A Surreal Dystopia: The Kubrick-Anderson Collaboration We Never Knew We Needed
Today-Hollywood sucks. There is no way around it. Postmodernist ideological hacks have taken over and have brought their nihilistic agenda with them.
I decided to embrace my love for art and filmaking and indulge in a weekly dose of white-pill feel-good experiment.
A “what if” game about how a movie would look like if two great directors collaborated on a movie. And I decided to start with two of my favorite filmmakers: Stanley Kubrick and Wes Anderson. The plot? A sci-fi adventure in a post-apocalyptic world.
In a cinematic realm where post-apocalyptic landscapes are often portrayed with gritty realism and ominous tones, imagine a whimsically eccentric twist directed by the unlikely duo of Stanley Kubrick and Wes Anderson. The result would have undoubtedly been a visual masterpiece, blending Kubrick's meticulous attention to detail and Anderson's signature aesthetic quirkiness.
Picture a world devastated by an otherworldly catastrophe, yet oddly enchanting in its desolation. Kubrick's penchant for immersive set design would bring forth a meticulously crafted dystopian universe, where every abandoned building and cracked pavement tells a story of a bygone era. The lingering echoes of a once-thriving society now resonate in the eerie silence of the deserted cityscape.
Enter Anderson's distinctive color palette, injecting life into this barren landscape with his trademark pastel hues. Imagine characters navigating this surreal world in meticulously designed costumes, each ensemble telling a story of the pre-apocalyptic era. The juxtaposition of Anderson's vibrant aesthetics against the backdrop of Kubrick's stark realism creates an unparalleled visual feast.
As the protagonists embark on their journey, the narrative unfolds with Kubrick's precision in unraveling complex plots. The film delves into the human psyche in the face of catastrophe, exploring the intricacies of survival and the profound connections that emerge in the aftermath. Anderson's quirky characters, with their idiosyncrasies and eccentricities, provide a unique lens through which to experience the resilience of the human spirit.
The soundtrack, a collaboration between Kubrick's affinity for classical compositions and Anderson's curated selection of indie folk and vintage tracks, sets the tone for the emotional rollercoaster that ensues. The film oscillates between moments of intense introspection and lighthearted camaraderie, blurring the lines between the surreal and the heartfelt.
In this hypothetical cinematic venture, a Kubrick-Anderson collaboration would have redefined the post-apocalyptic genre, offering audiences an unforgettable experience that could have combined the cerebral with the whimsical—a testament to the creative prowess of two visionary directors who, against all odds, I am sure would have found harmony in chaos.
#nowokenomore
Article and photos by Joseph Ralph Fraia @jrfstudio - jrfstudio.com