This week we explored the worlds of three film trailers: Sex and The City, Tangerine and Sing Street.

Of these worlds we asked questions, Could it exist in another world? How does it operate? What is its internal logic? Specific characteristics of world?

Because I have already answered these questions of these films in class, I will pick another one for this blog post.

The Darjeeling Limited by popular auteur Wes Anderson.

What are the specific characteristics of the world? India, Bold and Bright colours, American tourists, Culture Clash (ancient history of India as a backdrop to rich Americans), Nature, Set in a timeless place (a steam train is the main source of transport), Small Train Compartment Vs Big Indian Plains, Lots of patterns and colours, Religion plays a major part in Indian Society, the idea of their being religion in India holds the Americans more accountable for their actions, animals (the idea of India being an exotic mysterious place), Self centred tourists.

How does it operate/internal logic? It’s set in a romanticised India. The India that Wes creates is India from Western Imagination, as the quintessential place to learn about yourself and comeback changed. Throughout the film he parodies Western Ignorance in foreign places and frames the protagonists of the film as being self-absorbed, egocentric people-hence why they can’t relate to each other. There is some internal logic that I will tease out. In the world of the Darjeeling Limited every Western character is a character unhappy with themselves and as a consequence they try to change who they naturally are. The Mother becomes a Monk, Owen Wilsons character tries to become less assertive, Adrien Brody’s character wears his deceased fathers clothes and glasses and Jason Schwartzmans ‘Jack’ attempts to find contentment in loneliness. This is the logic of the film and is the reason I find it a captivating, interesting watch. To put the logic in a sentence it would be, The western characters in this films world lack self-assurance, whereas the Indian Characters have the ability to accept themselves and things around them they can’t change. This is the focal point of the film and a defining factor of the world.

Another piece of internal logic: Much of the humour is derived from spoilt upper class people doing lower class things. In a way they seem strongly hypocritical-like they should be behaving better.

Could it exist in another world? I think the story could. It would be interesting if the characters were placed in Russia, or China, or New Zealand….. How would a different place impact their want for self-discovery? In the film India wasn’t a sufficient place, probably because they paid more attention to themselves, but would Russia or China or Australia shift their focus outwards? Maybe. It would be interesting to see the contrast. Physical aspects of the world would change, but not entirely everything. It’s a formula that could be played with.