This is an essential read for any Wes Anderson fan - and for film lovers in general, really. Like everyone else on this page, I absolutely adore Wes Anderson's work - his quirks and idiosyncrasies and flawless sense of humour, let alone his masterful storytelling. It was such a joy to explore the varied influences that combined to create his magical legacy. And the book itself - its layout and distinctive voice - is a perfect ode to Anderson's style. I absolutely have to buy it in a physical format when it is released! Truly something to treasure.

This is a really fun book that looks at Anderson’s films in comparison to his influences, complete with beautiful stills and other photos! I enjoyed reading about the connections in some of my favorite films of his (Moonrise Kingdom and Fantastic Mr Fox)

I would love to see a completed physical copy of this book as reading it on my phone just wasn't quite the same. I have a feeling this will be a book for any Wes Anderson fan. It's full of information and details that any Wes Anderson fan (or movie buff) would be interested in. I learned so, so much about film and the attention to detail he has in creating his masterpieces.

"In all his films, Wes Anderson turns the mundane into magic by building distinctive and eccentric worlds. But how well do you know the man behind the camera? Discover the inspirations of one of our most revered auteurs with The Worlds of Wes Anderson.

Anderson's playful and vibrant aesthetic is universally admired - but how has he managed to create such a recognisable identity?

From Hitchcock and Spielberg to Truffaut and Varda, there are countless homages and references scattered throughout Anderson's filmography, while his cultural anchor points go far beyond film and into the worlds of art and literature.

Evocations of place and time underpin his work, from mid-century Paris in The French Dispatch to grand pre-war Europe in The Grand Budapest Hotel, while cultural institutions - such as Jacques Cousteau and The New Yorker magazine - are other touchstones.

For Wes Anderson fans and cinephiles alike, this is an essential insight into the creative process of one of the world's most unique filmmakers."

Wes Anderson is a genius. His films are culturally spot on while also being so uniquely his own.

This was so interesting! I'm not a huge Wes Anderson fan but I love movies so I've watched and enjoyed several. They're all unusual, in a good way, with quirky characters and odd backstories. What makes this book so amazing is how the author shows the influences that led to those movies.
I didn't realize how many of my most beloved movies were the influence behind Wes Anderson films, movies like Harold and Maude and My neighbor Totoro that influenced how I view life. The author does a brilliant job bringing out those influences, even showing specific shots from many films.
Even if you don't like the analysis, the pictures chosen are amazing. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I'm definitely not the target audience for this book, being only a casual Wes Anderson enjoyer (I've only seen a handful of his films for example)
Think the hardcore film buffs will get more out of it than I did. It IS impeccably researched and put together in an aesthetically pleasing way.

I absolutely loved this book! Not only does it cover the making of his films, it also skillfully pairs them with the films that most influenced him. This is illustrated by side-by-side photos and commentary throughout (including from Wes Anderson himself). The author knows his film history -- he writes for Little White Lies, a magazine I recently discovered, that goes in-depth into specific films. He is definitely using his skills in this book! The book is structured into nine loosely themed chapters with 4 mini essays. He calls it a "treasure hunt" rather than an exhaustive recounting of the films and it is very effective. Some of the influential films include, The 400 blows, Tokyo Story, Harold and Maude, The Magnificent Ambersons, Husbands, The Grand Illusion, Torn Curtain, La Chinoise, The Last Detail and many Satyajit Ray films. I am considering creating my own double features at home pairing one of the classic films with a Wes Anderson film. I was sorry the book ended -- I could have kept on reading. I will definitely be buying copies of this book for myself and as gifts for friends. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

As a huge Wes Anderson fan, I had a lot of fun reading this book.

Each chapter focusses on a different theme of Anderson's films and contains four parts, and then every part is about a different creator and how they inspired the director. Most of them are other directors and their films. But there are also painters and musicians.

The author did a lot of research for this book; everything is described in great detail. You can clearly see his passion and love for films. At the moments I felt like some connections were not as big as he claimed, but a lot of them were supported by quotes.

The only real minus is that some parts had just too much information: the inspirations listed one after the other with no longer explanation. This is definitely a book that you want to read slowly or even go through one part at a time to really benefit from the knowledge.

I love that all the films mentioned in the book are listed together. It saved me from creating my own list of things I should watch to really appreciate Wes Anderson.

DNF not my cup if tea sadly. But I'll give it the standard 3 star since I didn't read it. Please don't take this as a bad sign I'm just very picky woth my reads and if I'm not interested or don't have the time I usually don't read the book then.

An amazing curated book for die hard Wes Anderson fans! Illustrations and photographs were nostalgic and intentional. This would make an amazing gift for any fan!

I love Wes Anderson films! Can watch them multiple times and always find something new. After reading this book, I now realize that my understanding of his films was entirely lacking in it's depth. Wow! I had no idea of the hidden layers and hidden meanings contained in each film. The man is an absolute genius filmmaker!
Easy to read, fun to read, amazing to read book. Especially relevant to serious Anderson followers.
Now I cannot wait to rewatch all of his films and see if I can observe some of the things that the author has pointed out!
Bravo!

Lovely coffee table type book for movie connoisseurs and Wes fans

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

A great book to gift to a fan of Wes Anderson. Beautifully designed, in full colour, this book takes you through the sources of inspiration for the different worlds of Wes Anderson. The films and directors that inspired Anderson to create his very distinctive look. The book is packed full of information giving an insight into how one of our most creative directors thinks and works. I am not the most avid of Wes Anderson fans, though he is a director I prefer seeing on the big screen because of his visual inventiveness. However, I found the book fascinating. I am always interested in where artists get their ideas, and this book provides all the details you could want.

Barring <i>Fantastic Mr. Fox</i> and the sublime <i>Grand Budapest Hotel,</i> I find Wes Anderson's films to be mannered to the point that they are damn near unwatchable; however, I cannot deny his visual style stands out in the sea of dreck Hollywood mass produces each year. <i>The Worlds of Wes Anderson</i> gives a glimpse at the myriad works of art he draws on to create his films, and shows the director utilizing a long-established visual language to tell his tales.

Recommended mostly for hard-core Anderson fans, but casual viewers of his films will also find much of interest in this book.

Received via NetGalley.

This is a very comprehensive and in-depth look at the movies of Wes Anderson--the influences and homages across his filmography. Many will seem obscure if you're not a film scholar (or a Wes Anderson scholar) already, but the photographs paint a clear picture. Some of my favorites were the smaller asides, coincidentally about Grand Budapest, focusing on the artwork and the inspiration for the hotel itself. But really, I picked up this book for Fantastic Mr. Fox!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Going into this book, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be the intended audience. I’m what could be considered a “casual fan” of Wes Anderson. I have seen maybe half of his major films, and I am not a film buff, but I do enjoy his work and was interested to learn more. I was quite pleasantly surprised by this, and I think this book will have broad appeal for serious fans and people like me alike!

I thought the layout and imagery had a lot of aesthetic appeal, and I really loved the multitude of side by side comparisons of stills from Anderson’s films with the influences discussed in the essays.

I also appreciated the general format of the book. There are themed chapters, each divided into four parts that the author calls “mini essays”. And because the author never intended for this to be an exhaustive analysis of every reference in every film, the book never gets weighed down by unnecessary detail. It keeps everything digestible, especially for someone like me who, as I mentioned, isn’t already well versed on this subject. I also liked that it wasn’t organized linearly or by film, and instead thematically. It allowed for broader analysis and I think it made everything more interesting. Topics covered range from more specific influences on Anderson’s process (e.g., specific filmmakers/creators) to broader cultural movements (e.g., changes to television in the 50s or the British Invasion).

I’m walking away with a lot of movies, books, and media I want to consume next, and a greater appreciation for the Wes Anderson movies I have already seen. (There’s even a recommended viewing list in the back!) I would recommend this for even the casual fan of Anderon’s films, or even to give as a gift to a fan you know.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion for the complimentary eARC for the purpose of providing an honest review!*

This book is very detailed, and sites Wes Anderson's films within the broader cinematic history, rather that dissecting each of the films. It's beautifully illustrated and laid out. The book (as advertised) focusses on Wes Anderson's influences. It surprised me by not focussing more on Wes Anderson the person or his films. Because I only had an electronic copy I had to read it on my phone, and it suffered for that. I can see myself lounging, in a carefully coloured room, on a striped sofa, flipping through the hardback, smoking and being mannered. Maybe I've also been influenced by Wes Anderson.

This was just absolutely stunning. As a Wes Anderson fan, writer inspired by him and owe my film degree to him, it's safe to say that out of my entire Wes Anderson book collection, this one was my absolute favourite.

A beautifully designed tour through the visual culture influences on Anderson’s work. The book is a smart, accessible, and engaging survey of themes and reference points for better understanding Anderson’s films and distinctive style. I felt inspired to rewatch all the classics mentioned and found some new titles to add to my viewing list as well. This book would be a great coffee table book and gift for cinephiles!

Wonderful book about the influences of Wes Anderson, putting in perspective Anderson's point of views and references.
If you have seen any of Anderson's films, you know nothing is in a frame by chance, everything is deliberate. And this is why he is a master, because it all makes sense and can be analysed.
Personally, I am not a movie fanatic, so I do not have the vast historical knowledge of professionals. I like films, but I love all art forms and as such it's hard for me to have specialised knowledge. I love the theatrical aesthetics, the stunted external display of emotions contrasting with explosive internal turmoil, I love the dandy precious look like old-fashioned candy boxes, but most of all I love the huge empathy in all of Anderson's films, and I can tell it goes way beyond my superficial knowledge of the French Nouvelle Vague (which I personally hate) and stunning Japanese classic cinema (which I greatly enjoy, but only know the cannons).
This book opens up a great number of doors for you to decode and appreciate even more the work of Wes Anderson. It will also probably add a good number of movies to your to-see-list if you are a curious person.
I know that I am now dying to discover Satyajit Ray, an Indian director I knew nothing about, that Darjeeling Limited gave homage to.
A book for all the fans, and for cinema enthusiasts.