What is it with great trailers today? First the new Coen Bros. flick’s trailer hits the internet and now the new Wes Anderson does. We are embarrassed with riches!
When I first heard that Wes Anderson was doing a stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s legendary [sorta] book Fantastic Mr. Fox (buy it cheap from us) my first impulse was of sheer joy. When you have great children’s books being done by guys like Spike Jonze and Wes Anderson you are in a special time and place. Could you imagine what Peyton Reed would have done with these? My second impulse was sheer joy. So were impulses three to one hundred and ninety-two.
Now there’s a trailer and seeing that it still maintains that retro “lived-in” look of previous Anderson films and doesn’t pander to the kiddies too much (though there’s a little slapstick to be seen) pleases me, but it also shows a really sober and classy approach to the material that totally recalls the films I grew up on in the 70’s. Nobody is screaming. No one is overacting or trying to compensate for the fact their performance is totally aural. It’s refreshing as hell and though I’m not familiar with the material it looks like a really warm and rewarding experience is awaiting us when this film arrives this November.
For those who didn’t know, many Anderson grads are back, including Angelica Huston, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Brian Cox, Willem Dafoe, and newcomers to the fold George Clooney and Meryl Streep. Not bad, huh?
And don’t start with the Aardman comparisons. Night and day.
Thanks to Chris Olson for the head’s up.