Wes Anderson has a very particular style in all of his films, recognizable to most for their quirkiness and carefully-curated aesthetic touches. The most marked feature of Anderson's films is his use of symmetrical framing, a style of composition that is very visually pleasing, in that one side of the frame matches the other side of the frame. The Grand Budapest Hotel is shot in this way and gives the film a feeling that the events are somehow heightened, almost like the unfolding of a dream. Anderson's touch gives his films a self-consciously cinematic quality, turning them into fairy tales of sorts.
With this film, Anderson undertook some retro methods in the filming process. For instance, he uses miniature models for wide shots of the hotel, an old cinema trick used to create a place without actually having to go on location to film it. Anderson borrows from methods from a bygone cinema in order to create something fresh and unique.
Additionally, Anderson has a part in writing the screenplays for all of his films, further cementing his status as a contemporary auteur, and lending his films (this one included) a particularly comedic bent. Anderson’s dialogue, rhythm, camera moves and editing style creates a near unmistakable tone, at once deadpan and lighthearted. He finds the humor in the mundane elements of life and during moments of crisis. An example of Anderson's quirky sense of humor is the scene in which Gustave speaks to the police who are at The Grand Budapest to arrest him. He goes through their conversation in a courteous way and seems ready and willing to go with them, when suddenly he turns and sprints off. Anderson leaves the camera where it is and allows the action to unfold, thus the frame goes from a medium shot to a long shot of the police chasing Gustave up flights of stairs to apprehend him. It’s simple, but the technique teases out the humor of the moment.
Finally, Anderson carefully chooses his color palettes for every scene. He allows for dull colors to pop as they stand within a frame where the surrounding colors compliment one another. This goes from the color of the actor’s wardrobes to the carpeting and detail on the walls. Thus, production and costume design are highly important to his storytelling. In fact, the film ended up winning Oscars for both production and costume design. Every frame contributes to the general tone of the film. The viewer, in turn, experiences the richness of Anderson's storytelling, journeying with his characters into a highly specific and deliberate world of color.
