The works of director Wes Anderson are magnificent and unique masterpieces of cinematography. To create the film “City of Asteroids” a lot of effort was made by all members of the film crew. That is why the film turned out to be so exciting and interesting for the viewer.
There are two distinct storylines in Asteroid City. The first is a play and the other is a television broadcast of her behind the scenes. The central face of the play is Augie Steenback, who has three daughters and a son. They go to a convention of young astronomy lovers, taking place in the western part of America, in a small town.
Steenback had a chance to survive the death of his wife. During the convention, he meets Midge Campbell, an industry star. Stanley Zach, his angry father-in-law, arrives at the scene. When an alien flies to earth and picks up a meteorite, the town is quarantined, and the heroes are forced to continue to stay in this place.
A distinctive feature of this film is its ending, filled with deep philosophical meaning. But what exactly did Anderson want to convey to the audience? About everything in order.
What is the role of the leader
The presenter speaks on a television broadcast in 1995 with the story that all the events in the play, like the asteroid city itself, are fictional. The transmission explores not only the interpretation of the production itself, but also the process of its creation. The facilitators explain the rules by which the aspect ratios, colors and designations were invented.
However, the presenter is shown momentarily (when the camera accidentally cuts to him) in “Asteroid City”. He quickly explains to the audience that he should not take part in the production. Also in the black and white part of the picture, one of the scenes becomes colored for a few seconds. All this strongly violates the rules of the Leader.
The film closely intertwines the events in the real lives of the actors and the lives of the characters they play on stage. The leader tries to give everything that happens a certain structure, but it is difficult for him not to get confused in what is happening.
Earp’s play: the meaning is deeper than it might seem
The play “City of Asteroids” tells the story of the Steenbeck family, who go through two terrible events. The first of these is the death of the mother of the family, and the second is evidence that alien life really exists. The viewer very clearly feels the fear that the characters experience when faced with the unknown. A lot of the characters in the play feel scared and lonely.
Separately, it is worth noting that the play contains a very clear criticism of capitalism in America. The attitude of the country’s authorities to weapons and military events is also criticized. Thus, the play raises a wide range of issues concerning both events in the soul of individuals and what is happening in society as a whole.
Are Augie and Midge still a couple?
Ogie and Midge stand out among all the heroes as lonely, misunderstood souls. They communicate with each other across the street, standing in front of the windows. And in these difficult conditions, some special feeling is born between them, an attraction that cannot be explained in words. Both heroes are mentally wounded, but they do not want to discuss it.
When the lockdown is lifted, it appears to the viewer that Midge leaves without saying a word to Ogie. But this is not so: before disappearing, she left a note for Oga, in which she indicated her address. This indicates the possibility that in the future they will be able to build a family.
The appearance of the alien and its meaning
The arrival of the alien is not particularly explained by anyone: this event serves as a kind of metaphor in order to show the experiences of the characters both on and off the stage. Just as Woodrow (Augie’s son) will never be able to find the answer to the meaning of the alien’s appearance, Jones Hall will never be able to find the truth he is looking for, and Augie will never fully realize his grief.
According to the director, life is extremely unpredictable and is a series of accidents. The only way to live your days properly lies in the ability to live and work together for the benefit of common goals.
What is the true meaning of the ending?
In Asteroid City, various ideas are explored. The performance and transmission explore the theater and cinema of the fifties. In addition, the features of the entertainment industry are considered in detail.
Jones Hall, by his vocation, should be a classic actor (like, for example, Marlon Brando). And in the image of Midge in many ways similar to Marilyn Monroe. Other heroes, for example, Kondrad Erp, are quite similar to the heroes of that era. All of them are used in the picture in order to show the pretentiousness of the industry as accurately as possible.
It is thanks to the combination of reality and the events of the theatrical production that the deep meaning of the film’s ending is created. When Hall runs onto the stage, he meets an actress there. She believes that it is impossible to find the right answers to his questions. After all, there is no single right course of action or guaranteed method to get rid of sorrowful experiences.
But any person can always strive for the best, work on himself and do everything in his power. In “City of Asteroids” the director says that life is chaotic, and we can only come to terms with this.
