How Communist-Era Buildings Inspired Wes Anderson’s Masterpiece – Part 1

This is an article from the 16th of the Ministry of Unification’s College Student Reporter Corps, Unicorn, which may not directly correspond with the opinion of the Ministry of Unification.

The Korean film industry has grown to exceed a market size of approximately $843 million, ranking seventh in global box office sales.¹⁾ The preference for the film might be diverse as much as the scale of passion Koreans have for films. What kind of movies do you enjoy? How about Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), which leaves a lasting impression on many cinephiles. There is an interesting suggestion of a resemblance between the architecture in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel and communist structures. In this article, let’s explore communist architecture more.

The film, which has the narrative of the frame, illustrates the early 20th-century Grand Budapest Hotel in Nebelsbad, nestled in the Alps, inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig. There, the young version of the character Author dines with Zero Moustafa, a wealthy patron and owner of the hotel, who shares his journey to becoming a hotel owner. Zero Moustafa started as a lobby boy at the Grand Budapest Hotel in 1932, undergoing rigorous training under Gustave, the hotel owner at the time. When one of the hotel guests, Madame D, dies and leaves her fortune to Gustave, a conflict arises with Madame D’s family. Throughout this process, Gustave and Moustafa help each other.

Not only the story but also the captivating visuals of this film contributed to its success. The hotel featured in The Grand Budapest Hotel boasts a pastel-toned exterior and perfect symmetry, contributing to some of the film’s most iconic scenes. So, what does this movie have to do with communist architecture? The film begins with the statement, “There once was a country at the far eastern edge of the European continent called the Republic of Zubrowka,” which recalls the famous Polish vodka, Żubrówka. In the film’s title, Budapest is the capital of Hungary, which suggests that the film’s fictional country, Zubrowka, is reminiscent of past European communist nations. Perhaps because of this, the film’s settings resemble the architecture and atmosphere of former communist countries.

1) Korean Film Council, 2022 Korean Film Industry Settlement, Korea Creative Content Agency, Feb 23, 2023.

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