I think the first hour may be the pinnacle of Wes’ style
The entire thing is a singular confident vision that’s perfectly executed
Heavy brown and wood color—the fake “New Penzanc” island is a perfect world for Wes for create and diorama-fy
Nostalgia and true love- well-earned formally- the emotional resonance
As a strict formalist- I love how Wes pulls apart the various pieces in the Benjamin Britten music and then reconstructs
I took this from Bordwell but I love how Suzy’s book on children looks like a Saul Bass poster—there’s also a postage stamp that looks like Edward Norton- this level of detail in the mise-en-scene makes for thoroughly rewarding study and dissection
Cartography— and a tendency to fix the camera at right angles with characters staggered in profile or at angles
This filmed turned back a lot of critics who felt justified in not liking Wes through the Darjeeling and life aquatic phase- lots of “best since Rushmore” in the reviews
Rolling tracking shots in the opening are stunning- it’s all done within perfect symmetry in the mise-en-scene. This is Peter Greenaway—it’s a moving painting
Letter writing- auteur mark/trait—another is the mentor/father/family issues—a dead dog
The shot of Suzy in the tower is a stunner as well
There’s another actual play in the film- again another reoccurring trait in Wes-world- rich detail- clearly it’s pointing to the storm/flood as it’s Noah’s ark
Wes is clearly in love with the preparation of camps and scouts—“maybe we should take an inventory”—but she’s a singer and he paints
Murray’s pants
Very 1960’s/70’s cinema zoom-heavy in the inlet
That dancing scene is just so damn sweet
Multiple times with have split screen usage with juxtaposing rich mise-en-scene(s)—stunning work
I missed it before but there is slow motion here- leaving the makeshift chapel after the marriage
That first hour before the storm— I feel like after the storm the film gets a way a little
Another level of detail is the ongoing love between Norton and the phone operator- multiple viewings
16mm which I find hard to spot- it looks too gorgeous to me
The film opens and closes perfectly- blending painting with actual location (Suzy’s family’s red cottage house to open then the “moonrise kingdom” inlet to end)—so perfectly bookmarked
Who gives the best supporting performance in this film. Bruce Willis or Edward Norton?
@Malith- I think it is Willis
They are both very good, but I prefer Norton. I’d say the two best performances in the film are him and Kara Hayward, the lead girl.
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