You can see Anderson's 13-minute short Hotel Chevalier today on iTunes, where it can be downloaded for free ! (link opens iTunes)
It's being billed as "Part One" of The Darjeeling Limited , Anderson's new film to be released here in San Diego on October 12th.
The short stars Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman as former lovers who meet in Schwartzman's Paris hotel room. There's not much dialogue, but it's composed of the kind of verbal incidentals one lingers around when uncomfortably... anxiously... meeting a former lover. Of course, they build to a one intense moment, then dissipate again.
The set design is signature Anderson -- full of treasured knick knacks and quirky touches. The soundtrack - featuring the song "Where Do You Got To (My Lovely)," by Peter Sarstedt - is an inspired choice. Here's a fantastic video of Sarstedt performing it.
I know I suffer from Anderson-worship, and will do my best to be critically minded for
Darjeeling
-- but
Hotel Chevalier
is, in a word, lovely. Check it out!
Scott Marks
September 28, 2007 at 03:12 AM
This is one case where the short is better than the feature. "Hotel Chevalier" will not be shown in theaters, yet Wes Anderson wants everyone to see it before they watch TDL. The texture, elegant use of color and 'Scope compositions are sure to take a hit when viewed on a monitor. Why doesn't he just tack it onto the head of the feature? Hell, when I was a kid we got a short, a cartoon, trailers and a boring travelogue!
Thank you. I'll hang up and listen for my answer.
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