Understanding "mise en scène"

 

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou was a weird film. The characters weren't the most relatable to me, and the jokes were odd. But, Wes Anderson has "mise en scène" down to a T. Everything about this film screams aesthetic, from the colors to the fluid camera movements. 

The mise en scène of colors was such a standout to me. Absolute eye candy! I love this almost nostalgic filter the film seems to have. The way colors feel so soft. My favorite part of the color in the film was during the underwater scenes. So many movies have dark, hard-to-see underwater scenes, which make sense and are realistic, but this movie gives it color! It almost feels like animation, the way the blues are so bright blue, like a child coloring in a picture of the sea. 

               

The camera movement was another standout that kept my eyes glued to the screen. I couldn't look away because each shot was just hypnotizing. I adore all the one-shots. They are my favorite. The one shot of Steve and Ned walking through the boat was AMAZING! It just moves so smoothly, and you feel like you are following the characters through the intricate design of the ship. The set design must have been a huge hassle to put together, but it definitely paid off!

       

Another highlight was the theater-esque opening and introduction to the boat! I love the stop-motion feeling it has. 

While I don't fully understand the storytelling of Wes Anderson, I will agree his filmmaking and techniques are incredibly unique. It is such a perfect example of mise en scène; there's just a feeling that is so present in his films. Something so intangible, but you still understand it.