There are some filmmakers who have yet to work in Hollywood, but if they ever do get here I aim to get at least a day on their set. One of those filmmakers is Paul King, who isn’t discussed as one of the best modern filmmakers even though his resume includes the first two Paddington films and Wonka. (No matter what you thought of Wonka, you have to at least admire its visual splendor.) King comes from the style of Wes Anderson, but while Wes continues to play with structure and seal up his worlds, King has gone a more exuberant and playful route. He hasn’t found a scene he couldn’t dress up with some fun. This includes his debut, Benny and the Bull, where the ideas were sometimes motivated by budget. (They couldn’t afford to film an important horse race, so it was done as pencil sketches.)
Unlike his well-known family films, Benny and the Bull is crude, very adult and centered around an abrasive character played by Simon Farnaby. Farnaby is King’s secret weapon, having worked as the on-set writer on Paddington before co-writing Paddington 2 and Wonka. (He also has brief, memorable scenes in all three.) He’s currently working on Prince Charming, starring Chris Hemsworth which King is set to direct. I doubt that will film in the U.S., but if it does I will be there to watch and learn.
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