Collective reassures director Wes Anderson.

Gene Hackman stars as the head of the most dysfunctional family since those other Royals, in Wes Anderson’s superb tragicomedy, out now on DVD. Extras include a director’s commentary, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast. We caught up with the ever-so-slightly neurotic director and asked him to explain himself.

Collective: So how would you describe the film?
Wes: Well, it’s about a family of geniuses, except that I always feel that’s wrong because it’s really more about failure. Then I want to say it’s a comedy, but then I think it’s as tragic as it comic. So I’m terrible at explaining it.

Collective: A lot of people didn’t seem to know what to make of it at the cinema. Do you care?
Wes: Yeah, I do. I definitely do. You put too much into this stuff to not feel some emotional reaction. But then, if everybody’s reaction is kind of unified then you’re probably making something that’s too easily interpreted or categorised.

Collective: Well, I liked it.
Wes: Good. But to make it work for you means that I have to sacrifice 50 million Americans who are going to hate it.

Collective: So do you think a lot of people didn’t “get” the film?
Wes: Oh, definitely. The movie actually did really well in America, but I’m a little bit suspicious that we got all these people into the theatre and then a pretty high percentage of them walked out saying, “I don’t know what that was all about.”

Collective: Aren’t you just being paranoid?
Wes: Well, I really believe that. Only because of reading some of the reactions on the Internet. It does make you kind of worry. We’ll see how it does on DVD.

Collective: Gene Hackman is very good in it.
Wes: Yeah. (Pause) He’s not easy. But he brings a real charge to things. I mean, this stuff is like a totally different generation to him. And he’s in there and he’s not as comfortable as, say, Ben Stiller. But he’s trying to do what’s right, he’s trying to make his scenes real. I just think that sometimes he felt like he didn’t identify very strongly with everything that was around him. But then maybe his conflicts with the environment are appropriate, because the character is isolated. Don’t you think? Jonathan Carter 28 November 02

Empire Magazine:
..the wackiness is undercut with an element of pure poignancy...
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Film Four:
...some unforgettable performances by actors not always known for their subtlety...
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