Quirky Contest - Chaplin v Anderson

This was a very enjoyable match-up for me; I knew I would enjoy the Wes Anderson films because I've seen most of his movies and was interested in seeing more of Chaplin's work.

Gold Rush

This film was interesting and engaging, especially for the time it was made. We watched the newer version which Chaplin narrated himself in the 50s once the technology was available to do so. While I found the story and characters less compelling than the other Chaplin movie we watched, the technical prowess of this directer was so apparent in this adventure film about searching for gold in the winter. The sequence in the small cabin that the Tramp and his burly companion are sheltered in breaks boundaries in a lot of ways, and I noticed iconic shots and incredible film-making in this movie.

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

This might be my new favorite kids movie of all time. It is so enjoyable to watch as an adult and I get submerged in the story, believing in it as if I were a child seeing animals come to life. The artful adaptation by Anderson and intricate, talented use of stop-motion animation makes me think that Anderson may be suited best for children's movies. The dialogue is pitch perfect and it's so fun to hear familiar actors delivering the lines of badgers, foxes, and angry farmers.

City Lights

I had seen this Chaplin film once before and was very impressed by the complexity of the story, engaging acting without any speech. The love interest has depth and I feel connected to her as a character, even in comparison to the highly animated Tramp. This movie manages to coax questions about whether wealth matters, what real worth is, and how relationships develop through simple misunderstandings. We see the parallel relationships between the Tramp and the flower girl as well as the Tramp and his drunken millionaire "friend." Chaplin makes us think about what makes a person someone worth connecting to and how honorable the Tramp is, the person in the middle willing to do anything to help the person he cares most about.

Rushmore

I enjoyed this film so much more with this viewing than I did the first time I saw it, mostly I think because of my higher level of maturity. I connected less with Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) and viewed him from the perspective of a teacher. I realized why he was both insufferable and compelling, saw the connections between him and Herman Blume (Bill Murray), and rejoiced when his crazy energy was channeled towards his play and positive connections with peers rather than infatuations with adults. Anderson's style is really established in this film, and the quirky, awkward youth that he creates in the character of Max and the equally awkward, out of place character of Herman are perfectly simple and complete individuals, illuminating who Anderson is as a director and what type of stories he wishes to tell.

So, for the first time in Director Showdown history, we have a difference of result! I have decided to go with Anderson as the winner of this match-up. While I am very impressed with Chaplin, especially his ability to communicate across time, which is ultimately the job of a filmmaker, I connect more with Anderson's style and characters. I leave the movies wanting to hear more of Anderson's stories, wanting to fall in love with his characters and embrace the weirdness, the quirkiness, that is Wes Anderson.

Power to the freaks.