Wes’ influences and favorites
(Originally posted at WesAnderson.org.)
Many people have inquired about the specific films and director’s that have inspired Wes throughout his lifetime. By wading through interview after interview, and article after article, I’ve compiled a complete (well, as complete as I can make it) list of influential and favorite films/directors/cinematographers that Wes has credited again and again (for influencing his shooting style, writing, etc).
favorite/influential films.
The 400 Blows
American Me
Apocalyse Now
Bad News Bears
Badlands
Barry Lyndon
Bonnie and Clyde
Brewster McCloud
Chinatown
The Conformist
Daisy Miller
Day For Night
Days Of Heaven
Diary of a Chambermaid
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Ed Wood
Farrebique
Flirting
The Graduate
The Godfather
Harold And Maude
A Heart In Winter
Heat
Holiday
Heaven And Earth
If.
Jaws
Jules And Jim
The Lady Eve
The Last Detail
L’Avventura
Le Feu follet
Le Souffle au coeur
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Lucas
Mad Dog And Glory
Manhunter
Mean Streets
Murmur Of The Heart
My Left Foot
Ordinary People
Peanut’s Classics (Peanut’s Chrismas)
The Razor’s Edge
The Red Shoes
Rosemary’s Baby
The Rules Of The Game
Shampoo
Serpico
Small Change (L’Argent de Poche)
Star Wars
Story of Ad?le H
That Obscure Object of Desire
Through a Glass Darkly
To Live And Die In L.A.
Tootsie
favorite/influential directors.
Woody Allen
Robert Altman
Michaelangelo Antonioni
Hal Ashby
Ingmar Bergman
Peter Bogdonivich
Luis Bunuel
John Cassavettes
Joel Coen
Jean Luc Godard
James Gray
Arthur Hiller
John Huston
Irvin Kershner
Randal Kleiser
Stanley Kubrick
Richard Linklater
Terrence Malick
Louis Malle
Paul Mazursky
Robert Ellis Miller
Mike Nichols
Roman Polanski
Emeric Pressberge
David O. Russell
Martin Scorsese
Preston Sturges
Francois Truffaut
John Vigo
Orson Wells
favorite/influential cinematographers.
Robert Yeoman
literature.
JD Salinger
Your films have inspired me to do many things, and I enjoy them very much.
I have no acting experince, but have a great desire to be in one of your films.
If you ever need a slighty chubby, 5′9 and half, brunette just let me know.
Thank you so much, and keep up the good work!
Yours truly,
Cappa McAuley
Just wanted to add: Day For Night, by Truffuat is another influence: Wes’ American Express commercial is a direct take-off on that film.
Also some non-film art has had a huge influence on Wes Anderson, more specifically JD Salinger.
Best,
Josh
I can’t believe that the George Rouquier 1946 pseudo-documentary Farrebique isn’t on here. Just like in Anderson’s films, Rouquier breaks down a whole into parts, analyzing it piece by piece. I also thought that that’s where he got the beginning of the Royal Tenenbaums from - the introduction where all the characters are looking into the mirror. A fan of Wes’s will probably enjoy Farrebique.
I think you should add Ingmar Bergman as one of Anderson’s favorite directors. When he received Stockholm Visionary Award at the Stockholm Film Festival 2007 he cited Bergman as one of his favorites, I also think he said “Through a Glass Darkly”, which he liked, was the first Bergman film he saw.
It’s Martin Scorsese, not Scorcese. I Just thought i should correct the spelling for the greatest American director.