The text and subtext of Conrad being gay and living his life through his art and Schubert being possibly bisexual and living through his art in a fantasy world and Jones being gay and having his heart broken every single night on stage which ultimately leads to his heart being broken in reality at Conrad’s death, there’s something about being an artist and being consumed by your work but also simultaneously about having a life where you’re too scared of the repercussions of what you want. The parts of the movie in color as the play itself and then the black and white as the context and textual subtext behind a queer reading of the narrative.
my copy of the Asteroid City screenplay is finally here so here are some particularly insane script moments:
Incredibly specific homoerotic cowboy painting description!
Jones GIGGLING
Conrad stepping back when he gets the hunting knife lmao
'Simultaneously deeply touched, mildly suspicious, and uncomfortable.'
'Tentatively playful'
The fact originally Jones was punching the window to get to the latch but in the film he just. Punches it. And that's it
The mutual laugh oh they're INSANE
'Pointed but gentle'
PLAYWRIGHT (enchanted)
HE'S ENCHANTED
THE FACT THERE WAS SO MUCH CONRAD DIALOGUE BUT THEY WHITTLED IT DOWN TO 'YOU'RE PERFECT.' THE SAME WAY HE DECIDED SOME OF AUGGIE'S LINES WEREN'T NEEDED BECAUSE LESS WAS MORE.
it's so crazy to me that the kiss isn't even in this script. It isn't even *mentioned*. How do they not kiss but Jones also takes more clothes off in this than in the scene. Oh my god
'Often it is the unexpected human connections which lead to the surprises of artistic discovery'
I find it hilarious how some shows can’t manage to write good queer characters for like 15 seasons and Wes Anderson is out here nailing it every single time in his one hour and something movies.