Where is the Grand Budapest Hotel ? – Unfortunately, the”hotel” is not located in Budapest. The former department store that served as the stage set is located in Germany in the city of Görlitz, It is found inthe eastern portion of the country that borders Poland and is also close to the border of the Czech Republic.
Does Grand Budapest Hotel exist?
The Real-Life Grand Budapest Hotels You Can Actually Stay In Ever since I watched The Grand Budapest Hotel, I’ve had only one question on my mind. How do I get a room there? I can’t be the only one – who wouldn’t want to stay in a pink palace with its own army of loyal, purple-suited staff? Once you start dreaming of marble-tiled thermal baths and chandelier-strung lobbies, that bargain Airbnb right by the airport begins to lose its charm.
Unfortunately for those desperate to sleep under M. Gustave’s roof, The Grand Budapest Hotel doesn’t actually exist. Wes Anderson took over an abandoned shopping centre in Germany for the location of the film, with all sets removed at the end of the shoot. Even the signature pink frontage was only a set piece.
But don’t despair! From Havana to Prague to London, there are hotels all over the world which have the glamour, charm and aesthetic of our favourite fictional abode. From pink palaces to art nouveau arches to glass-domed walkways, we’ve found the perfect hotels for anyone who fancies bedding down with Wes Anderson (figuratively, of course).
Is The Budapest hotel Based on a true story?
The Grand Budapest Hotel: An Uncommon Adaptation of the World of Yesterday Wes Anderson’s film The Grand Budapest Hotel is an unconventional adaptation of writer Zweig’s memoir The World of Yesterday and his personal experiences. The film has its own original story but retains the central thrust of the memoir.
- This thesis will discuss how Wes Anderson represents three important motifs from Zweig’s book through the plot of the film, which are the sorrow for the dislocated lives of the refugees, the nostalgia for the spirit of classical Europe and the condemnation of the Nazis.
- The main subjects of this thesis are the film The Grand Budapest Hotel and the memoir The World of Yesterday.
They are going to be researched by a close reading of texts. Some of the ways in which adaptations from literary works to film productions can be found as a result. : The Grand Budapest Hotel: An Uncommon Adaptation of the World of Yesterday
Is Schloss a castle or lock?
Schloss n (plural Schlösser) castle.
What town is castle filmed in?
Fake Writer, Real Books? That’s ‘Castle’ (Published 2010) Critic’s Notebook
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On a recent episode of “Castle,” the cutesy ABC police procedural that is more gumdrop than gumshoe, a male stripper turns up dead after a night of carousing with some bachelorettes who are still drunk and memory-impaired from cheap tequila. Before long it is revealed that the stripper — who liked to dress up as a cop, carry a toy gun and call himself Officer McNaughty — was also involved in a real estate con.
- And this is where, from a critical perspective, things get problematic.
- Set in Manhattan but obviously filmed on a sound stage in Los Angeles, is so uninterested in even the taint of reality that it presents a phantasm New York where there are not only motels but also motels with parking lots.
- The property scam to which McNaughty was connected duped buyers into thinking they could get huge and modish riverfront lofts in Hoboken, N.J., for $400,000 with $10,000 down.
I mean, please. This is an insult both to the New York metropolitan area’s cherished housing obsession and to each resident who can recite price-per-square-foot differentials the way a knowledgeable baseball announcer can quote on-base percentage. “Castle,” now in its third successful season and having its best ratings to date, is on one level an innocuously dopey confection and an arguable waste of 44 DVR minutes. Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion in “Castle.” Credit. Adam Larkey/ABC At the center is a mystery novelist and doughy rogue named Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion), who speaks in a pseudo-aristocratic near whisper. To cure his writer’s block, he gets his friend the mayor to pair him up with a gorgeous and self-serious homicide detective as a means of finding inspiration.
Proving a sufficient muse, the detective, Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), eventually becomes the basis for a new serial character whom Castle, as if culling names from Penthouse Forum letters, calls Nikki Heat. Like Beckett, Heat is reluctantly teamed in this story-within-a-story instance with a writer looking for good material, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist named Jameson Rook.
The hitch is that Jameson Rook is real, at least in the sense that a character with that name exists in two tangible, best-selling books — “Heat Wave” and “Naked Heat” — that are attributed to the author Richard Castle. In a bit of old-media marketing ingenuity, ABC had its corporate sister Hyperion publish the made-up novels its fictional character was fake-writing.
- The actual author has not been disclosed, though suspicion has alighted on the show’s executive producer, Andrew W. Marlowe.
- Given the secrecy, the body dispatched to show up for book-promotion events belongs to Mr. Fillion.
- Like the series the books evoke a New York as distant from the universe of “Law & Order” as “All My Children” is from a Harold Pinter play.
Neither Castle nor his alter ego, Rook, is the kind to drink coffee out of a Greek diner cup; they are, rather ostentatiously, on the wining side of the class war. Castle is the son of a red-headed socialite, played on the show with a perfectly fussy ebullience by Susan Sullivan (whom you will recall from “Falcon Crest”).
Multiply divorced, he lives in splendor with his mother and his teenage daughter and counts among his friends the real-life mystery novelist James Patterson, who has appeared on the series as himself. Castle and Beckett dance around the inevitable sexual tension unconvincingly. Despite the whimsical mood, Ms.
Katic maintains an egregiously flat and chilly affect, performing as though she has been cast in “CSI: Kiev.” It is too easy to care not an iota whether they get into bed, let alone eventually wind up registering at Tiffany. In truth “Castle” makes a compelling case for Oedipal romance, as the chemistry between Mr.
Why is everything filmed in Budapest?
Finally, there is one other major factor that has attracted Hollywood filmmakers to Budapest: cost. Not only are production and employment costs lower in Hungary than in the USA, but there are significant tax breaks for movies made there.
Who is Gustave H based on?
In Search of Mister Gustave – The American Scholar Martin Scalin/Fox Searchlight Pictures/Everett Collection The central figure in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, winner of this year’s Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture, Musical, or Comedy and the recipient of nine Academy Award nominations, is the hotel’s concierge, Monsieur Gustave H.
- Played with great aplomb by Ralph Fiennes, Gustave is a genuinely appealing character, the epitome of Middle European charm and style.
- He recites syrupy Rilke-esque poetry while seeing to the needs of the hotel’s well-heeled guests—the men as well as the aging women who seek him out for certain discreet and salacious entertainments—who, in return, bestow extravagant gifts upon him.
But then one of these women, Madame Céline Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis—the aristocratic Madame D—is found dead under suspicious circumstances. At the reading of her will, Gustave is awarded possession of a rare and valuable painting called Boy with Apple, and the family becomes incensed.
Madame D’s despicable son Dmitri accuses Gustave of being a con man who has preyed on the emotional neediness of an old woman, romancing her out of her fortune. Until this point, Anderson has clearly distinguished between the good guys and the bad (comforting, in this age of flawed heroes and general brutality).
But if Gustave is indeed a swindler, does it matter? We all need our illusions. As the old saying goes, mundus vult decipi —the world wants to be deceived. In the script, as well as in interviews, Anderson credits Stefan Zweig, the highly popular Austrian author of the interwar years, with providing the inspiration for M.
Gustave in particular and for the movie’s themes more generally. There are some obvious similarities. Zweig began writing just before World War I, composing syrupy Rilke-esque poetry. He even befriended Rilke, that ethereal poet who worked in a castle placed at his disposal by the aristocratic Princess Marie von Thurn und Taxis.
Photos of Zweig could easily be mistaken for stills of Ralph Fiennes, right down to the immaculate tailoring and the slightly bemused Jack Benny stare. But are there other models for this character? About a year ago, in an attempt to locate the elusive Gustave, I began a reading marathon, intending to go through much of Zweig’s work, as well as many other Central European books from the interwar years.
A chapter in Zweig’s dazzling and puzzling memoir-cum-suicide-note, The World of Yesterday (1942), describes his stay in early 1900s Berlin, where he enjoyed the bohemian bonhomie of a circle of impoverished artists and writers, including an enchanting and famous con man who had served various stints in prison and who had also written his memoirs.
Zweig says he was proud to shake the hand of this articulate and gracious criminal. He does not provide a name. He refers to him only by the term Hochstapler, a thief or low-class deceiver who smuggles himself into wealthy circles. Here was a start, I thought.
One famous con man of the day was the suave hotel thief Georges Manolescu, much heralded by the Berlin press and the author of the picaresque 1905 memoir, The Prince of Thieves, Could he have been the man whose hand Zweig had shaken? Still, I did not find any conniving concierges in Zweig’s mesmerizing short stories and novellas.
Christine Hoflehner, the title character in The Post-Office Girl, learns to ape grand ways at a luxury resort, but the concierge there plays no important role. The gambler in 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman has such magnetic charm that a respectable woman is willing to surrender herself, her honor, and her fortune for him.
- No concierge.
- The anti-Fascist hero of Chess Story is imprisoned and subjected to psychological torture in a grand Viennese hotel turned into a Nazi prison.
- Again, no concierge.
- His work may include grand hotel settings, but as I learned from two biographies of the writer, by George Prochnik and Oliver Matuschek, Zweig did not particularly like grand hotels.
Coming from a wealthy family, he had no need for illusions of grandeur, preferring small cozy spaces filled with books and manuscripts instead. Yet the figure of the hotel con man recurs in many other works of the period. In Vicki Baum’s Grand Hotel, the thief is a pseudo-aristocratic hotel guest who falls for an émigrée Russian ballerina.
- And Thomas Mann’s last, unfinished novel, The Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man, features a charming, happy-go-lucky swindler who starts out as a hotel elevator operator.
- The wealthy hotel guests, he tells us, always pass up other elevator cars for the chance to ride in his.) Felix falls for one of his victims and admits that he has stolen her jewelry.
The woman, far from becoming upset, is thrilled to play such a titillating game. “Du bist ein Dieb? Mais ça c’est suprême!” (“You are a thief? But that is superb!”) It turns out that she would have given him her jewels—if only he’d asked. Felix is eventually promoted to the position of waiter, ruling the grand spaces of the hotel like a lord in his manor.
He does not go after vulnerable victims. They find him. And he is surprised and delighted by their generosity. Mann calls him a Hochstapler, as well. At one point in the novel, the parents of a young aristocrat decide to send him on a world tour, thereby removing him from the hedonistic world of the Paris demimonde.
The aristocrat would rather not go and swaps identities with Felix, who sets off on his travels, sending effusive and loving letters from various ports to the young man’s gullible mother. Exquisitely dressed and beautifully mannered, Felix fits into blue-blood society with ease, shedding his low-life background and assuming a refined bearing.
So much for heredity.) Gustave, too, plays this part, effortlessly fitting into a world into which he was not born. So is Felix Krull a model for Anderson’s hotel concierge? Could Mann be as important an influence as Zweig? I have been running down leads for months, and the search could go on indefinitely.
After all, the scholar Thomas Sprecher, who has analyzed Mann’s Felix Krull –related papers, has compiled a 50-page bibliography on con artists and gentlemen-criminals in modern European literature. Mann was a bit of a con artist himself. Though he flunked out of school, he presented himself to the world as a learned and scholarly writer (something he did eventually become)—but one with a few tricks up his sleeve.
He was a devoted husband and family man who had a squelched weakness for attractive waiters and adolescent boys (see Death in Venice), He was also deeply interested in the life of the Hochstapler Manolescu, whose memoir seems to have informed Felix Krull, And Mann, unlike Zweig, really did enjoy all the fine trappings of the grand hotels of his era.
His snowy Magic Mountain sanatorium-resort has much the same atmosphere as the Grand Budapest Hotel. As my year of binge reading comes to an end, I am remembering a few days I once spent in Budapest, at the Gellert Baths and Spa hotel, a huge old stone pile on a hill built during the World War I era of grand hotels.
The Grand Budapest Hotel does not take place in Budapest and was filmed in Germany, but somehow the title fits. The Gellert had swimming pools at different temperatures, one with a wave machine. When I stayed there, the Habsburg-esque rooms still had remnants of later funky Communist-era furnishings and odd utilitarian accretions.
I asked the concierge to book two adjacent rooms, one for my husband and me, and one for our teenage son. The concierge obliged with two enormous rooms on the top floor facing the Danube. Before dinner, we would lean out our respective stone-framed windows and chat as the lights came on along the bridges below.
I invited a few friends who lived in the city to dinner one night, and the concierge arranged for us a quiet outdoor rooftop table with a splendid view of the river and of the imaginative architecture on both the Buda and the Pest sides. As we ate, we engaged in wide-ranging highbrow discussion. I later learned that one of my friends was not quite as credentialed as he said he was, but I didn’t really care.
The conversation was energizing. And I hope that the gracious, Old World concierge at the Gellert, who made that evening possible, has by now seen Anderson’s movie. Do they have Netflix in Budapest? Permission required for reprinting, reproducing, or other uses.
Where is Zubrowka supposed to be?
GrandHotel Pupp – ullstein bild Dtl. // Getty Images The Grand Budapest Hotel’s interior was a built set, but the references were mostly pulled from The GrandHotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary. The town, once known as Karlsbad, has entertained visitors for over a century at the historic hotel, which is famous for it’s intricate plasterwork and red carpets.3
Is The Grand Budapest Hotel in Switzerland?
Hotel Waldhaus Sils-Maria Those in the know are aware that Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel has a real-life counterpart in the Swiss Alps: The Waldhaus Sils, which has pleased and puzzled visitors for 111 years and become an icon of Swiss hospitality.
- Located above the small and pretty village of Sils Maria, near St.
- Moritz, it overlooks a striking landscape of forests, lakes and mountains and offers a combination of Belle Epoque flair and modern comfort.
- Its distinctive charm comes from the fact that the Waldhaus has been family-owned and operated ever since its grand opening on June 15, 1908.111 Years of Waldhaus Sils ranges across the hotel’s life and history.
Brief essays look at the hotel’s history and the broader context in which it exists. The book also shines a light on colorful members of the owning family and their dreams and work, interspersed with conversations with people who have known them. Beautifully illustrated with newly commissioned and historic photographs and documents, it is a tantalizing glimpse into the life of an exceptional hotel in one of Europe’s most spectacular landscapes.
Authors & Editors Rolf Kienberger – Urs Kienberger – Andrin C. WilliPhotography: Stefan Pielow
: Hotel Waldhaus Sils-Maria
Why is it called Grand Budapest Hotel?
The royal suite – The hotel is inspired by an actual hotel in Budapest. It was founded in 1896 and the original name was Grand Hotel Royal Budapest. Today it’s called Corinthia Hotel Budapest, and it’s a five star hotel in the city centre. It has quite a history, especially in regards to film history.
It’s one of the birthplaces of Hungarian film: this is where the first motion pictures of the Lumière brothers were projectedThe ballroom & concert hall actually functioned as a cinema (first as Royal Apollo Cinema, then Red Star Cinema) till 1997. Josephine Baker was staying here (in the presidential suite of course, which is now named after Ferenc Liszt and it’s more than 240 square meters) Eastern-European paths played,
The name of his character is a nod towards two legendary Hungarian cinematographers: László Kovács (Easy Rider, Ghostbusters, New York, New York) & Vilmos Zsigmond (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter). The both emigrated to the US in 1956, and Jeff Goldblum’s character dies on the 23th of October, which is the national holiday of the 1956 Revolution in Hungary.
Why is Grand Budapest Hotel so good?
9 /10 A hotel well worth revisiting more than once That it was directed by Wes Anderson (who has a unique style that really fascinates, but admittedly not everybody will like or warm to his style) and that the cast is so stellar were reasons enough to see ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ in the first place, as well as its many accolades and critical acclaim.
While it isn’t quite flawless, and it is easy to see why a number of people don’t like or will not like it (due to a lot of the cast’s roles being pretty short, only Gustave and Zero being fully fleshed out of the characters and those who have a problem with Anderson’s style), ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ is a visually stunning, hugely entertaining, wonderfully weird and impeccably cast and acted film.
It really stuns visually, with cinematography that is not only clever in technique but also gorgeous in aesthetic and tight, fluid editing. The costumes, production design and hair and make-up richly deserved their Oscar/Academy Award wins, the costume and production design have a lusciously colourful fairy-tale feel while also given substance by the bleakly atmospheric quality that reflects the crime drama aspect of the story brilliantly.
Alexandre Desplat also received an Oscar, and with its hauntingly hypnotic and entrancing tones it richly deserved it as to me it was by far the best score of those nominated. Anderson directs superbly, the story balances darkness and quirkiness to great effect (the prison scene is unforgettable) and it’s never too simplistic or convoluted (though of course the visuals, dialogue and performances make much more of an impact) and the screenplay is a sublime mixture of the dark, the quirky, the witty and the subtle delivered with rapid-fire.
‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ boasts an impeccable cast and pretty much everybody does a splendid job, though many of the roles are short. My only criticism of the film is that Harvey Keitel and Saoirse Ronan are underused and just get lost amongst everything else, an unrecognisable Tilda Swinton also has little to do but still gives a bat-out-of-hell performance.
Bill Murray, F. Murray Abraham, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson give very entertaining performances, while Edward Norton is delightfully droll and Adrien Brody and especially Willem Dafoe bring sinister foreboding to the film. Some may say that Tony Revolori is overshadowed by the more experienced cast members (being the only newcomer in a large cast of big names), but to me he more than holds his own and effectively plays it straight.
The film belongs to Ralph Fiennes, in what is essentially the heart of the film, while he has always been a fine actor he has not given a performance this brilliant in years, never knew he could be so riotously funny. In conclusion, a wonderful film and a hotel well worth revisiting more than once if to one’s taste.9/10 Bethany Cox 103 out of 114 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 Strange and pretty much impossible to describe. Wes Anderson’s films are really hard to describe or define. Suffice to say that he is unique in his style-very unique. This uniqueness is what makes “The Grand Budapest Hotel” worth seeing. It’s an odd story where a story is told within a story-and it’s filled with famous actors making lots of odd cameos.
And, like Anderson’s other films, it’s full of odd characters, unusual dialog and brisk-paced editing. And, not surprisingly, it’s NOTHING like other films by other directors. The bottom line is that all these weird factors work together to make a film that you’ll probably enjoy-but, like me, you won’t be exactly sure why! 80 out of 88 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 Absurd, funny, exciting, violent and colourful Warning: Spoilers Can a film be absurd, funny, exciting, violent and colourful at the same time? Yes. ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ combines all those elements. And I didn’t even mention the most important characteristic: it is visually wonderful.
In this film, director Wes Anderson creates his own universe, full of colourful characters, old-world charm and witty one-liners. The nice thing about creating your own universe is that you can make it look perfect. Every shot, every little detail and every set is flawless.
From lead character Gustave H.’s purple jacket to the title of the newspaper announcing the war (The Trans-Alpine Yodel) – Anderson has given thought and attention to everything. The story is not very important, because it is merely a vehicle for the stunning visuals, the dark humour and the rapid-fire dialogue.
It’s all about a hotel concierge, Gustave H., who is being chased by various villains for stealing a painting. All this is set against the backdrop of the Nazis invading Central Europe (although in Anderson’s fantasy world they are not called Nazis of course).
- Some of the scenes are very funny, but there is always a darker tone because of the looming war.
- Anderson doesn’t shy away from extreme violence, but he shows it in an offbeat and almost comical manner.
- My favourite scene, in which it all comes together, shows concierges in hotels all over Europe, calling each other to help Gustave H.
Each of them is shown in his hotel (with a wonderful fantasy name of course), busy doing some important job like tasting the soup or giving first aid to an unconscious hotel guest, when he is being called away to the telephone. Each hands the job over to his assistant, and answers the phone.
- This fast succession of little scenes is done so perfectly, it’s a great joy to watch.
- Ralph Fiennes steals the show as the sophisticated Gustave H., who never despairs, even in the most unfavourable circumstances.
- He is supported by a large number of star actors, who are sometimes almost unrecognizable.
Because of the amount of support actors, some of them are a bit underused. Tilda Swinton gets rather little screen time, as does Harvey Keitel. The film moves forward at a breakneck speed. You have to be very alert in order not to miss something. The plot is not always very easy to follow, and the dialogue is fast.
And there are the great camera angles and the wonderful detailed sets to pay attention to. I think by seeing the film a second time you can discover lots of things you didn’t notice the first time.471 out of 556 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 Keep your hands off my lobby boy! The Grand Hotel Budapest is a zany, colorful and fascinating journey through old postcard Europe, such as only Hollywood can think of.
With his old, almost square picture format Wes Anderson pays tribute to recent days, but with the whole movie. In addition to his brilliant humor and endearing characters, this film captures gems with seemingly small details and meticulous compositions.
For me, now one of the funniest and most original movies of 2014. The style is unique. You will either like it or you won’t. There is no middle ground here. With too many great actors to mention, they all gave outstanding performance that will keep you enchanted.56 out of 70 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink A Grand Adventure Wes Anderson is one of the most original film makers working today. None of his films can be categorized into any particular genre. His latest, The Grand Budapest Hotel, which opened the Berlin Film Festival, continues that trend.
- It is a tale within a tale within another tale.
- Whilst every shot has been meticulously arranged as though a work of Art hanging in a museum, story wise Anderson has let his imagination run wild.
- Though the tale (with Tom Wilkinson as the author of the story) and the tale within the tale (with Jude Law as the young author & F Murray Abraham as the mysterious owner of THe Grand Budapest Hotel) have straightforward narratives, the tale within the tale within the tale, which comprises the bulk of the film and is set in the years preceding the Second World War, is a wild uproarious train ride of story telling.
It also boasts the cast of a life time: Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson & countless cameos. It will delight Anderson fans but is more likely destined for Art house cinemas as it is too off center for mainstream audiences.
- The production design and music are outstanding and even the end credits are imaginatively done (and received another ovation from the audience).256 out of 326 found this helpful.
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- Permalink 8 /10 A brilliantly entertaining fantasy outing by Wes Anderson The Grand Budapest Hotel is the latest from Wes Anderson, and what great fun it is.
My review of Monuments Men pointed out that putting the likes of George Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin, Bill Murray and Hugh Bonneville in the same film was no guarantee of a good film. Following that logic, what should we make of the following turning up together: Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, F.
Murray Abraham, Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Edward Norton, Tom Wilkinson, Saoirse Ronan, Owen Wilson and (a wonderfully made up) Tilda Swinton? The answer is a near masterpiece of cameos that add up to a highly entertaining and memorable film. In a complex serious of flashbacks, Tom Wilkinson plays an author remembering his younger self (Jude Law) being recounted, a number of years before, the life story of The Grand Budapest’s mysterious elderly guest Zero Moustafa, played by Abraham.
(Are you still with me?) Featuring strongly in this life story, Ralph Fiennes plays hotel concierge and lothario Gustave H., seducer of his elderly and wealthy guests. He is supported in this role – for everything outside the bedroom that is – by trainee Bellboy, and Gustave’s protégé, Zero (in the younger form of Tony Revolori).
Following the murder of one such guest (Tilda Swinton), Gustave is not surprised to feature strongly in her will, awarded a priceless Renaissance painting – Boy with Apple. This is much to the displeasure of her son Dimitri (Adrien Brody) and his evil henchman Jopling (Willem Defoe). What follows is a madcap pursuit across snowy landscapes, various grisly murders, a couple of civil wars, some disconnected fingers, a prison break and a downhill ski chase.
All the cast seem to enjoy themselves immensely, but it is the production design and cinematography that really shines through: every single shot of the film is just a joy to look at, from the bright pastel colours of some scenes to the oak-panelled finery of the elderly lady’s mansion.
- Beautifully crafted, beautifully lit,beautifully costumed, beautifully filmed.
- Bringing a film out so early in the new Oscar-year must be risky: but one can only hope that the voting members have a long enough memory to recognise this movie in these sorts of categories.
- There are some interesting crossovers to recent films: both ‘The Book Thief’ and ‘The Monuments Men’ were filmed – as this was – in Studio Babelsberg in Potsdam.
No coincidence then that the steam train chugging through the East European countryside looked startlingly similar to that in the opening scenes of ‘The Book Thief’; and if you have Bill Murray and Bob Balaban in town for Monuments Men, then why not stick them together for this film too? Simples! Alexandre Desplat turns up AGAIN with another quirky and fitting score.
- All in all, if you like the quirky style of films of the likes of Moulin Rouge then you’ll love this.
- Highly recommended.
- If you enjoyed this review, please check out my archive of other reviews and while there sign up to “Follow the Fad”! Thanks!).166 out of 223 found this helpful.
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Permalink 10 /10 “There are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. He was one of them. ” Wes Anderson is one of the last directors -auteurs- who’s got complete control on the film set and has the power to make whatever kind of film he desires.
- His distinct visual style is apparent since his 1996 debut Bottle Rcoket.
- But that was just a start, with every film he made he was perfecting his technique more and more.
- This marvelous attention to detail, the way he composes his shots( tracking shots, the symmetry, the characters running in slow-motion), chase scenes, love story, nostalgia, explanatory montages, the colourful set design and the prevalent theme of every one of his films: family.
This all adds up to the reason why the audience enjoys Anderson’s film so much. This all is brought to perfection in Grandhotel Budapest. Through complex narrative framework, which itself is a mockery of all these films that are being narrated by someone and is also being an excuse for not being too realistic, we get to a story of a young lobby boy named Zero Moustafa and Gustave H.
- Ralph Fiennes)the concierge of the Grandhotel Budapest.
- Many of the female guests of the hotel mainly come to enjoy Gustave’s company.
- When one of these ladies passes away, Gustave grabs Zero and boards a train for her mansion.
- Soon he’s blamed for her murder and hunted by police led by Edward Norton and a grim-faced assassin played by Willem Dafoe.
There also is a love story between two young teens – Zero and Agatha (Saoirse Ronan) who has a birthmark in the shape of Mexico. I frankly don’t understand how can this film be successful in the USA. This film is just so typically European, that I guess some aspects of the film Americans just aren’t familiar with.
Some of the humor reminded of old French, Italian and Czech comedies. Wes Anderson remains to be a stand-out filmmaker who never disappoints with any of his creations and is a safe bet to rely on his qualities. You won’t want to return to the real world when the credits start to roll.279 out of 350 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9 /10 Funny, sweet, inventive and wonderfully acted A wonderfully funny fable of the adventures of world’s greatest hotel concierge (a brilliant, inventive and hilarious performance by Ralph Fiennes) and the friendship he strikes up with the hotel’s new lobby boy (a strong debut by newcomer Tony Revolori).
- The story goes in many unexpected directions, every one entertaining and eccentric, and the cast is full of first rate highly comic performances by F.
- Murray Abraham, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, with terrific cameos by Bill Murray, Harvey Keitel, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson, Jude Law and others I feel bad for forgetting here.
While not Anderson’s most profound film, it may be his most joyful. I don’t think I stopped smiling from first frame to last, and I laughed out loud quite a few times. And yet, as in any good fable, there is some real poignancy as well. A top notch marriage of a lovingly crafted art-film and a wacky human comedy, something rarely pulled off with such panache.
Even my friends who don’t enjoy Anderson’s work in general had nothing but good things to say. The sweetest treat of the movie year so far.47 out of 61 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9 /10 Wes Anderson’s Best? I would consider myself a Wes Anderson fan, however in saying that, I have only seen a handful of his movies.
I was very excited for The Grand Budapest Hotel, because of its excellent cast, the fact it’s directed by Wes Anderson and just by how unique it looked. After watching The Grand Budapest Hotel, I can confidently say that it’s my new favourite Wes Anderson film, and probably his best.
As I was hoping, the story to The Grand Budapest Hotel is very original and unique, some may even say strange. And as the movie goes on, the story only gets wilder and wilder. The film is often very hilarious, with some seriously funny dark humour thrown in there as well. Characters are extremely well written, with the bond between Gustave and Zero being the backbone of the whole movie as it’s so well written.
The Grand Budapest Hotel features an odd narrative structure that works very well for the film, again adding to the uniqueness and freshness of it. I wasn’t exactly sure how the story would play out, as I purposely avoided all promotional materiel so I would know as little as possible before watching.
This was a great benefit to my viewing experience as I loved everything I saw, and felt as though nothing was spoiled from watching too many trailers. I haven’t been a huge fan of most of Ralph Fiennes’ work since his phenomenal performance in 1993′s “Schindler’s List”, but this is easily his best performance since then.
He proves he can do comedy just as well as he can do drama, providing a perfect balance of both. Newcomer Tony Revolori is excellent as well. I won’t get into the whole supporting cast because there’s so many who were all so great, but I was particularly impressed by Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law and Saoirse Ronan.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is definitely a Wes Anderson film, down to its very core. If you know his style, then you known what to expect, as this movie is full of it. Thankfully though, it’s not a case of style over substance, with a great story to accompany the gorgeous visuals. The colour palette is beautiful; it’s nice to see lot’s of bright colours when so many other films are so dark and dreary.
The set design and costumes are perfect, and there’s so much attention to detail within the sets. The cinematography is phenomenal, and I really like how the film was presented in different aspect ratios. You really can’t go wrong with this film. It’s probably Wes Anderson’s best film, it has gorgeous visuals, excellent acting and a wonderful story.
If you’re a fan of Wes Anderson’s previous work, you cannot miss this, and even if you’re not a fan you should go and see it anyway.266 out of 337 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink A cinematic chocolate box Rarely has a movie looked so good: the compositions and colours make each shot a minor work of art.
Rarely has a film had such a constellation of stars: in a fun exercise of ‘spot the actor’, you should be able to identify a dozen, although one will prove harder than the rest (clue: it’s an elderly woman). But then this is a work from the idiosyncratic Wes Anderson who wrote, produced and directed.
The structure is a story within a story within a story and at the heart of this Russian doll is a tale set in a mythical Middle European nation called Zubrowka between the two world wars and focused on Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), the dedicated but eccentric concierge of the eponymous hotel, and his aspiring young bell boy Zero Mustapha (Tony Revolori).
In a wonderful cast full of exquisite performances, Fiennes is a revelation. The man who chilled us in “Schindler’s List” here shows a remarkable skill in comedic acting. In a twisting plot of deceit and murder, above all this is a whimsical work from the opening views of the hotel to the final credits (when a little Russian character does a dance).
Shot entirely in Germany, most of the scenes were filmed on the stages of the Babelsberg Studios.6 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9 /10 A new high for Wes Anderson The Grand Budapest Hotel is an old relic in the eastern European former republic of Zubrowka.
In 1985, the author of the book Grand Budapest Hotel (Tom Wilkinson) recounts how in 1968 he (Jude Law) got the story from Mr. Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham). He talks about his early life as Lobby Boy (Tony Revolori) with the original concierge M. Gustave H.
- Ralph Fiennes) in 1932 who was willed a priceless painting by Madame Celine Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis (Tilda Swinton) setting off a battle with the woman’s family led by her son Dimitri (Adrien Brody) and the violent Jopling (Willem Dafoe).
- Gustave is arrested for Madame D’s murder.
- Agatha (Saoirse Ronan) is the girl of purity who’s in love with Zero.
Kovacs (Jeff Goldblum) is the executor of the will. This is a new high for Wes Anderson. He’s filled this with his usual unique visual style and his quirky characters. In addition, he has used it in an exciting thriller with a bit of mystery. There are some really dangerous bad guys.
There is real tension that isn’t always there for a Wes Anderson film. He always had the quirky, the fascinating and the unique. This has so much more than that. It’s a pretty fun thrilling ride.17 out of 22 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10 /10 A perfect holiday without leaving home.
My heart is still rolling from the escape to 30’s Europe this afternoon, and without jet lag. This movie is an inspiration, a dream, a walk through a painting and a study of humanity. Ralph Fiennes is a phenomenon as M. Gustave. his interactions with every cast member and especially newcomer Tony Revolori are fantastic.
The later holds his own weight beyond belief and the entire film is an amazing adventure with James Bond style chases, a large murder mystery, the best placed cussing and of course the sensational cinematography. The sets, models, angles and even the most nondescript characters come to life each on their own and together as a symphony of beauty.
It’s freaking brilliant; The Grand Budapest Hotel.527 out of 639 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10 /10 Simply wonderful Warning: Spoilers An extraordinary cinematic confection and probably Wes Anderson’s greatest film.
- Ralph Fiennes plays the concierge at the Grand Budapest Hotel in the 1930s, which exists in a fictional European country in the Alpine range.
- He has a habit of keeping some of the old women who stay at the hotel company.
- When one (Tilda Swinton) leaves him the valuable painting Boy with Apple, Swinton’s evil son (Adrien Brody) frames Fiennes for the murder.
Fiennes’ closest companion, the hotel lobby boy Zero (Tony Revolori), and his girlfriend (Saorsie Ronan) conspire to free Fiennes from prison and sell the painting for loads of money, hopefully enabling them to leave the country, which is being overtaken by fascists.
- The story isn’t much more than fluff (though there is a nice tinge of poignancy), but it’s enormously amusing fluff.
- The highly amusing trailer did give away many of the film’s best gags, but this is a laugh a minute movie.
- The visuals are absolutely delightful.
- Sure, it’s all nothing you haven’t seen before from Anderson, but I found it his most perfect accomplishment.
The film is loaded with great cameos and little roles (the woman behind me almost had an orgasm when Bill Murray appeared), but my favorite was Willem Dafoe as a toothless heavy.53 out of 83 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink 8 /10 Entertaining, slightly farcical, tale of dark deeds and friendship 21 March 2014 Film of Choice at The Plaza Tonight – The Grand Budapest Hotel. I really had no idea what this film was about, having seen only one trailer which in the event, bore no relation to the plot whatsoever. However, my interest was piqued so this evening found me watching a splendid little film packed to the rafters with stars.
This was the tale of Gustave H, the legendary and infamous Concierge of The Grand Budapest Hotel, a rather glamorous edifice perched atop a mountain and his protégé and most trusted friend Zero, The Lobby Boy. This is a tale of friendship, murder, revenge and deep dark plotting.
- There were some completely ridiculous moments which were quite refreshing and several, what I like to call Guffaw moments where several members of the audience emit a loud blast of laughter followed by slightly hysterical giggling that you find yourself joining in with.
- As I said a host of stars in this film ranging from Ralph Fiennes, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law and Bill Murray to Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson and Harvey Keitel to name a few, but one of the outstanding performances must go to Tony Revolori, a relatively unknown young actor who plays Zero, who is In almost every scene.
An entertaining film, worth watching.119 out of 179 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7 /10 A funny thing happened to me on the way to the Grand Budapest Hotel Warning: Spoilers After seeing the previews several times, I thought I would enjoy a delightful almost-fantasy-like film.
But, at age 64, after going to the movies literally hundreds of times in my lifetime, I did something today that I’ve only ever done 3 times previously – I walked out of a movie halfway through the picture. I didn’t blame Wes Anderson, because clearly his films have a following.but I thought it must be an acquired taste.that I had not acquired.
I admitted that it was a uniquely visually pleasing film, but I wondered why so many fine actors agreed to what were rather small parts. At the time I said that this film bored me even more than “Moonrise Kingdom”. The the other night it was on cable. I thought I would give it another try, but I fully expected to turn it off at home, also.
- Perhaps it helped that rather than watch it all in one setting, I broke it into roughly 30 minute segments with breaks in between.
- Guess what.
- This time I liked it.
- I’m not saying I loved it.
- But I did like it.
- What did I see this time that I didn’t see before.
- Well, perhaps the tongue-in-cheek attitude of the film.
The chance to see Ralph Finnes be downright silly instead of his typical dramatic role. The wonderful photography and special effects. The skill of young actor Tony Revolori. The pleasure of seeing F. Murray Abraham again. And, this time enjoying the many “cameo” shots.
I still think it dragged on a bit too long (at 100 minutes there are still a few small bits that could have been edited more tightly or even eliminated). And, I’m still not a raving fan of it. But, this time around I did “like” it. But it won’t end up on my DVD shelf, and I doubt I’ll watch it again. But, bravo.good (not great) job! 144 out of 261 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9 /10 “He retained the illusion with remarkable grace.” Warning: Spoilers A former lobby boy, Zero Moustafaw tells a story to a writer, who tells this tale of a hotel, it’s guests and the outstanding concierge Monsieur Gustav H to us.
It’s about (blind) loyalty, duty beyond the required, greed, stupidity, love for women in any age, and the power of influence when treating persons with the grace of that person’s beauty. It’s (black) comedy at its best. The ridiculous becomes brilliant through cleverly constructed dialog, impeccable executed timing and timbre change.
Many camera shots are little art pieces like in Moonrise Kingdom, beautifully constructed with cuts that ad to the timing, visually. The production design takes you from the shabby to over-the-top kitsch to breath taking wooden interiors and mountains.
The CGI reminds me of Monty Python, deliberately unrealistic which is part of the humor yet makes it at the same time oddly believable. Never thought of Ralph Fiennes as a comedic actor. He convinced me here. Tony Revolori as young Zero Saoirse Ronan as Agatha are remarkable. And then there were: F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, Jeff Goldblum, Edward Norton, Léa Seydoux, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, (I think I saw George Cloony for 2 sec).
Just to be able to get all these heavy weights to sign up for minor roles, demands respect. To get them all set their mark in a few minutes, is awesome. “He retained the illusion with remarkable grace.” is one of the last lines in the movie. It describes both the main character and also the heart of the movie.
- This is a real 9 – beauty combined with dirt, great cinematography with dry jokes and art with silliness.
- If you like to be amazed, see something out of the ordinary, are able to go with a flow, you will LOVE this movie.66 out of 94 found this helpful.
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- Permalink 9 /10 Tricks and Treats.
In a fictional country whose name might earn 100 points on the Scrabble, one of these typical points in the map that started the century in the Austrian-Hungarian splendor and ended up in Soviet austerity, there is a hotel. In this hotel that used to be the place-to-be to all the visitors from Europe, there was a professional, no-nonsense but not without a debonair quality of his own, concierge, his name was Gustav.
- He had a lust for aging blonde socialites, and from the way he explains it, it’s something that requires the taste of a gourmet.
- There’s also a timid but motivated lobby boy named Zero, a baker named Mendl, a murder, a jail sentence, inheritance, family plots and many other ingredients of a real pastry of movie whose story and tone will get over the heads of those who expect something with a plot.
Well, that’s not what the film is about, it has the old-fashioned charm of Golden Age Hollywood movies, but with a sense of self-conscious wit that gives it a modern touch of originality. It is weird, it is old, you wouldn’t believe this is a 2014 movie but like Gustav’ tastes, it takes a gourmet to appreciate it.
- There’s something delightfully refreshing in “The Grand Budapest Hotel” in the way it doesn’t call for any particular analysis, and provides nothing that can encourage your mind to venture into intellectual considerations.
- This film is meant for pure visual and narrative entertainment and all you have to do is imagining yourself checking in a hotel where all your wishes will be granted, you don’t even have to think, it’s all in the ‘wait and see’ premise.
There’s also a leitmotif in the film consisting on a delicious pastry, from renowned baker Mendl, who looks and tastes good and is so appealing in any way that when it is sent to a jail pensioner, the man in charge of checking if there’s no outbreak device hidden in food, doesn’t even let his butcher knife spoil the visuals.
- This is almost a metaphor to Wes Anderson’s aesthetic power, one you don’t want to butcher with ‘thinking’.
- You don’t need and you shouldn’t, because if you try, you’re likely to find yourself in some sort of private joke you’re the only one not to get.
- So, embrace that big joke of a film, that shaggy-dog story where each shot, looks like the vignette of a comic-book, enjoy the dry with of Ralph Fiennes in his greatest comedic performance since “In Bruges” and don’t take the whole thing seriously.
The only serious aspect about it is that the film is a visual masterpiece with a unique use of colors, contrasts and environment shots, Anderson is a director, who like Jeunet in “Amélie” knows how to make people move in an environment, whether a hotel lobby, a jail or a mountain.
- Actually, he even know how to make them static, in the middle of a frame, looking at the camera but never breaking the fourth wall, quite a stunt, really.
- Other moments come in mind, an exchange of punches that look like the frame never moves yet three or four guys end up on the floor, there’s a suspenseful moment over a ravine where a man breaks the ice to make Gustav fall only to be thrown away and fall while spinning like in a Tex Avery cartoon.
The juxtapositions between shots is another trick cherished by Anderson, a group of escaping prisoners look down over a hole they just opened, the next shot features the exact opposite with guards. I mentioned comic-books, the film’s story board would have made a terrific one.
The uses of costume is another aspect that immediately associates the film with the animated world, nothing is too wacky or over-the-top if it means a great-looking shot or a hilarious gag, or both. The film is also known for his ensemble star-cast and indeed, it’s part of the publicity, it would take a whole paragraph to list all the actors, but the thing is that the film owes them nothing, they’re giving their best shot even for a few minutes of screen-time (Bill Murray doesn’t have more than a minute but he steals that minute) because they know the film is good enough to have fun with it.
It was Ebert who mentioned in his show with Siskel that there was nothing better than seeing actors having fun with their characters, the film would highlight that ‘fun’ aspect. We know actors love rely on disguises, phony accents and go beyond their usual method acting just to make fun of their own shtick.
That’s how refreshing the tone of Anderson is. The film would garner 11 Oscar nominations, the most with “Birdman” but not one for acting. Fair enough. And as star-studded as it is, Anderson was wise enough to cast a relatively unknown young fellow (Tony Rivelori) for the central role of awkward lobby boy Zero (his old counterpart is played by F.
Murray Abraham), Zero doesn’t have any physical appeal, he’s not even competent, but he’s totally devoted to his Master Gustav and that is the key to their relationship, he’s his eyes and ears during his absence in prison and together, they lead a heart-pounding adventure with the dawn of the War as a backdrop.
Their relationship, which is one of the mentor and master can be very inspiring at time, even poignant, so maybe there are a few things to appreciate beyond the zaniness, after all. But apart from that, it’s a film that can be tasted like a treat and full of tricks whose only purpose is to make you laugh, the whole thing wrapped up in a sumptuous visual package à la Anderson, a cinematic Mendl.
“The Grand Budapest” is all about intellectual detachment, visual entertainment, and fun, fun and fun, tricks and treats, really.5 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9 /10 A fun movie with a lot of Wes Anderson wit If you like Wes Anderson, you will love this movie.
Witty, entertaining and pleasant, it is a comedy in his unique style, that hits all the tones and notes that make him a unique and original director.12 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9 /10 A feast for the eyes. The once great Grand Budapest Hotel is beginning to fall into disrepair, but as with all great buildings, it has a fascinating past, and a fascinating story to tell.
One hundred minutes of the most indescribable, fabulous, outrageous and decadent,stuff that you could possibly hope to enjoy. It’s very funny, it’s outrageous, and for the most part, if I’m honest, I didn’t know what on Earth was going on. It’s a real feast for the eyes, it looks sublime, the camera work, locations and fashions are incredible, and one of the main reasons I think this film has a broader appeal than simply those who adore art house productions.
The best element for me, the acting, first off, Ralph Fiennes, he once again showcases why he’s one of the very best, he is super here, Willem Dafoe, Tony Revolori, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum and many others all shine. I’ve watched it a few times, each time it seems to offer something new, this is a very rewarding film, 9/10.6 out of 8 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink Delightfully whimsical comedy adventure, with great design and fun performances I watch a lot of short films and you can tell that Wes Anderson has very much made an impact on up and coming filmmakers due to how often you see people trying to make what they call ‘a Wes Anderson style film’.
Watching these film is mostly interesting because of how often these efforts fall short. It is a reminder to me of how hard it actually is to do ‘whimsy’. To make it work, you not only need to make it happen, but you also need to do it in a way that gets the audience into the space they need to be in so as to be able to enjoy it; without this it is often just annoying.
I was thinking of this because GBH is a great example of this working. This is not to say it is brilliant cinema, because in the end it is a whimsical piece but it does do it really well. The structure itself tells you where you are, because this is a film that opens with a girl paying respects at the bust of a dead author, who we then jump to as he starts to tell the story that was told to him by another man – a story which is also that of a story being told – and it is this story which we see for the most part.
- It is a structure that allows for the exaggeration and elaboration of all told stories, and it allows us to go with the sheer silliness of the tale.
- I say silliness, but actually the film keeps a lot which actually engages in the adventure plot, but yet at the same time delivers enough decadence and invention to allow us to enjoy it as a piece of fun.
The cast match this. In many films it would be a real distraction to have so many famous faces in one film, however here it works – again because the audience are mostly positioned just to go with whatever. Fiennes is the beating heart of the film, and if he does not make his character work then the whole thing would struggle; as it is, he makes it work really well, with such color and flourish.
- Revolori is equally good, and needs to be since the friendship and his link to the presence (or plural) is also critical to making it work.
- The rest of the cast contain so many famous names doing small but enjoyable turns that it is pointless to name them all – but they all add to the whimsy rather than overwhelm it.
Technically the film is a beauty, with great shots, great design through, and a sense of second-hand wonder which fits the story-telling structure. All told, it is a quite wonderful piece of silly adventure. It works because it knows itself, and it delivers itself really well in a way that draws the viewer into the space we need to be in to really go with it.
- This is not easy to do, and Anderson does it really well here.6 out of 8 found this helpful.
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- Permalink 6 /10 Lots of Star Power and Style, Lacking in Substance I gather that I was supposed to be thrilled by the “artful” use of color, costumes and props-especially color-in this production.
And I did find it pleasant for what it was worth. It was also fun spotting celebrity cameos in nearly every scene. They were everywhere! A sort of “Where’s Waldo?” in film form, with the hidden characters being Hollywood stars. The budget of this film must have been astronomical.
- But is it a great work of art? I am afraid that I disagree with the reviewers who are raving about The Grand Budapest Hotel.
- It was somewhat fun to watch, but the story, let us be frank, is rather banal and a weird mishmash of genres.
- Some may call that “high art” but to me it is more like a big glob of clichés from all of the different genres mixed together into one big pot.
A mystery? A comedy? A romance? A drama? A slasher crime film (Dafoe plays a psycho professional killer)? This creation ends up being a lot of color and good props and an exercise in style, but it lacks the overall coherence and brilliance of a masterpiece.
Star power and style are good, of course, but they do not alone suffice. Would I watch this film a second time? Probably not.35 out of 59 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink A lot of Style but Little Substance The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) ** (out of 4) Wes Anderson’s critically acclaimed film tells the story of concierge M.
Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) who befriends a young lobby boy and goes on an adventure dealing with a priceless stolen painting. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL has gotten some of the greatest reviews of the year and it even managed to pick up several Oscar-nominations but it just didn’t work for me.
- Every once in a while a film will come along that I watch and I can understand why so many people love it but it just doesn’t sit well with me.
- This film is a perfect example because there’s no question that the film has some very good performance, has it’s own look, feel and style and there’s also no doubt that it’s really unlike anything you’ve seen before.
With that said, the film just felt like all style and very little actual substance. There’s no question that Anderson is one of the most interesting director’s working today and he often creates films that are just so original and fresh that they seem to take place in some weird, alternate universe.
This film certainly fits into that category because visually speaking it’s quite remarkable and it seems like each shot must have taken hours to set up in order to get right. The miniatures used in the film are obviously miniatures but it’s clear they were shown like this for a purpose. It builds atmosphere.
There color and set design is another major plus working for the film and especially the lay-out of the hotel. Another thing that works are the performances with each actor doing a very good job. Not only do we have Fiennes but there’s also F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton and Adrien Brody and Willem Dafoe, both who easily steal the show.
There’s certainly nothing to complain about in regards to the performances as everyone steps up and comes across with very original characters. Having said all of that, I just never once connected with the film and this is certainly not good when watching something. Obviously many people love this movie and it’s a hit with most critics but to me there just wasn’t much here to keep me entertained.21 out of 38 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7 /10 Another Original and Weird Movie by Wes Anderson A writer (Jude Law) travels to the decadent Grand Budapest Hotel in the mountains of the Republic of Zubrowka and he meets the owner Mr. Zero Moustafa (F.
Murray Abraham), who is a very simple man. Zero invites the author to have dinner with him and he tells his story and how he became the owner of the hotel. In 1932, in the glorious days of the Grand Budapest Hotel, Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) is hired to work as lobby boy under the command of the legendary concierge Monsieur Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) that becomes his friend.
Gustave manages the hotel and staff and also attends the sexual needs of the old ladies lodged at the hotel. He spends one night with Madame Céline Villeneuve “Madame D” Desgoffe und Taxis (Tilda Swinton) and soon he learns that she was found dead at home.
Gustave summons Zero to travel with him to the funeral and he learns that he has inherited the valuable painting Boy with Apple. Madame D’s son Dimitri (Adrian Brody) and her family do not accept that a concierge may have inherited the painting and Gustave and Zero steal it and return to the Grand Budapest Hotel to hide the painting.
Gustave promises Zero that he would be his heir for helping him. But Gustave is falsely accused of murdering Madame D and is arrested and imprisoned. Will his friend Zero leave him die in the prison? “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is another original and weird movie by Wes Anderson with his usual bizarre characters.
- The story is funny and entertaining and it is impressive the number of stellar cameos along 100 minutes running time.
- Tilda Swinton is unrecognizable in the role of an old lady.
- My vote is seven.
- Title (Brazil): “O Grande Hotel Budapeste” (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”) 16 out of 28 found this helpful.
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Permalink 9 /10 Best effort by Wes Anderson since The Royal Tennenbaums Warning: Spoilers I avoided this movie when it came out, since the last two films I’ve seen of director Wes Anderson, The Light Aquatic and the Darjeeling Limited, were utterly terrible.
Only with the recent multiple Oscar nominations of this movie, I decide to give this a chance. And guess what: it is a great movie, his best since the Royal Tennenbaums. Set mostly in the 1930s in a fictional Central European state (the film was mostly shot in Southern Germany) – though with a nifty introduction from the 1960s that frames the narrative with Jude Law and F.
Murray Abraham – the Grand Hotel Budapest tells the story of the said hotel – one in the classical European style – that is run by the concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) helped by the bellboy Zero (Tony Revolori) Fiennes is great as Gustave, a cultured, suave womanizer specialized in wooing elderly ladies who sees himself as a beacon of civilization in an age of increasing barbarism.
- When one of his “customers” (Tilda Swinton) dies and decides to give part of her inheritance to Mustafa, her two psycho sons (Adrien Brody and Willem Dafoe) will left no stone unturned in trying not to give others what they think is rightfully theirs.
- This movie has an impressive all star cast.
- Along with those already named, we also have Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Saoirse Ronan, Mathieu Amalric and (in smaller roles), Bill Murray, Lea Seydoux, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzmann.
And Anderson’s mannerisms and eccentricities are not so off putting here (well, maybe with exceptions, like what does the mole with the size of Mexico in Saoirse Ronan means?). Inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig.9 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink 7 /10 Lunacy, witty and pure fantasy! Warning: Spoilers A Wes Anderson fanciful farce. Anderson directs, shares story writing and is in charge of the screenplay. This is a maniac fantasy that takes place between the world wars in the Republic of Zubrowka. Gustave H(Ralph Fiennes) is the eclectic concierge at the prestigious European Grand Budapest Hotel, who takes a bellboy named Zero(Tony Revolori)under his wing and preps him to become a trusted friend and protégé.
Mr. H caters to his guest and even makes clandestine visits to some of the most snooty and wealthiest older ladies. And on occasion the richest of men. Gustave and Zero find themselves embroiled deeply in a heated battle for a family fortune. The meticulous concierge is accused of art theft and even murder, making for riotously and hilarious flight from the authorities.
- Mr. H and Zero, while on the run, contemplate a logical conclusion.
- Playful, witty, quirky and near impeccable story telling using a backdrop of flashbacks.
- Packed full of stars for sure: F.
- Murray Abraham, Willem Dafoe, Adrian Brody, Jude Law, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton.4 out of 5 found this helpful.
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Can you stay in a castle in Germany?
Accommodation and dining in Germany’s castles and palaces Even those without noble blood can now dine and sleep in dwellings that were once the exclusive preserve of Knights, Princes and Kings. From a youth hostel to a luxury hotel, visitors can choose from a wide range of accommodation in German castles and palaces.
What is the most famous castle in Berlin?
Germany is very famous for its palaces and castles in Europe. The exact number of castles and palaces in Germany is unknown but it might be around 20.000 castles, palaces or royal buildings there. If you’re visiting Germany, you are probably never far away from a castle.
Can you visit the castle in Germany?
Current information – A visit to Neuschwanstein Castle is only possible as part of a guided tour, Tickets for Neuschwanstein Castle are available online at www.hohenschwangau.de. Remaining tickets are available on site at the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau, subject to availability and exclusively for the same day,
What hotel was used in the Grand Budapest?
The Grand Budapest Hotel Locations – Let’s start from the beginning. The Old Lutz Cemetery of the former nation of Zubrowka was filmed on an old kindergarten playground on Bergstrasse in Görlitz, The letters “Wählt Thälmann!”, made in 1986 for a television film about this German politician, were changed to “Old Lutz Cemetery” and to their previous state after the shoot.
Many elements of the movie are highly influenced by the style and the look of Karlovy Vary, the colorful spa town in the Czech Republic, including the Grandhotel Pupp. The facade of the Grand Budapest Hotel, featured in the poster of the film, is actually the historic Bristol Palace Hotel, Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and –
The mock-up of the funicular railway leading to the hotel seems to be inspired by the Budapest Castle Hill Funicular in Hungary. Originally opened in 1870, this historic cable railway connects the banks of the Danube River with Buda Castle Hill in Budapest.
Before the movie, Görlitz Warenhaus was a forgotten art nouveau building built in 1912 as a department store. It became the perfect setting for the scenes taking place at the elegant hall of the hotel. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and –
The hotel’s restaurant was filmed at, a civic center and event venue, which was active between 1910 and 2005. The romantic alpine scene in the background looks suspiciously like the emblematic statue Deer Leap ( Jelení Skok ) from Karlovy Vary, pictured in the lower pic.
As revealed, this shot was filmed at the former baths of the Brauner Hirsch house ( The Brown Deer ) located on a corner of the Untermarkt square. Many more small scenes were filmed in various places in this huge house, including Zero’s tiny room, Agatha’s room in Mendl’s attic, the courtyard of the sister with the wooden leg, and the kitchen of Schloss Lutz for a scene with Serge X (French actor Mathieu Amalric).
Mendl’s confectionery shop was set in, a historical creamery in Dresden over 100 years old, decorated in neo-Renaissance style. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and –
The scene with Agatha (played by Saoirse Ronan), cycling the streets of Lutz was filmed on Fischmarkt Street in Görlitz, The bell tower is the Holy Trinity Church (Dreifaltigkeitskirche), used later on in the movie as the monk’s abbey. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures –
The scene pictured with Zero picking up the press was also filmed on Brüderstraße, the central street of Görlitz’s old town, Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and The entrance to the funicular was filmed around the corner on a wall next to the monumental staircase of Görlitz Old Town Hall,
This pink gate is from a real building, the Old Council’s Pharmacy (Alte Ratsapotheke), also located on Untermarkt Square. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – Maps: / During the night ride when Gustave and Zero visit Madame D. (played by Tilda Swinton) at Schloss Lutz estate, they go through one of the most famed streets in Dresden, Augustusstraße.
On one of the walls of Augustus Street, there is a massive porcelain mural representing the rulers of Saxony, known as, Located on the outer wall of the Stables Courtyard of Dresden Castle, the Fürstenzug survived the destruction during the bombing of Dresden in 1945.
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and – – The car also speeds through Nikolaifriedhof cemetery in Görlitz.
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – The exterior of Madame D.’ Schloss Lutz was filmed at Schloss Hainewalde near the border with Czech Republic, with some CGI added to the scene.
Originally built in the 16th century as a hunting lodge for the local noble family, the castle was expanded over the years and became a grand residence. During World War II, the castle was used as a military hospital by the German army. In the 1990s a private owner bought it and undertook extensive renovations to restore the building to its former glory.
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and – The interior of Schloss Lutz was filmed at in southwest Saxony.
- The castle was originally built in the 12th century but it has undergone several renovations and reconstructions over the centuries.
- The movie features several wood-paneled rooms, including the Blue Hall (where the funeral of Madame D.
is located) and the library, where the fictional Boy With Apple painting by mannerist Renaissance artist Johannes van Hoytl was hung. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – The Checkpoint 19 prison exterior is actually, located in the state of Saxony in Germany.
- Built in the 14th century, this imposing fortress is nested on a rock overlooking the Zschopau River.
- The indoor scenes were shot on location at the castle of Osterstein, in Zwickau,
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and – According to, the interior of the prison was filmed at Osterstein Castle, a former prison in Zwickau,
After a long restoration, the complex was converted into apartments with a cafeteria and other public services. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – The carousel scene was filmed on Langenstraße in Görlitz, showing the lovely Renaissance facade of a house that used to be a restaurant called Gasthaus Zum Flyns,
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – The beginning of the sequence where Deputy Kovacs (Jeff Goldblum) tries to escape from a hitman (Willem Dafoe) was filmed on Berliner Street.
- The building in the background is Görlitz’s railway station,
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – The Lutz Art Museum was filmed at the dazzling in Dresden,
Built in the early 18th century, this complex was initially designed to be a place for lavish court festivities, The rococo-style pavilions of the Zwinger were rebuilt after being damaged in WW2. Today, the Zwinger is home to a number of museums and galleries, including the Old Masters Picture Gallery (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister).
Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and – The facade of the on Brüderstraße in Görlitz was featured in a very short scene. Many productions have been recorded in the gorgeous Görlitz, including The Book Thief and Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and The cable car in the mountains and the Akademie Zubrowka High-Mountain Observatory was inspired by the Sphinx Observatory on the Jungfraujoch, Switzerland.
Situated at an altitude of 3,571 meters in one of the highest points in the Swiss Alps, this awesome astronomical research center was built in 1937. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and – This wondrous movie is full of details and easter eggs.
The name of the country where the action takes place, Zubrowka, is a popular brand of Polish vodka, Some scenes in the snowy forest were filmed in the Königshain Hills area near Görlitz. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – – Are you Monsieur Gustave of the Grand Budapest Hotel in Nebelsbad? These arcades are also from the Brauner Hirsch house,
The wall on the left is fake, this is where the Untermarkt Square is located. Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – The interior of the abbey was filmed at the Dreifaltigkeitskirche or Holy Trinity Church in Görlitz. This temple, built between 1234 and 1245 as the monastery church of a Franciscan monastery, has survived the vicissitudes of history almost intact.
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures – The wedding scene was filmed from the famous Bastei Bridge in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, one of the most well-known landscapes of Sächsische Schweiz (Saxon Switzerland).
- Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures and – Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of ? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you! NOTICE : If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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Is Boy with Apple a real painting?
Boy with Apple is a 21st-century painting by British artist Michael Taylor. Painted on commission for use as a prop in Wes Anderson’s 2014 film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, the fictional backstory written for Boy with Apple played a major role in the film’s plot.
Why does The Grand Budapest Hotel look different?
Let’s Examine the Three Aspect Ratios of The Grand Budapest Hotel – The Grand Budapest Hotel was shot in 1.33, 1.85, and 2.35, Each ratio was picked because they were popular in the decade they were set. “The movie jumps through three time periods; the different aspect ratios tell viewers where they are in the timeline,” Anderson said in an interview, Credit: Greater Depths Anderson and Yoman decided to shoot in 1.37:1 format, also known as Academy ratio, for scenes set in 1932. They did a lot of research on the work of Ernst Lubitsch and other directors of the period to make sure they were true to their compositions and mise-en-scene,
What happened to Zero Grand Budapest Hotel?
The Grand Budapest Hotel: Zero (Tony Revolori)’s Timeline
At some point previous to the film’s beginning, Zero is forced to flee his homeland after his family is killed and his village is burned. He takes up refuge in Zubrowka. Zero works as a skillet scrubber at an undisclosed location, three months as a mop and broom boy in the Hotel Berlitz, and six months as a kitchen boy in the Hotel Kinski. Apparently none of that counts for much.He gets a job as a lobby boy at the Grand Budapest and begins to learn from the best there ever was.He accompanies Gustave to Lutz to visit the deceased Madame D. While there he prompts Gustave to steal Boy with Apple, which is rightfully his according to an unverified will.He brings Gustave some Mendl’s pastries in jail, some containing tools for escape.He waits for Gustave and travels with him to the Zubrowka Alps thanks to the Society of the Crossed Keys.He accompanies Gustave to a monastery confessional where they speak to Serge and learn of Madame D.’s second will.He chases Jopling down the mountain on a sled, which ends in his pushing Jopling over the edge of a cliff and saving Gustave who is hanging on for dear life.They run from Henckels and disguise themselves as Mendl’s workers, waiting outside the Budapest for Agatha and Boy with Apple,When they see Dmitri enter the Budapest they follow and a firefight ensues.Agatha almost falls from the hotel and Zero tries to save her, resulting in both of them falling into the Mendl’s truck but not before revealing the second will.Zero marries Agatha. They have a child. Both Agatha and their son die only a few years later from Prussian grippe.Zero becomes Gustave’s heir, inheriting the hotel and other capital of Madame D.’s that Gustave owned.This makes Zero, who we’ll now call Mustafa, rich, but he uses his fortune to maintain the unprofitable hotel.A few times a year he visits the hotel and stays in his old servants’ quarters.During one of these visits he tells this story.
: The Grand Budapest Hotel: Zero (Tony Revolori)’s Timeline