Paddington | The Importance of Artistic Vision

Paul Kings Paddington movies are a miracle. They could’ve been a nightmare, a pandering, annoying, human interacts with a CGI animal movie: another Alvin and the Chipmunks or Hop. But, as anyone who has ever seen them can attest, they are wonderful, joyful and whimsical, the best family films ever made. And I believe that is due to one thing - artistic vision.

Paul King is not just content to sleep walk his way through directing a children's film, not content to just sit back and pander to a young audience, his films are infused with clever visual gags, layered references and true politically relevant meaning. He has an artistic voice that is entirely prevalent throughout, a sense of whimsical magical joy so infectious and specific that even when transitioning to another franchise, King couldn’t help but still make a Paddington movie. The film's feel is so singular that it is no wonder they stand out amongst a slew of homogenous kids films. 

King's world is optimistic, a vision of an almost ideal London, a sweet story that, as many before me have pointed out, is ultimately about immigration, looking at those who come into our countries and accepting them into our communities. Paddington enriches the Browns lives and all of those around him, he makes Windsor gardens and, eventually, even a prison near utopian spaces. It’s hyperbole of course, Paddington is almost infallibly optimistic, but his story, the story King and co-writer Simon Farnaby write, is invaluable to a modern audience where issues of immigration and fear of unknown places and cultures drives division and discourse. Like Chaplin before him Ben Whishaw masterfully takes on the role of the slapstick immigrant - if Paddington were to give you his top 10 movies I’m sure City Lights would be up there. 

With Paddington Paul King set out to make a family film in the truest sense of the word, a film that resonates with all. A film as sensitive and emotional as it is slapstick and broad. His films are rich with character and texture, the world he crafts is magical and whimsical, it’s a clear exaggeration of our own world, a vision of a simpler more accepting world. His film is made to inspire, to take Michael Bond’s loveable bear and capture his timeless innocence and the essential essence of his kindness. 

The film's world feels like a storybook. King's style and approach is magical. Few films these days show the same creativity that Kings Paddington does, few films show such depth and intelligence in their cinematic referencing. King pays homage to Wes Anderson, Jean-pierre Jeunet, Fred Astair, Buster Keaton, Mission: Impossible and so so much more. Like Paris in Jeunet’s Amelie, King’s London has a glow all of its own, the world of Windsor Gardens is fleshed out and lively, the whole city is coloured with a yellow glow and a busking band is always on hand to play the perfect tune. The pure slapstick joy of Paddington’s antics pay homage to a purer time - he’s a silent comedian in the modern age. 

Without King's sure hand, without the meaning with which he imbues his films, without the references with which he so lovingly plays the Paddington films would be far less significant than they are. King handles the film with maturity, he tackles its themes with care and makes a film that refuses to pander. The paddington films are witty and clever, they’re creative and beautiful and most of all they’re important. In a world of division, a world of difference, Paddington is exactly what people need.

Written by Jonah Prisk | IG: @jonahprisk