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originally printed 12.17.04 in the Eureka, California newspaper The Times-Standard.
Comparison between JD Salinger and Wes Anderson
Chris Durant
The Times-Standard
The other night, Wes Anderson was on Charlie Rose on PBS. I felt fortunate to find it. I was actually trying to turn the TV off, but my fingers hit the last channel button instead and there was the trailer for "Life Aquatic," Anderson's fourth and upcoming film. I watched the trailer and the subsequent interview and, being a fan of Anderson's three previous films, was entertained.
One phrase stuck out though.
While the interview went on about Anderson not going to film school and his ambitions in college, he said he wanted to be a writer.
"I wanted to be J.D. Salinger," he said.
This prompted me to look a little deeper at his statement.
The Anderson/Salinger comparisons have been there since the release of his third film, "The Royal Tenenbaums" in 2001. It took critics about three seconds to start with the comparisons of the Tenenbaums to Salingers Glass family in books like "Franny and Zooey" and stories like "Seymour: An introduction" and "A perfect day for Banana Fish."
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. In all of Anderson's films there are heavy similarities to Salinger stories and characters, especially "Catcher in the Rye."
Bottle Rocket
1996
The movie starts with the character Anthony in a mental institution. "Catcher in the Rye" also begins with Holden Caulfield telling his story in a mental institution.
Anthony confides in the wisdom of his younger sister, Grace. In "Catcher in the Rye" Holden confides in the wisdom of his younger sister, Phoebe.
It's been said that the three main characters of Bottle Rocket, Anthony, Dignon and Bob, carry out a robbery as a rebellion against the boredom that comes with getting everything you've always wanted. I've heard the same reasoning behind Holdens circumstances in "Catcher."
Rushmore
1998
A major setting for the film is a boarding school, Rushmore Academy. Holden Caulfield attends Pencey Prep in scenes in the beginning of the book.
Main character Max Fisher is on the fencing team, even promising to organize a team when he's expelled and ends up at the local public high school. Holden is the manager of the fencing team for Pencey Prep.
Max gets kicked out of Rushmore for being a terrible student. Holden gets kicked out of Pencey Prep for not applying himself.
Max has frequent conversations with the dean of Rushmore, Dr. Nelson Guggenheim, who's suffering from an unnamed ailment and who eventually has a stroke. Max visits Dr. Guggenheim in the hospital and he wakes up for the first time when he hears Max's voice. Holden has "old" Mr. Spencer, his history teacher. Holden visits Old Spencer in his home when he's suffering from the "Grippe." Both Guggenheim and Spencer give pep talks to Max and Holden, respectfully.
Former school alumnus who have gone to make money since graduating make speeches in churches in "Catcher" and "Rushmore". At Rushmore, it's Mr. Herman Blume, who made millions in steel, who speaks. "Old" Ossenburger, who made a "pot of dough in the undertaking business" speaks at Pencey Prep.
Royal Tenenbaums
2001
The obvious, as stated above, is the similarities between the Tenenbaums and the Glass family. Both have multiple children that are considered geniuses in a number of subjects.
The youngest Tenenbaum, Margot, who is adopted, is mopey and seems lost. She's also a playwright and an actress. In "Franny", Franny Glass is struggling with ego, both her own and others', and somewhat mopes around. She's also an actress and the youngest.
Seymour Glass kills himself in "A perfect day for Banana Fish." Richie Tenenbaum tries to kill himself, but fails. I mean, after all, it is Hollywood.
The story, "Down at the Dingy" in "Nine Stories", the main character is Boo Boo Tannenbaum. Her maiden name is Glass.
This one may be a stretch, but I'll throw it out and let you decide for yourself: Two of the Glass brothers, Walt and Waker, were twins. Chas Tenenbaums two sons, Ari and Uzi, aren't twins but they look exactly the same, in their matching Adidas sweat suits and curly hair.
Now before you start calling me Mark David Chapman, these are just the results that came from memory. I'm sure if I sat down and thoroughly viewed each movie with all of Salinger's books at my disposal, as I anticipated to do before writing this, there would be a lot more examples. But I feel I've illustrated enough here to make my point. So if you go see "Life Aquatic" this weekend and something really seems familiar about the story or the characters, just think back to your freshman English class and I'm sure you'll be able to piece it together. However, we should all enjoy it. It's the closest thing we'll see to a Salinger story on the big screen, if Mr. Salinger has anything to do with it.
Pay special attention to next week's Northern Lights for the premiere of Fat Guys on Film the new weekly tandem film review column by myself and fellow hefty guy and Times-Standard writer, James Faulk.
7:00 AM
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