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Why Wes Anderson’s ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ Is A Masterclass In Visual Comedy and Tragedy — Watch

Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is a masterclass in mixing visual comedy and tragedy.
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Watch: How 'Grand Budapest Hotel' Mixes Comedy and Tragedy
Watch: How 'Grand Budapest Hotel' Mixes Comedy and Tragedy
Watch: How 'Grand Budapest Hotel' Mixes Comedy and Tragedy
Watch: How 'Grand Budapest Hotel' Mixes Comedy and Tragedy
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There will always be some debate as to whether or not “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is the best Wes Anderson movie (we ranked it #2 on our list), but it’s hard to deny that it’s not the most Wes Anderson movie. The film is a flawless, four-tiered confection that represents everything the filmmaker holds near and dear to his heart. Every shot is so overwhelmingly Anderson that you could spend hours dissecting the frame.

READ MORE: Wes Anderson Movies Ranked From Worst To Best

That’s pretty much what the video essay team at Storytellers did for their latest deep dive, which explores the visual makeup of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and the many ways it successfully mixes comedy and tragedy. The former is a no-brainer when it comes to movie, but we’re often surprised at how melancholy “Grand Budapest” is every time we re-watch it. The movie is best remembered as a rambunctious adventure in the vein of “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” but there’s much tragedy buried underneath, particularly Anderson’s musings on the death of classicism.

Like a master painter, Anderson makes it all clear visually, with every filmmaking choice intended to evoke a response in the viewer. Watch the video essay below.

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