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Welcome to the BMFI Forum for THE DARJEELING LIMITED
Greetings!
BMFI is very pleased to be showing THE DARJEELING LIMITED. If you haven't yetseen it, you can visit our website (www.BrynMawrFilm.org) forshowtimes. I have not yet had the chance to see it myself, but I am eagerly awaiting the latest work from Wes Anderson (RUSHMORE, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS).
One thing I am curious about in particular is the extent to which this film will differ from Anderson's prior work given that he is collaborating with different writing partners. Anderson co-wrote DARJEELING with filmmaker Roman Coppola (CQ) and one of the film's co-stars, Jason Schwartzman (who also played Max in RUSHMORE). His prior film, THE LIFE AQUATIC, was co-written with Noah Baumbach (THE SQUID AND THE WHALE), and his earlier pictures (RUSHMORE, TENENBAUMS, BOTTLE ROCKET) were co-written with Owen Wilson, who also co-stars in DARJEELING.
There are some who credit Wilson with the warmth, humor, and magic of Anderson's earlier films. In fact, there was a recent article on Slate.com that claimed that Wilson was the real genius behind Wes Anderson. I don't think I'd go that far, but it will be interesting to see how DARJEELING differs from previous films, given the new addition of two different co-screenwriters, and the absence of Wilson's influence in the screenplay.
Please share any reactions you might have to THE DARJEELING LIMITED with forum readers, and keep the discussion going.
Andrew J. Douglas, BMFI Director of Education
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Darjeeling-the prayer
It sounded to me as if the Hindu priest's prayer over the cremation of the young boy had within it some Hebrew words from the Jewish prayer of mourning. Am I hearing things? It would have been a great inside joke, but I could be dead wrong(ha) and imagining it.
I saw the brothers
I saw the brothers representing different parts of the psyche, as a whole all seeking love and spiritual healing...needing love,but not sure how to go about it.They were basically orphaned(as adults), their mother leaving them, father dying.I think Owen's character was the one trying to pull it together, but in a way which he learned from his mother...not exactly the tools that would work for them.I saw Owen's character representing the part of us that we show to the world, it was his outward appearance that needed healing, but his wounds were much deeper.
When they cast aside all thoughts about themselves and acted to save the 3 boys, that's when the healing began, not being wrapped in themselves and caring for others.Note only 2 boys were saved as well as Brody and Schwartzman.
Owen's character removes the bandages(archetypical behaviors) and realizes there is more healing, casting away old baggage they journey on as one.
The Darjeeling Limited
An interesting film that highlights the infantilism and barbarism of Western man. The three brothers are appealing but childish, and they have their good side - as when the brother plunged into the water to save the drowning people. But basically they are unmannered slobs, who more or less think the world is
there to accomodate their wishes. They are spoiled heirs of the Western hegemon
and lack discipline and civilized values. It was disturbing to me to see all of these things displayed in a sort of unserious, post-modernistic "ironic" tone, as if nothing mattered.
Bill Murray character
Is the Bill Murray character the same person as in Rushmore?
Are these bothers analogous to the three apostles?
Why was Owen Wilson's character (the one who invites them on the journey, and the who is 'damaged' the only one who doesn't get a 'gift'? - Brody received the gift of loving his child, Schwartzman received the gift of wanting more than sex.
Why is it that the only times (I recall) when the boys are actually, willingly, doing something together is when they're drinking (sweet lime, tea, alcohol)...could be wrong on this but that's what I recall.
Each of them seems to be running away from something and are surprised by the mother's actions of also making a promise and running from it.
Another very interesting existential-family relationships movie.