Wes Anderson’s seven favourite directors: “That’s how I was formed”
When it comes to movie directors with their own inimitable visual style, it’s hard to look beyond the cinema icon that is Wes Anderson. His films are well admired for their beautiful pastel aesthetics and quirky narratives that explore the nature of grief, dysfunctional families and the sense of childhood innocence.
Anderson came to the public’s attention with his early films Bottle Rocket and Rushmore before he established himself as one of the big players in American cinema with The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited. Several excellent features in the shape of The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch followed, with many of Anderson’s fellow filmmakers being eternally influenced by his style.
While Anderson has influenced so many of the directors that preceded him, he has never stopped short of naming those who have provided deep inspiration for his own work. In an interview with The Talks, Anderson once named his “favourite directors”, giving a clue as to where his influences lie.
“I like to be dazzled in the movies, and I don’t feel I am very reserved in the way I direct,” he said. “But they come from a tradition of cinema. My favourite filmmakers are people like John Huston, Orson Welles, Jean Renoir, Roman Polanski, Stanley Kubrick, Fellini, and Bergman – and that’s how I was formed as a filmmaker. Those are the biggest influences.”
John Huston directed several classic movies, including The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Misfits and The Man Who Would Be King, and received 15 Academy Awards throughout his career. Huston’s influence on the cinema world is far-reaching, and he is particularly admired by Anderson.
Orson Welles is one of the greatest film directors of all time, of course, having directed the true masterpiece that is Citizen Kane, while Stanley Kubrick is also famed for his considerable efforts in the cinematic medium with acclaimed works such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining.
Jean Renoir also finds his way onto Anderson’s favourite filmmakers list, widely considered one of the most significant European directors of all time. His works include La Grande Illusion and The Rules of the Game. European cinema looks to be a deep love of Anderson’s as he also names the likes of Federico Fellini and Ingmar Bergman on his list.
Bergman films, including The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Persona and Fanny and Alexander, are widely acclaimed, as are the works of Fellini, such as La Strada, La Dolce Vita and 8½. Anderson’s list is rounded off by the of-maligned Roman Polanski, though his movies are also well-considered in terms of their artistic quality.
Wes Anderson’s seven favourite directors:
- John Huston
- Orson Welles
- Jean Renoir
- Roman Polanski
- Stanley Kubrick
- Federico Fellini
- Ingmar Bergman
