It’s fairly common for a filmmaker to present their cast and crew with recommendations of which films to watch in preparation for working together on a new project. However, when you talk about a director as eccentric and unique as Wes Anderson, you have to wonder what films he might recommend for those working on “The French Dispatch.” They’d have to be just as quirky as the art they inspire, right?
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According to IndieWire, Anderson’s longtime collaborator, cinematographer Robert Yeoman, shares a portion of the “extensive library of DVDs, books, and magazine articles” that the filmmaker put together for his cast and crew to consume to better prepare themselves for “The French Dispatch.”
The films cited by Yeoman as requirements for the cast and crew of “The French Dispatch” include:
- Jean-Luc Godard’s “My Life to Live”
- Henri-Georges Clouzot’s “Diabolique” and “Quay of the Goldsmiths”
- Max Ophüls’ “Le Plaisir”
- François Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows”
In addition to the list of films, the cinematographer also explained the allure of working with Anderson on a film. And yes, it’s obvious that most filmmakers and actors would love to work on a “Wes Anderson film,” but the production of one of his projects is unlike anything Yeoman has experienced before.
“Working on a film with Wes is not just limited to what transpires on the set, you are signing up for a life adventure,” said Yeoman. “Whether on a boat in Italy, a train in India, or a small city in France, the experience is all encompassing. Wes has his own unique way of working and often challenges us all to ‘think outside the box.’ Many times he will describe what he wants to shoot and I will think, ‘that’s going to be really difficult,’ but somehow we always pull it off. The shooting process itself is rarely easy, but I think that everyone feels that they are part of something special.”
As of now, “The French Dispatch” is set to hit theaters on July 24. However, if you’re someone that likes to speculate every now and then, the delay/possible cancellation (due to COVID-19) of the Cannes Film Festival—where many assume Anderson’s film will premiere—could change the release date of “The French Dispatch.”