The Boy With Apple

– THE OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT – 

And so if you have just joined us to begin reading this article, I must therefore inform you that what you’re reading right now is in fact the beginning of the end of the end of the beginning. I jolly do hope that you enjoy the experience that I’m about to share with you as much as I enjoyed sharing the experience with itself.

We begin on September 5th in Krinsgja student village with a production by Cinema Neuf, a local cinema company based on the suburbs of Oslo in Majorstuen. The film in which they were showing was Wes Anderson’s recent masterpiece…The Grand Budapest Hotel. A film that fit the occasion perfectly as the movie was to be shown outdoors, on a beautiful summers night in Oslo.

– A PERFECT FIT FOR AN INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE –

As the evening gradually approached, popcorn dispensers were filled, the reel was set to spin on the projector and hundreds of students huddled together like sardines to assert some warmth. Throughout Anderson’s latest production, we see inspiration from a style of Hollywood film that was once produced throughout the 1930s. Many film productions of this time throughout United States made strong reference to major cities in parts of Eastern Europe such as; Prague, Warsaw and of-course Budapest. Falling in line with Anderson’s style of aesthetically pleasing screenplay, technical precision and meticulousness audiences may reassert their appreciation for this very rich art period in early 20th century Eastern Europe.

In the beginning of the film, The Grand Budapest Hotel finds itself in a little less ‘Grand’ state of which it had once earned its title upon. We are led to discover the rise and fall of this once ‘Grand’ institution through the perspective of the former lobby boy ‘Zero’, following his early days of accompanying his master concierge Monsieur Gustave. Gustave throughout the 1930s provided an attention to detail rivalled by none and a dedication to his guests that even went to the depths of satisfying the sexual requirements of many of his elderly female guests.

However, following the death of one of his female guests he is left with their estate and life fortunes, including a world renowned painting ‘The Boy With Apple’. Despite receiving such a burden, Gustave is subsequently framed shortly after receiving the fortune and is then led on a path that forges a life long bond between him and his former lobby boy ‘Zero’.

Throughout The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson remains true to his inherently rich style of filmmaking and adapts his use of symmetry and pallet perfectly throughout, withdrawing a true spectacle of appreciation for every facet of Eastern Europe throughout this time.

– DONT WAIT UNTIL YOUR YEAR ABROAD –

Now, even if you do not have the opportunity yet to study abroad and to view this film whilst outside on a freezing cold summers night in Oslo, with unlimited amounts of free popcorn I still thoroughly suggest for you to see this production. It is a true masterpiece.

Joseph.