Analysing Environments: The Grand Budapest

Taking a break from researching what makes a good Environment within a video game this time round, I've decided to look at the many incarnations of The Grand Budapest Hotel from the same film. The Lobby of the hotel is explored time and time again through the film with many different changes to the film set itself, which i've come to find out was an abandoned department store called GÖRLITZER WARENHAUS.

The lobby set had two incarnations (third if you count the Nazi stand in for a hotel takeover) one in which the hotel was at it's prime in it's glory days of old with aristocratic 1930s style exuding from the walls and then the late 1960s Era where there is only a faint reminder of what it once used to be.

It's interesting how the juxtaposition of these two styles tells a story of how such a Grand and revered establishment will someday inexplicably erode like everything else does through the nature of time.

From what i see, Wes Anderson the director of this film, uses the environment incredibly well to enhance the context of the characters that inhabit that space, it reaffirms the sort of character that would be alive in that time, what kind of people who would work at that hotel at each particular Era.

But focusing on the environment itself what can i tell from these two stills side by side? and how can that help me in my environments?

Decor is extremely important to the portraying what kind of place the set is supposed to be, the old Era had extravagant lighting nearly everywhere with art nouveau style chandeliers and stair lamps adorning the lobby, carpeting with vibrant reds and minimal Signage. A Grand piano sits within the lobby not out of place with tables and chairs to the other side.

Contrast this with the 60's styling, Wall to wall Carpeting, Fluorescent lighting boxes, huge change of colour schemes, in place of the piano are 4 phone booths and a blocky elevator.

What does this all tell me? What was once a place where you came to and all your needs are taken care of has now turned into a more private and do it yourself attitude to hotel stays. The state of disrepair of the hotel is mentioned within the film and the Set design implies this very well when the film flips back and forth in between Eras.