The Grand Budapest Hotel Mise En Scene

 Brandon Wright

Prof. Saphire

COM 126.01

10/23/20

Mise En Scene in The Grand Budapest Hotel

            The Grand Budapest Hotel, directed by Wes Anderson, can be described as a visual journey through the story of a lobby boy beginning a job at a new prestigious hotel. The film is full of bright colors, quick dialogue between characters, symmetrical shots, and the kinesis of everybody in the scene. The particular scene in the movie that I felt captured all these elements the best was none other than the opening scene of the film. It is perfect for setting up the environment the we are expected to be a part of for the next two hours and prepares the audience for what is going to be in store.

            Colors in Wes Anderson's films have always appeared boldly for the audience to see, it is usually bright and vibrant colors because of Wes Anderson's love for putting depressing characters in a bright and cheerful setting. This same approach is in The Grand Budapest Hotel, as they introduce the setting it is noticeable that the hotel is a bright pink color with the interior being red and pink with yellow lighting illuminating the room. Yellow is an extremely notable color for this film specifically because whenever it is represented it always indicates a friendship, relationship, or any form of trust being established by the characters. In the opening scene there is a trusting friendship being created, so naturally Anderson fills the room with yellow light.            

            The entire opening scene moves at a rapid pace, at only being around a minute and thirty seconds long, and the characters seem to be talking at a million miles a minute with so much happening around them. This type of quick dialogue between characters keeps the viewer entertained and packs the scene full of information in such a short time. 

            The placement of the characters in the frame is in the classic Wes Anderson style, which is where he keeps the main character of focus for the scene in the middle of the frame creating perfect symmetry on each side of them. This choice is important for this scene specifically because the main focus of the scene is the interview between Gustav and Zero, so they are both placed directly in the middle of the shot. While the interview is going on though, there are many side events happening around them. 

            Kinesis in this scene is important because the characters are always moving forward in a direct line throughout this whole scene. By having them do this it reveals that Gustav and Zero and moving directly towards the same goal of becoming the best at what they do. All the other characters in the scene are either standing still, or moving around Gustav and Zero, revealing the importance that Gustav already has at his hotel being the most important man there.

            Overall this was a beautiful film with many different scenes that I could have chosen to describe mise en scene. It is a masterpiece that will live on in my top ten favorites for a long time.