Wes Anderson Breaks Down the Exquisite Opening Title Sequence of ‘The Phoenician Scheme’

From nan curtain closing connected nan “Rushmore” formed dancing successful a precocious schoolhouse gym to Gwyneth Paltrow coming disconnected nan autobus successful “The Royal Tenenbaums,” Wes Anderson’s filmography is loaded pinch memorable slow-motion shots. The title series of “The Phoenician Scheme,” though, is arguably nan astir visually exacting and narratively layered successful his filmography.

After initially being declared dead, Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio Del Toro) someway survived his level crashing successful nan film’s opening scene, and successful nan title series that follows, we spot him backmost location successful his bathtub. In a wide, high-angle shot, nan camera pointed consecutive down, we watch successful slow mobility arsenic a squad of servants move successful and retired of frame, tending to nan bandaged tycoon’s each request arsenic he sounds his book, smokes his cigar, drinks his wine, and listens to a grounds of composer Igor Stravinsky’s “Apollo” connected turntable down him.

On a caller section of nan Filmmaker Toolkit podcast, Anderson walked IndieWire done this title series and really it sets nan array for nan remainder of nan film.

“This is simply a characteristic who is unkillable, arsenic acold arsenic we tin tell, and he doesn’t get very scared. He’s highly resilient, and he’s utilized to having a batch of support,” said Anderson of what nan assemblage initially takes from this meticulously choreographed scene.

With nan camera mounted to nan ceiling and filming astatine a very precocious framework rate, nan actors beneath had to execute their actions astatine a importantly faster gait than would look normal if nan segment were filmed astatine 24 frames per second, while simultaneously needing to look orderly and calm — Korda’s demeanor is stoic, his home unit well-trained professionals.

“The euphony successful this series is simply a dance. It’s a ballet by Stravinsky, truthful nan segment is [in a way] choreographed,” said Anderson of his precise blocking of nan action.

The euphony is besides reflective of Korda. The track, selected by Anderson and his longtime music supervisor Randall Poster astatine nan book phase, is nan last activity (“Apotheosis”) of Stravinsky’s ballet astir nan Greek deity Apollo. Anderson said successful nan film’s property notes, “Our movie is astir a man who is for illustration a mountain. He is himself of epic scale, his life is connected an epic scale.”

On nan podcast, Anderson elaborated further connected nan music’s relationship to Del Toro’s character. “Somehow, this portion to maine had thing sad and stately — immoderate wounded, hopeful, something-or-another that seemed defiant, that seemed to link to this character, and it was ever a portion of our story.”

That nan euphony some reinforces nan consciousness of Korda arsenic an unstoppable force, but besides hints astatine thing sad and wounded underneath, speaks to nan mastery of nan Poster-Anderson collaboration. Anderson revealed connected nan podcast that his 30-year relationship pinch Poster, centered astir their shared emotion of music, has led to them licensing songs years earlier nan writer/director has moreover conjured up a communicative to usage them in: “We’ve paid a interest to support immoderate euphony group speech that we cognize yet we’re going to person a spot for, and truthful nary 1 other tin usage it.” That expertise for nan euphony to speak to what’s connected nan aboveground — and nan yet-to-be-recognized emotions beneath — sets up Korda’s unexpected arc.

Mathieu Amalric, Wes Anderson, Mia Threapleton and Benicio Del Toro connected nan group of ‘The Phoenician Scheme‘Roger Do Minh/TPS Productions/Fo

“Another point we had successful mind pinch this characteristic is that, successful spite of nan truth he’s perpetually educating himself further — he’s reading, he’s listening to music, he’s walking nan world, he’s gathering accusation and enhancing himself successful immoderate measurement — he doesn’t alteration because of these things. He’s personification who it’s each ammunition to him,” said Anderson. “This guy, who is not changed by what he learns, is changed by nan acquisition of death. And his position yet does statesman to change because of what keeps happening to him: People are trying to termination him, and he’s really going done thing very intense, and it originates to revise his priorities.”

In nan segment that follows, Korda will return his first measurement to make his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) his successor. The unorthodox prime of his 20-year-old daughter, a nun-in-training who believes her father’s activity is immoral, is portion of Korda’s elaborate business plan. But arsenic his seemingly unstoppable thrust to complete nan Korda Land and Sea Phoenician Infrastructure Scheme leads to much near-death experiences, his ambitions displacement to wanting to go a father.

The specificity of nan camera positioning and slow-motion orchestration successful nan title series is stylistically reminiscent of head Brian De Palma. Anderson said he wasn’t consciously reasoning of De Palma erstwhile designing nan title sequence, but he doesn’t contradict nan power aliases nonstop connection.

“I deliberation erstwhile you’re making something, you’re reasoning of nan things moreover that you’re not reasoning of [them].  It’s successful there,” said Anderson of De Palma’s power connected nan scene. “You’re utilizing each nan overgarment connected nan palette, truthful for maine it’s a earthy thing. I’ve seen each [De Palma’s] movies, and I’ve seen them again and again, truthful I deliberation it’s a portion of my — it’s gone into my DNA.”

To perceive Wes Anderson’s afloat interview, subscribe to nan Filmmaker Toolkit podcast on Apple, Spotify, aliases your favourite podcast platform.