Bottle Rocket (1994)

Bottle Rocket is Wes Anderson's first short film and his debut as a director and writer. It was unveiled at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival and was later remade into a motion picture by Wes Anderson.I take inspiration from this short film because it's good source material. Lots of low-budget short films and movies take themselves too seriously and end up looking terrible, but films like Bottle Rocket (along with Clerks and Napoleon Dynamite on those lines) know their boundaries and limitations, and that's what makes them great.The acting by Luke and Owen Wilson and Robert Musgrave isn't terrible and is actually pretty good. The cinematography is beautiful, even in B&W. Wes Anderson does one of the best jobs at making any film of his look colorful, even if there is no color.I suggest this film to anyone interested in filmmaking or the history of movies. After all, one of our greatest movie directors came from this one short film.

The Texan trio Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson were all in their twenties when they decided to shoot this short film. None of them had credits before in the film industry and here they go. For Anderson it was the first directorial effort and screen writing work. For the older Wilson brother it was the first screenplay and acting performance and Luke Wilson has never acted before either.Basically it's a 13-minute display of two buddies not too fond of obeying the law on how they spend their days. They go to a café, visit a shooting range and make a living. All while discussing random topics, meeting other people and sharing every day wisdom. I usually like black-and-white films, but this as just a very forgettable experience. I watched it mainly as I quite like some of Anderson's other work including his other short Hotel Chevalier, which is truly a thing of beauty, but I think Bottle Rocket is only worth the watch if you enjoy one of the trio in most of his other films and even then it's not a guarantee, as in my case.Anyway, Anderson and Luke Wilson continued their fruitful work in the years after this, first by turning it into a full feature, and then by crowning their cooperation when both got nominated for a screenplay Oscar for writing The Royal Tenenbaums five years later.

A simple movie that went far beyond what could have been expected. I have been fascinated with Wes Anderson ever since. The Wilson brothers shocked me in that they were so easy going through the whole film. Never before have I been so intrigued about a movie that involved so little detail, which in itself proves there was great detail and a great effort in keeping the detail. The laughs are there, but it's no Happy Gilmore. That's a big reason why I like it. I would recommend this film to anyone who is quirky and who likes to see a young, raw Owen Wilson. Wes Anderson has gone on to make other wonderful pieces of filmery, but you gotta love his first effort purely for its simplicity.

This is the FIRST Bottle Rocket, not the full length. This version begins after the breakout in th '96 version, and ends after the boys RECAP the bookstore robbery to Bob. This is interesting to watch for hardcore Wes fans, and if Criterion loves us, they will release a DVD including this original on it. Especially worth seeing is the "I bought the gun" scene, where Dignan flips out in a vulgar rage which only Owen Wilson could have executed the way he did.The Bottle Rocket '96 trailer includes a shot of Anthony breaking into a car to steal a wallet, but the scene is cut from the actual movie. That scene is present in the short version.