Deconstructing the Fantastic World of Wes Anderson - The Philosophy Behind the Artificial Surface of a Contemporary Director

• Název v anglickém jazyce: Deconstructing the Fantastic World of Wes Anderson - The Philosophy Behind the Artificial Surface of a Contemporary Director
• Klíčová slova: Wes Anderson, Grázlové, Jak jsem balil učitelku, Taková zvláštní rodinka, Život pod vodou, Darjeeling s ručením omezeným, Fantastický pan Lišák, Až vyjde měsíc, Grandhotel Budapešť, film, filozofie filmu, upřímnost, senzibilita, postmodernismus, metamodernismus, meta-film, pastiš, nostalgie
• Klíčová slova anglicky: Wes Anderson, Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, film, film-philosophy, sincerity, sensibility, postmodernism, metamodernism, meta-cinema, pastiche, nostalgia
• Akademický rok vypsání: 2014/2015
• Typ práce: bakalářská práce
• Jazyk práce: angličtina
• Ústav: Ústav anglofonních literatur a kultur (21-UALK)
• Vedoucí / školitel: doc. Erik Sherman Roraback, D.Phil.
• Řešitel: skrytý - zadáno a potvrzeno stud. odd.
• Datum přihlášení: 17.06.2015
• Datum zadání: 17.06.2015
• Schválení administrátorem: zatím neschvalováno
• Datum potvrzení stud. oddělením: 22.06.2015
• Datum a čas obhajoby: 12.09.2016 08:30
• Datum odevzdání elektronické podoby: 04.08.2016
• Datum proběhlé obhajoby: 12.09.2016
• Odevzdaná/finalizovaná: odevzdaná studentem a finalizovaná
• Oponenti: Mgr. Pavla Veselá, Ph.D.

Zásady pro vypracování

Wes Anderson, the contemporary icon of the new emerging part of mainstream cinema called Indiewood described with a quirky sensibility, is able to create a separate world with his films for which he enjoys a great popularity with a conscious as well as with an unaware audience. This wave of cinema and particularly Anderson is known for a carefully stylized set, for the involvement of several art fields from music to literature, and for reoccurring themes concerning family matters or personal anxieties topped with a nostalgic air. This director is an intriguing topic to research since every little detail of his work even the meticulous set is arguably a part of a whole Andersonian philosophy for which Jacques Derrida’s deconstructing approach proves to be an excellent way toreveal what kind of cultural identity do his movies represent, what are his characters mediating andwhat way of thinking should his work stimulatenowadays.
To use Goethe’s phrase:“What is inside is also outside” becomes specifically relevant for Anderson sincehow pages of descriptions present one character’s interiority in a book, his movies are similarly able to depict neurotic and complex characters through exterior matters such as the setting, costume design, and generally by the typical outside traits. These incorporations on the screen also offer a better understanding for his reoccurring themes about struggle, anxiety, loss and when unfolding the typical concern of Andersonian movies – paternal relationship or the anxieties of his ‘thwarted genius’ characters –not only Derrida’s analysis but Lacan’s psychoanalysis proves to be similarly important. Moreover, since Anderson is known to be inspired by other master directors whose work is discussed by Slavoj Žižek’s provoking guide to cinema, this postmodern thinker’s ideas can be used as a way of understanding to the director’s approach to class or group belonging by also focusing on the mise-en-scène and technical aspects.
Based on my readings and research the problem that will need to be confronted is that the topic is wide and the analysis should converge reading of the movies, Anderson’s inspirations and several philosophical texts, so instead of focusing on each movie’s precise analysis I will direct my attention to the characters – their representation and struggles – and to how are the movies able to create an atmosphere with all the inspirations included.
After a brief introduction on the film theory context and on the director himself as a part of Indiewood, my chief aim is to discover what world is this popular American director truly representing culturally, socially, and cinematographically.To do this, I will use the following method of research:
1, Analyze the new approach in cinema of inspirations and incorporations, e.g.: how the moviesare supposed to present the atmosphere of a certain writer or novel rather than a precise copy of the plot;especially by examining major names from the canon such as J. D. Salinger or Stefan Zweig and how their writing skills come alive in films
2, Uncover what is behind the artificial surface, discuss the director’s set of values and his symbols alongside with his techniques to present his world and his characters besides his inspirations
3, Focus on each of the movie’s characters: what are they mediating, what is their stand on cultural or social capitals and through them discover what is the real sentiment of the director

Seznam odborné literatury

Bearing this in mind, besides studying the primary sources – the movies, my secondary sources include the director’s inspirations from literature to other films and finally the analysis will be backed up with film theoretical and philosophical texts:
• Bottle Rocket. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. Columbia Pictures. 1996.
• Fantastic Mr. Fox. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. 20^th Century Fox. 2009.
• Moonrise Kingdom. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. Focus Features. 2012.
• Rushmore. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. Buena Vista Pictures. 1998.
• The Darjeeling Limited. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2007.
• The Grand Budapest Hotel. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2014.
• The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. Buena Vista Pictures. 2004.
• The Royal Tenenbaums. Dir. Wes Anderson. Distr. Buena Vista Pictures. 2001.
• Salinger, J. D. Franny & Zooey. Boston: Little Brown, 1961
• Zweig, Stefan. The World of Yesterday. London: Pushkin Press, 2011.
• Citizen Kane. Dir. Orson Welles. Distr. RKO Radio Pictures, 1941.
• The Graduate. Dir. Mike Nichols. Distr. Embassy Pictures, 1967.
• The 400 Blows. Dir. Francois Truffaut. Distr. Cocinor, 1959.
• Bourdieu, Pierre. Practical Reason. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1998.
• Derrida, Jacques. Writing and Difference. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1978.
• Deleuze, Gilles and Félix Guattari. What is Philosophy. London, New York: Verso, 1994.
• Dor, Joël. Introduction to the Reading of Lacan- The Unconscious Structured like a Language. New York: The Other Press, 1998.
• Frampton, Daniel. Filmosophy. London, New York: Wallflower Press, 2006.
• MacDowell, James. “Notes on Quirky.” Movie: a Journal of Film Criticism 1 (2010): 2.
• The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema. Dir. Sophine Fiennes. Distr. P Guide Ltd. ICA Projects, 2006.