Film

Studies
MAX 2023


Assigment 2 : Film Analysis

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Aida Mahirah Bt Kamarul Bahrin / 1122701360

Introduction

The chosen scene from the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel is a comedy action film
directed by Wes Anderson. The film was driven by the question of Moustafas link to the
Grand Budapest. Zero Moustafa (Tony Revoli) was a lobby boy who is taken under the wing
of M. Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) who is the most famous hotel concierge. When Gustave
was accused of a murderer, he and Zero teamed up to cleared up his name.
When Madame D the owner of the Grand Budapest was murdered by mysterious
circumstances, Gustave rushed off along with Zero to pay respect to the deceased. Only
when the reading of the will, he finds out that Madame D has left him a valuable painting ,
Boy with Apple.
The Grand Budapest Hotels fascinating style portrays to be high kitsch but the dark
theme of the story clouds over the colourful and vibrant visuals of the film. The setting of
the scene illustrates the mood and articulates the mise-en-scene that sets the fantasy
world.


Formal Analysis


The element that is being portrayed, is designed for a distinct shot for each scene. Each
element in the film has its own function and meanings.
The starting point in the scene starts with the servant escorting the characters to the
room to pay their last respect. From the gloomy room, they were escorted to the green
door that leads to the butlers pantry. All the chefs are dressed in white, busy preparing for
the food while the two characters are holding a water and milk.

 On the other hand, moving on to another room where all the relatives of Madame D are
dressed in black which separates two different groups from the other room. The lighting in
the room is diffused and soft with a warm yellowish tinted hue. It portrays a sense of
gloominess and sadness.
When Gustave and Zero entered the room, the shot is zoomed out, there were stag
hanging above and rifles lined on each side. The view of the whole room was crowded with
relatives. Gustave became the main attention with a fill light when Mr Kovac mentions his
name. Gustave wore his working attire that has a light coloured, which separates him from
the rest of the people in the room.
When Mr Kovac speaks at the stage, there are bear placed at the right and a big
painting of a wild boar behind him. In addition, Mr Kovacs wore a black suit that has a
vertical striped pattern. It recognised Mr Kovac differently with the people in the room.
The sound in the scene started with a sad and emotional background music and
slowly ending when Gustave and Zero arrived into the room looking at the coffin. Gustave
speaks to the dead, the tone of voice is somewhere in the middle between sadness and
happy. The background music gets loud with orchestral music when Gustave and Zero
enter and look at all the relatives in the room. Gustave was surprised at how many of
Madame D relatives gather to hear the will.

Interpretation
In the film, Wes Anderson has made clear that nostalgic mood cant be trusted. The
plot embraces deeper and something expressive, which contains a meaningful twist. The
selected scenes contain elements that bring out the difference between each group.
In the funerals room, Madame D was lying down peacefully with the top light
facing to her face showing how it is the culture to dress up the dead for their after life. The
decoration of the coffin means she is wealthy and rich. Gustaves face was half lid with a
dimmed light room which interprets the emotional feeling towards the death.
In the butler's pantry, Gustave and Zero, are seen holding a glass of plain
water and milk, respectively. This could be explained the age difference; milk has always
been given to the young ones. As of this scene, plain water is for the sophisticated Gustave
and milk is for the young and naive Zero.
Before the reading of the will by Mr Kovac, Gustave and Zero walk through a
green door. The colour green has always been associated with greed and selfish, almost
always nothing good comes from the envious greedy green. This illustrates the deepest
murky nature of Madame D's alleged relative, they are filled with greed for the fortune
Madame D has left to be inherited.
Besides that, the painting of the wild boar resonates the greediness of the
people in the room. The atmosphere started to change when Dimitri punches Gustave,
which becomes somewhat violent and repulsive like a wild boars behaviour.
When Gustave enters the room, notice there are stags with magnificent antlers
decorated on the wall over the stacks of rifles. Stags are a symbol of Christ/good, and a
force that tramples the devil. This denotes as Gustave is going to end all evil that came

forth for Madame D's wealth. The riffles portray the people in the room as hunters. They
savage only for the wealth. Gustave is one of the few good entities in a room full of
darkness and bad intentions, his lighter coloured attire denotes this.
Attention diverted onto Mr Kovac as he goes on to read Madame D's will. The
painting of a wild boar behind him is placed with a purpose. It symbolises truth and
courage. A symbolism of truth recurred, with Mr Kovac wearing a white striped black suit.
With this, he is represented as a straight lawyer, courageous and dignified.






Conclusion

Several themes recurred in The Grand Budapest Hotel's high production value of
stylization, scene that is intricately set for the odd vibrant world. The darkness and
unpleasant elements that glooms the mansion that contrasts against the vibrant nature
of the Grand Budapest Hotel, which acts as an escapism for Madame D to run from her
problems. The mise-en scene helps form the kitschy fantasy world to contrast against its
dark complex theme with the melancholy narrative form of the film.