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.

This was a wonderfully fun deep dive into not only the incredible film maker but also the history of Wes Andersons most famous films and the worlds and themes included in each film.

While the cover doesn't give much away the set up of the book is great. Categorized by several themes you get a look at the interconnectedness between the films themes and the creativity and inspiration behind the story telling.

If you are looking to find out more about the film making process of this wonderfully creative mind or just enjoy films to this depth you will love this books insights.

I was not particularly a Wes Anderson fan though I do enjoy his books I did quite like the learning I received from this book.

This book is great, whether you’re a Wes Anderson lover or just a lover of film in general. It would make a good coffee table book to flip through and read on what you want.

Thanks to the dozen or so clever, talky, visually inventive, occasionally slightly irritating films which he produced over the last twenty-five years. Wes Anderson has established a well-deserved reputation as one of the most interesting and original American filmmakers of the 21st century. Packed with a variety of full colour images from both his own films and from the work of directors such as Truffaut, Lean and Spielberg, who have influenced
him, this book serves as an invaluable deep dive into the career of the man behind Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

I was excited to receive this ARC as I love Wes Anderson, but even more so does my husband.

This is a lovely dive into what inspires the quintessential themes and iconic look that is a Wes Anderson film. I can't wait to have a physical copy of this book to give to my husband!

Book was beautiful organized and detailed. I loved exploring the inspirations that has led Wes Anderson to create the masterpieces that are his films. I was drawn to the sections and side notes that highlighted where key cinematic points from my favorite of his films came from. I especially loved the varied influences that were included, be it a piece of art, another film, or a person. Worth the read for any Wes fan.

This was a really in depth guide to one of my favorite directors, Wes Anderson. Loved all the behind the scene photos and the information on the inspiration for all the films.