The Rat Catcher

 

Based on the short story by Roald Dahl, The Rat Catcher is the story of a reporter and a mechanic who follows an exterminator and learns about his methods in catching a rat. Written for the screen and directed by Wes Anderson, the short film is the third film in a series of adaptations of short stories by Dahl where it explores a man’s unconventional approach to catching rats. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Eliel Ford, Benoit Herlin, and Till Sennhenn. The Rat Catcher is an exhilarating and haunting film by Wes Anderson.

The 18-minute short film revolves around a rat catcher who is asked to catch some rats for a reporter and a mechanic in a small English town as they deal with his methods. It is a film told through a reporter (Richard Ayoade) who talks about meeting this rat catcher (Ralph Fiennes) who has these unconventional methods in catching rats where the reporter and a mechanic (Rupert Friend) watch as they are baffled by this man’s unconventional methods. The script is straightforward in its narrative while it plays into these two men who are fascinated and later troubled by the methods of this rat catcher. Notably as he reveals things in what he does to catch rats as well as his own thoughts that eventually become off-putting to the two men.

Anderson’s direction is straightforward in its presentation as it is shot on location at Maidstone Studios in Kent, England where Anderson maintains a meticulous approach to detail in the overall setting. Shot in a 1:33:1 aspect ratio, Anderson would use some wide shots to get a scope in a few shots in the location including a haybale where the rat catcher would try to trap rats. Still, much of the direction has Anderson utilizing close-ups and medium shots including a brief stop-motion animated sequence involving a rat that would lead to a sequence in which the rat catcher and the mechanic pretending to be a rat have a showdown. Anderson still brings in some offbeat humor including a brief appearance of Roald Dahl (Ralph Fiennes) who comments on the methods of the rat catcher as well as some troubling revelations as it relates to rats. Overall, Anderson crafts a whimsical yet chilling film about a rat catcher and his unconventional methods of catching rats.

Cinematographer Robert Yeoman does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on yellowish colors to heighten some of the exteriors while using some low-key lighting for the fight scene between the rat catcher and the rat. Editor Barney Pilling and Andrew Weisblum do excellent work with the editing as there are some jump-cuts in a few scenes including the fight while much of it is straightforward to play into its humor and drama. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, along with art director Claire Peerless plus set decorators Cathy Featherstone and Anna Pinnock, does amazing work with the sets including the buildings that both the reporter and mechanic work at as well as some backdrops and the design of the hay bale. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone does fantastic work with the costumes as it is straightforward in the suit that the reporter wears as well as the jumpsuit the mechanic wears.

Hair/makeup designer Frances Hannon does incredible work with the look of the rat catcher with his contact lenses, long fingernails, and long hair as he looks like a rat. Special effects supervisor Chris Reynolds does nice work with the film’s minimal visual effects that plays into the film’s lone stop-motion animated sequence involving the rat. Sound mixer Valentino Gianni does superb work with the sound in capturing the natural elements on set as well as the way a rat would sound from afar or up-close.

The film’s wonderful ensemble cast features some notable small roles from Eliel Ford, Benoit Herlin, and Till Sennhenn as stagehands who appear to bring in props or costumes. Rupert Friend is excellent as the mechanic who is fascinated by the rat catcher’s methods though is later troubled by them as well as playing the rat for the fight scene. Richard Ayoade is brilliant as the reporter who is also the film’s narrator as he observes everything the rat catcher does while also becoming uncomfortable with the rat catcher’s methods. Finally, there’s Ralph Fiennes in an incredible performance in a dual role as the titular character and Roald Dahl where he brings a northern accent in the former along with some exaggerated facial expressions where it is comical and eerie at times while he is more subdued in the latter.

The Rat Catcher is a phenomenal film by Wes Anderson. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, and a story of two men observing the actions of a rat catcher. It is an offbeat yet engaging short film that explores a man’s method of catching rats as well as some troubling revelations about what he does. In the end, The Rat Catcher is a sensational film from Wes Anderson.

Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - Poison – (The Phoenician Scheme) - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson Film Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom) – (The Grand Budapest Hotel) – (Isle of Dogs) – (The French Dispatch) – (Asteroid City)

© thevoid99 2024