In a new interview with French publication CNC, film director Wes Anderson has shared his list of movies and TV shows to watch while in quarantine.
The auteur – widely known for his distinctive visual style of symmetrical cuts, meticulous costuming, and pastel color palettes – has postponed the release of his latest film The French Dispatch from July 24 to October 16 due to Coronavirus. So, like the rest of us, Anderson is presumably stuck inside indulging in the opportunity to watch and re-watch his favorite movies.
Along with a shout-out to Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul “it’s simply my favorite series,” Anderson mentions his newfound appreciation for Italian director Marco Ferreri, in particular his two films The Conjugal Bed and The Ape Woman. Ferreri is often considered one of the greatest cinematic provocateurs of his time, but Anderson notes that his work took him a while to get into it.
As we all have plenty of time to give things a second watch, you can use quarantine as an excuse to awaken your dormant inner film buff by perusing the rest of Anderson’s quarantine movie list below.
The Big Feast (1973)
Le Grande Bouffe (“The Big Feast”) is a French-Italian movie detailing a group of friends who intend to eat themselves to death. It was met with controversy for the way in which it satirized consumerism and the hedonism of the upper-middle classes. If you’ve ever tweeted “Eat the Rich” then you probably should watch this.
The Westerner (1940)
The 1940 western flick The Westerner comes from revered film director, producer, and screenwriter William Wyler. The plot follows a self-appointed hanging judge in Vinegaroon, Texas, and his unlikely friendship with a saddle tramp. The movie won Academy Awards for Walter Brennan’s performance in a supporting role as well as nominations in the categories for best Best Art Direction, Black and White feature, and Best Story.
Station Six-Sahara(1962)
Seth Holt’s Station-Six Sahara details the struggle of five dysfunctional men living in isolation while manning an oil pipeline in the Sahara (hello thematic relevance to 2020!). The plot thickens when a mysterious blonde vamp (portrayed in an Oscar-nominated performance by Carroll Baker) arrives without warning and elevates the sexual tension and frustration to critical levels.