of this typically French fictional city: 2 CV, Ami 6, DS and GS.
