I urge you to see this film, post-haste! I know, it's not really fair my saying this, since it doesn't go into wide release until October 5th. Apparently though, if you live in New York City, there is one theatre (Regal Union Square Stadium 14) playing it today. I, however, had the great, great fortune of seeing it at the New York Film Festival's opening night last night.
Here I am, red eyes a blazin'-all posy-posing by some big fountain. Sigh. Last night was some night, I was in extremey close proximity (we're talkin' two feet, tops) to some of my biggest heroes, chiefly Bill Murray, Wes Anderson, Anjelica Houston, and Jason Schwatzman (whose hand I shook! I shook the hand of the dear little man who played Max Fischer and forever changed my life! Swoooon!)
The movie was everything I had hoped: funny, moving, strange, magical, colorful, and wonderous. And yes, there's a great Kinks song and a great Rolling Stones song and slow motion action scenes that will melt your skin off. But it wasn't just your typical Wes Anderson film. It was so much more. I really felt that this was a film that could appeal to a much broader audience, not just die-hard Wes fans like myself.
"Hotel Chevalier" is a short film, starring Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman, that is meant to be viewed right before "The Darjeeling Limited". Aparently however, it will not be included witht the film in wide release, only at film festivals, which I think is really unfortunate because it adds an important layer to the film, and helps you get a lot more out of it. The film would make perfect sends without it, but it's so much better with! If you have iTunes you can watch it free
from here, and if you don't I'm told you can also find it
here.
Watch "Hotel Chevalier". Get pumped. See "The Darjeeling Limited" as soon as is humanly possible. I really don't think you'll be disappointed. It is, truly, a thing of beauty.
