A Wes Anderson Fall
It’s that time of year again. When the leaves start to change colours, the air becomes crisp; the air is scented with pumpkin spice, apple orchards, baking and candles. There is a special aspect to the season of Autumn—one that may bring feelings of nostalgic yearning, and abstract melancholy.
The air starts to become crisp, and the days become shorter. And thus, I find myself wanting to revisit my fall favourites. The beginning of my Harry Potter marathon starts. Maybe I'll start rewatching Gilmore Girls. But first on the queue is Fantastic Mr. Fox, directed by Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson is a critically acclaimed director known for his quirky style of film. He utilises specific colour schemes and camera angles to perfectly capture the nostalgia and emotion behind the storylines in his films. Ultimately, creating a recurring personal esthetique that is often the subject of imitation.
His animated comedy, Fantastic Mr Fox, was released in 2009. Its cast included George Clooney, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, William Dafoe, to name a few Hollywood big-shots. Harnessed in this film are the use of warm colours such as reds, oranges, browns and yellows, whimsical characters, and stop motion animation. Fantastic Mr. Fox encapsulates the feeling that is Fall, with an abundance of wisdom, in just its 90 minutes.
Mr. Fox is a wild animal, but he lives in a modern consumerist society. Specifically, Mr. Fox lives with his family, in a really nice tree, wearing slacks, a neatly pressed shirt, and tie. Despite being, well, a fox, he talks about rising house costs, job security, you name it. He is insecure about how others perceive him, which reflects in the motivation behind his actions.
Initially a fox who robbed farmers, constantly putting himself in danger, he is grounded back to reality when his wife announces her pregnancy. He must put his wild ways behind him and embrace a more responsible lifestyle. But he is too rebellious, and ultimately too ‘wild’. And so he wants to try “just one more raid” on his evil neighbours, against the better wishes of his wife. He raids his neighbours’ farms, choosing desire over need and endangering the lives of his family and animal friends. The farmers force Mr. Fox and company deep underground, and he must resort to natural craftiness to find a solution.
The character of Mr. Fox illuminates the theme of consumerism Anderson weaves throughout this film. One main idea is that consumerism threatens the identities of those who engage in it. Mr. Fox is quick to disregard his position of father to embrace his selfish desire to outwit his neighbours. No longer is he grounded in purposeful action, but fueled by selfish desire that triumphs over responsibility.
After he goes back to stealing, antagonising neighbours, and jeopardising his family home, Mrs. Fox is furious with her husband. All that Mr. Fox can justify that he wants everyone to view him as “the quote-unquote 'Fantastic Mr. Fox.’” Yet despite his best efforts to create that narrative, his greed only exposed how un-fantastic he truly was.
As it illuminates that through his chase on what he thought would grant him the title of ‘Fantastic’ he only damaged the genuine relationships around him, and lost his identity as an individual not controlled by consumerism. Through watching this film, the audience is exposed to the questioning of moral institutions, left questioning who we chose to follow, and why.
Therefore, we can categorize Mr. Fox as a “material girl”—he portrays the idea of prioritizing material possessions over invaluable things in his life. He gets it. It is a material world, where there is a certain pressure to keep up with trends and perceptions. To be the ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox,’ seemed to be a task that required grand actions to secure what others can’t. But ultimately, in treating others with respect, kindness, and care, one can be fantastic.
The cycle of trends, money, jobs… always subject to change. All concepts that do not define a person, but rather keep them in a chokehold in the chase for ‘being the best.’ We are controlled by perception, which defines who we believe we are, how others should believe us to be, and how we believe the world should operate. But, sometimes we lose sight of who we truly want to be as a person. A fox in an animated movie is a reminder that very few of us will be the ‘best,’ and that's okay. What truly matters is the idea of staying true to ourselves, and what we believe in, despite it possibly straying from the hold of consumerism.
The oddball character, monotone dialogue, and the aesthetique that is now coined by Anderson, has a specific formula in play. Audiences may either hate or love this director's movies, but WHO CARES?
There is a beauty in being able to convey a deeper meaning through comedy and film. And there is some pure wisdom to take away from the script in Fantastic Mr. Fox, despite it coming from the mouth of an animal.
Header by: Valerie Letts
