The Editing Choices In Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums

The editing choices in Wes Anderson's “The Royal Tenenbaums” serves to introduce and create an understanding of the various main character personalities, focusing specifically on Margot and Richie Tenenbaum. In the clip of “The Royal Tenenbaums”, the editing consists of a series of pans and tilts, long takes, lens zooms, dolly movement, cutaway shots, cross-cuts, and jump cuts to explain the history of Margot Tenenbaum's life, creating a sense of curiosity and understanding for the audience as they learn about her past, but are unsure of her current relationships with Eli and Richie. Also, the editing helps to depict the physical transformation of Richie and highlight his mental instability when he cuts himself, creating a sense of tension, …show more content…
The editor's choice to immediately cut to the hospital scene increases the tension for the audience because the audience does not know the severity of Richie's condition. The audience can presume that Dudley or Raleigh called the hospital, after Dudley finds him on the ground covered in blood, without actually showing them calling the paramedics. The audience is left in suspense and find out later along with the rest of the characters. A series of cross-cuts from the hallway show the rest of the family learning the news and rushing to the hospital. The first cross-cut shot shows Etheline putting down the phone as the camera uses dolly movements, pans, and zooms in on her hand as she quickly walks from her office and picks up her coat. The scene cuts to Chaz, the brother, with his children anxiously looking out a moving car window. The shot then cuts to Margot walking toward the recovery room as the camera follows behind her in a medium over-the-shoulder shot. The clip ends when the recovery room door opens, Dudley comes out, and Margot stops and asks him about Richie. The cross-cutting editing choices show that the audience can presume all three are urgently heading to Richie in the hospital anticipating the worst, and the characters and audience are both unaware of Richie's condition. It also highlights that Margot, Chaz, and Etheline are worried for Richie and care for him because they are all rushing to him. The audience feels a similar sense of worry and sympathy for Richie because the family members and friends are all anxious and