Originally posted by Friend O' Guy Chadwick:
Rushmore is Anderson's best work, imo. Bottle Rocket is also great.
I have to say when I first saw the thread topic, Network was the film that jumped to mind. I don't think there's ever been a better screenplay.
Bottle Rocket is a really good first work for a director, but in the end it's too long, too slow and you don't really care for the characters at all. The movie launched several careers so it did what it was meant to do, but it doesn't stand up to his other movies.
I know that people have this weird fascination with first works, but most directors will admit that their first features are crap when looking back. I just think people like to think that they are the one who ??discovered? a director, band, artist or actor, then they poo-poo the later works and act all snobby towards more widely accepted work. It??s such a strange behavior that I??ve never really understood?
