Life Aquatic
Script by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach
Wes Anderson appears to enjoy the PROCESS of creating the movie more than the actual OUTCOME. One could wonder if it could be him, sitting outside “Loquasto International Film Festival” not too much concerned whether the audience got it.
Even the very name of the festival (thank you internet) makes a reference to a figure probably known to the director and few of his friends; doubtful that a viewer gets a message. It’s a care of a director winking not to the audience but to himself.
I have to admit that I can understand that urge. I myself often approach a story as something that is not intended to be consumed by others. However, Wes Anderson script highlights that there are times when such an approach can work as a fresh quirky device and when it can sink (pun intended) the story.
Life Aquatic is a self-contained world; a cinematic terrarium packed with unique characters, not unlike the rare aquatic species we see throughout the movie. It is especially evident when Wes Anderson employs one of his trademarks: a tour of a cut in half doll house-like ship. This world operates by its own rules. Can one imagine a pirate attack feature to ever play out the way it did in any other movie, including in real life? The unique approach to this midpoint adventure results in decreasing audience’s investment in the story; “Why should we care whether main characters get hurt?”
Life Aquatic is concerned with images; it is especially evident in the story where the protagonist is trying to control the narrative. No wonder; Steve Zissou made his career creating stories that captured people’s imaginations and created this larger of life character. I loved a scene in which a fan brings those vintage posters of his voyages to sign; it’s a great way to face the protagonist with his high days AND explain a bit of back story to the audience.
I think the structure of the story leads us to not so clear climax because we are never sure what Zissou ultimately wanted. Even through his team is united and stronger than ever at the end the audience cannot say with a 100% accuracy that Zissou is transformed. He reminds me of much stronger character of Life Lessons’ Lionel Dobie, who like Zissou, is ultimately doomed to repeat the pattern he might have been fighting to escape.
The reading of the script (combined with actually watching the movie) is helping me understand the value of visual aspect of a screenplay AND the importance of following a structure (if only to know HOW/WHEN to break its rules).
It is also to show that creating unique characters can draw viewers in, but without clear stakes those characters can turn from lovable kooks into unbelievable self-indulgent underdeveloped forgettable creatures (e.g. possessed mothers turning into werewolves; reference to my previous story).
Land of Better Screen Writing, ho!
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