Some Friendly Suggestions for Wes Anderson
By 18
Dear Wes,
Hey! You don't know me, but I'm a big fan. I haven't seen your newest film, Moonrise Kingdom yet, though. So, no spoilers! Haha. That was a joke, Wes. I know you wouldn't do that to me. I trust you.
But onto business! I am writing you this open letter because I have some great ideas that I think you should hear. It's not a screenplay, although we can get to the first draft of my 300-page fantasy epic later. It is about music, as everything is. I have these suggestions you might want to consider for your next soundtrack. I briefly considered addressing this to Randal Poster, your music supervisor/partner in crime but I thought, no, that will not do. This has to go to the top.
First, I know you have a soft spot for lovely folk music from its heyday in the '60s. Your use of Nico's “These Days?" Tops. So why not go back to that well, but with The Velvet Underground's “Femme Fatale?” Nico's distinctive voice would be a nice callback for your most dedicated fans, and it's got that quirky edge to a love song that you seem to enjoy. It's a crossroads of all kinds of conflicting emotions, from reverence to fear to good old melancholy. Maybe set it to slow motion Gwyneth Paltrow coming off of a plane this time. See? Idea machine, right here.
If you don't mind getting into omnipresent, popular, classic, Americana stuff, how about some Neil Young? Say, “Heart of Gold?” It has more production than you might prefer, but the emotional depth is there. It’s the search for true love versus the passage of time and sounds like something for a great subplot! Maybe a grizzled Bill Murray could be a latex glove inspector in a factory and this would play during the montage that shows us what a strange and alien world he lives in. I even know a pretty good string quartet rendition of it, too, if you want to put a classy twist on it.
If you're willing to venture out into today's vibrant folk/singer-songwriter scene, and I know you have a couple of times, might I suggest the critically acclaimed Fionn Regan? Listen to “The Underwood Typewriter” and tell me this isn't something you could do some magic with, bro. It's got some great finger picking, which I think you like, and alternates between this upbeat folksy demeanor to this colder, mysterious chorus. It's versatile! It's pretty! It's Jason Schwartzman and Anjelica Huston having a picnic in a zeppelin above 1960s New York.
But it's not all quirk and acoustics for you. No sir. As you've shown with your use of The Clash and The Ramones, you are also adept at working in some bare bones punk in there to provide your soundtracks some snarl. And to your credit, you make it work, with that same rusty aesthetic that's found on your folk music choices. So here's what I'm thinking: You. Wavves. “Post Acid.” Wavves is one of the biggest names in sort-of-nostalgic lo-fi, and they channel the same energy that you can find in guitar-mashing classics like “Judy is a Punk,” which you used in The Royal Tenenbaums. “Post Acid” is exactly that type of song: fun, fuzzy and head banging. I'm seeing jump cuts of Owen Wilson snipping the hedges in his yard into elaborate sculptures in order to validate the smallness of his life. Do you see it too?
I know this is a lot to take in. It's cool! Take your time, no pressure. When you're ready, have your people call me. I don't have any people so you'll just have to look me up in the phone book or something. I'm free for lunch. Or, anything really, whatever you want big guy! Keep me updated.
Sincerely,
Justin Pansacola
Vitamin String Quartet Performs the Music From the Films of Wes Anderson
Available now on iTunes and Amazon
The String Quartet Tribute to The Velvet Underground + Nico
Available now on iTunes and Amazon
Rusted Moon: The String Quartet Tribute to Neil Young
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