Wes Anderson’s favourite Stanley Kubrick movie: “A tremendous energy”
The magical world of Wes Anderson’s frenetic imagination has given rise to some of modern cinema’s most vibrant films—from the comedic ingenuity of The Grand Budapest Hotel to the charming grace of Moonrise Kingdom. Since his 1996 feature debut, Bottle Rocket, Anderson has carved out a distinctive place among the most celebrated contemporary American filmmakers.
Praised for his meticulous and idiosyncratic style, Wes Anderson has built a distinctive cinematic world—one that emphasises both the artistry of filmmaking and the actors who inhabit it. Known for assembling a loyal group of collaborators, Anderson has formed lasting creative partnerships with Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, and Jason Schwartzman. Together, they’ve become integral to the unique tone and rhythm of his celebrated filmography.
A favourite of film fans, critics and fellow directors, the likes of Martin Scorsese have praised Anderson, with the filmmaker behind Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street noting Bottle Rocket as the top pick of his filmography. Speaking to Esquire, Scorsese stated, “[Anderson] knows how to convey the simple joys and interactions between people so well and with such richness…This kind of sensibility is rare in movies”.
When it comes to Wes Anderson’s own list of inspirations, much like his eclectic filmography, he is influenced by a range of directors each with their own creative style. Speaking to Rotten Tomatoes, Anderson listed the films of the Polish-French director Roman Polanski, German-American filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch, the enigmatic Jean Renoir and the classic Hollywood filmmaker Mike Nichols.
Included on the list is also the iconic Stanley Kubrick, a filmmaker responsible for some of the finest films in modern cinema, including Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut, and The Shining. When it comes to Wes Anderson’s favourite of Kubrick’s, however, he chooses the provocative drama A Clockwork Orange, starring Malcolm McDowell—a film that continues to spark debate and influence filmmakers decades after its release.
Made by a “fully-formed Stanley Kubrick”, as stated by Anderson, the filmmaker adds, “It’s a movie that’s very particularly designed and, you know, conjures up this world that you’ve never seen quite this way in a movie before”.
Continuing in his adoration, the Bottle Rocket director further clarifies, “At the same time there’s a great sort of spontaneity to it, and a tremendous energy”.
Whilst the subject matter of A Clockwork Orange strays far from the usual wheelhouse of Wes Anderson, it’s clear how Kubrick’s film has inspired his style, with a similar freneticism being used throughout his filmography, evident from The Royal Tenenbaums to Isle of Dogs.
