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La Jetée Analysis

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film? I liked the style of using still images and then using a dissolve to make it seem almost as if they were moving because it was very unique  What didn’t you like? The story was a bit confusing, especially when the protagonist was sent into the future  
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? Despite being confusing, I like the idea of using a time travel/post nuclear war story. I would also make my own version in black and white like this as it gives it a more vintage feel which is almost film noir reminiscent  What ideas won’t you use? Why? I probably wouldn’t use the still images because while it is a cool style, I don’t think I’d enjoy making a film like this  

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature Example Your own example 
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).  A little boy standing on the railing of the Jetée and is suggested to be the protagonist—we never see his face. A POV shot is used to align with him; you can see the women walking to the plane from his point of view, and a few moments later, the point of view of the man dying even before the ending, where we find out that the protagonist is actually the one who died. 
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.  The scientists are shot using a low angle to show how they are important, just as the narration says ‘the victors stood guard over an empire of rats’, to suggest the way they rule over the people who live in the underground and turn them into their experiments. Furthermore, the use of the low angles on the scientists can be used to further suggest how menacing and evil they are—not only because of how they are using people for their experiments, but also for when they plot to murder the protagonist at the end. 
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) don’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.  Time is established through narration, as well as the images—the narration suggesting when the protagonist is being sent into the past. The future is established by the use of costume design—the people from the future are shown with a mark on their forehead and the futuristic design of where they are As well as this, sound is important in establishing when time travel is happening—there is a thumping noise that is reminiscent of a heartbeat that quickens when he gets closer to a different timeline 
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created? The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.  What other questions are posed throughout the narrative? Is this going to happen again? 
Narrative binary oppositions The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.  La Jetée uses the binary oppositions of beginning vs end by establishing the protagonists’ opinions on when he saw the man die at the beginning – how he was traumatised. This is opposed by the realisation that he was that man at the end of the short film – how his older and younger self coexist. 
Crisis – how was this conveyed? Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?  I think that it is the man dying in the beginning as it poses many questions to the audience—who was the man and how and why did he die? The film is built around it; the man wanting to travel back to when that exact moment happens to meet the woman again in the past 
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative? The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).  What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular? The film’s ending isn’t exactly closed thanks to the circular timeline – we know that war is going to break out again and that what we just saw is going to happen all over 

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even through memory. It is also about concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion. How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment. 
Your own idea:  
There is a moment of movement, where the frames merge together to create the illusion of the woman blinking her eyes – suggests that they are breaking away from the time loop to maybe give the audience a glimmer of hope and tranquillity, though that immediately breaks at the cut to one of the scientists
Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together. Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  
Your example:     
The sounds in the background – something reminiscent of birds chirping – gives the audience a sense of reality which gets broken for dramatic effect

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme I really liked the use of narration, especially in French, to establish key points of my film   Creating enigmas While I do want to include a narration to give exposition, I also want to include mysteries that will be solved in the form of plot twists, as it is in La Jetée. You hear about this mysterious figure who the protagonist saw die when he was younger, who ends up being himself from the future 
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) I’d rather do a linear plot rather than the non-linear story in La Jetée, but maybe include an open ending    Striking use of technical features I don’t want to do the still images concept and would rather make it like a regular film, but I do really like the look of black and white/film noir which I will probably do for my own film 

La Jetée (Marker, Korea, 1962) – Analysis Sheet for Evaluative Commentary 

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film? The darkness and bleakness of the post war society, and how the music blended   What didn’t you like? I liked the whole film    
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? Pictures in film (mix media) circular narrative and the mystery genre    What ideas won’t you use? Why? Post apocalyptic settings and dystopia 

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature Example Your own example 
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).  When first introducing the protagonist, the narrator describes him as a “prisoner” and “guinea pig”. These descriptions give the audience a key insight into the fate of the man and ultimately what he means to the story- his life ends in tragedy. As most of his adult like was being a “guinea pig” for the scientists  
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.  We first see the woman through the eyes of our main protagonist, showing us that she is only a memory, like something that the protagonist is grasping onto. She is portrayed to have no agency, only existing throughout the story to serve as emotional motivation for the male protagonist  
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? The audience are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed-out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) doesn’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.  In the beginning of the film, we are initially told that the traumatic death that the man seen many years ago cements Orly airport  And Paris itself as a place which holds a lot of emotional strength for the man- not including the repeated images of a woman that he cannot rid himself of.  
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created? The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.  What other questions are posed throughout the narrative? -= who are the scientists- how are they sending the protagonist back in time, how are they in his memory 
Narrative binary oppositions The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.  In the present, there is a stark visual contrast between the architecture seen in post/pre apocalyptic Paris. The set design and visual appearance of the set show the binary oppositions throughout the transition of Paris. There is no clear indication of what the underground tunnels look like, showing the desolate-ness of Paris post apocalypse. 
Crisis – how was this conveyed? Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?  What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative? – the crisis point would be, the man figuring out that the scientists want to kill him, leading him to gain help from the future humans- which he ultimately rejects.  
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative? The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).  What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular? The story is circular, similar to the ending of lost highway by David lynch, these events will forever repeat as the protagonist cannot recognize their cations or mend them until it’s too late. but the spectator may feel robbed as there is not a resolution which is common in western mainstream cinema.  

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even though memory. It is also about the concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion. How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment. Your own idea:       
Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together. Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  Your example: Alternatively, this technique could be seen a an attempt to create a look of “found footage”- someone in the diegetic world or le jete, presumably in the future has found documentation of the man and his memories that the scientists recorded. The use of still image filmmaking creates the effect of someone looking through an album of pictures. Additionally, the score in this film could be an indicator of this presumed person’s feelings and emotions while looking through these findings.     

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme-  The tragic romance and themes of memory in this film inspired me to base my stylistic choices on a French new wave technique, although I would like to take a different route away from having my film be a romance. The post-war industrial setting was not my preference, although the characters being doomed from the beginning is a plot/theme that I would like to explore further.     Creating enigmas-  The themes of mystery and tension created throughout this scene have inspired my thoughts about set design. I liked the dark lighting and cinematography which influenced the dark themes of this short film. Although I do not plan on having a romantic interest in this film as I want to keep the cast as small as possible so that the audience can be enriched with the themes and aesthetic of the story.   
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) I like the idea of a circular story, finishing where I started    Striking use of technical features. I liked the idea of the circular story line, while also keeping elements of mystery. We do not find out if this process will repeat forever or if a resolution is ever found.  

La Jetée Analysis

La Jetée (Marker, Korea, 1962) – Analysis Sheet for Evaluative Commentary 

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film?  I liked its unique use of photos edited together rather than one continuous video.  I also liked the style of shots used focusing on light and dark.  What didn’t you like?  I didn’t like how it was hard to follow, you had to focus on it to understand it. I also didn’t like how the characters had no dialogue.  
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I could use the idea of still black and white shots to create a almost moving image.   What ideas won’t you use? Why?  Maybe not the vague voiceover as I found it difficult to understand what was happening.  

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature Example Your own example 
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).  This man is introduced as a protagonist but not as the most powerful being within the film which is unconventional for films where heroes usually come out on top.  He is represented as a dull and depressed man this is shown through his introduction, his introduction being him as a child watching a man die on the pier, with his characters baseline being a negative traumatic experience it allows the audience to understand that his storyline is going to match that of his introduction and become full circle. He is a depressive and melancholy character, and his experience haunts the narrative.  
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.  The woman in this movie is the only woman conveyed through. This could mean not many women being left due to the nucellar destruction or it could relate to the stereotypical ideology that woman cannot do technological things such as time travel and is only represented for love. Her character seems to add a positive twist to the plot, her character seems to lift the narrative’s mood when mentioned or featured. The choice of real rolling footage being her represents and reenforces the idea that she is the key within this story, she is present for his life and death and is a key factor within both those things within both of those things.  
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) don’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.  We discover that the place this is set is through of establishing shots, an example being the Eiffel tower surrounded by the wreckage and damages, establishing to the audience where it is set and also what is happening in the time of the film 
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created? The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.  What other questions are posed throughout the narrative?  I think there are many questions throught the narrative, the key ones i have is…when this man comes back from the past does this place freeze in time as it only exists because he has gone to it. Did the man who shopt him send him there to meet that woman purposely or unintentionally. Why kill him at the end, is it because he chose to go back to the past, why kill him? 
Narrative binary oppositions The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.  I think a dominate binary opposition ideoligy represented in this film is the idea between peace and war. I think the sheer stark contrast between the effects of war on people and the effects of people due to love is very key. The idea that hate drives some people’s motives and love and peace drives others. It gives off them (scientists) vs me (the main man) vibe.  
Crisis – how was this conveyed? Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?  What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative?  I believe the crisis point is when he realizes that he is the man he saw shot on the pier, the realization that he is the reality of his worst nightmare.  
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative? The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).  What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular?  I believe visibly the story is closed and ended as the man is dead. However, i believe there is a lot of plot holes as to what characters did certain things for.  

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even through memory. It is also about concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion. How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment. Your own idea: I think the pint of la Jetée is to highlight our unknowing and how naive we are to what could be happening around us without our knowledge.        
Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together. Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  Your example: I think the opposition in this film shows how happy just one person could make you and change yor life.     

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme To establish setting i like the idea of photo like elements.    Creating enigmas  I like the use of a plot this with a unresolved narrative 
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?)  I like the use on non liner narrative   Striking use of technical features  

La Jetée (Chris Marker, 1962) Analysis

Part 1: Brief Reference 

What did you like about the film?
 The concept was good, there was some very cinematic and beautiful stills  
What didn’t you like? 
There is a plot hole – how did his murderer travel back in time if they needed the main character to travel in time? Still images were jarring  
What ideas could you use?
Narrative or style? The use of dissolves was creative, improvising with props was nice. I liked the time travel element. 
What ideas won’t you use? Why? 
Really predictable ending, I definitely won’t use still images. I think they could have gotten more out of the time travel  

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative 

Narrative Feature Example Your own example 
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).  Only talked about in 3rd person. No name given. First seen a full six minutes into the film. No name conveys a more “guinea pig” character. We are shown no backstory apart from this memory, and the only hint to a past for this character is when he is asked about his “combat necklace” from time as a soldier, as well as being referred to as a “prisoner” (though the German whispers of the scientists suggests Frace lost the war and was taken over by another country) Despite not appearing till later, the film opens with the man’s childhood memory at the airport, which is the focus of the action that takes place later. 
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.  The woman is the first character shown, as part of The Man’s memory. Then we are shown the scientists and other guinea pigs, creating the setting for the films “present”, all before seeing the main character. The “future” humans are distinguished with a dot on their forehead.  
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed? We are told immediately that the location is Paris. The bombed out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) don’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.  The setting is told to the audience to be Paris in the third line of the film, and the inventive scene showing the bombing of Paris through whiting out portions of the skyline tells the audience of the post-apocalyptic setting. The tunnels underneath Paris form the majority of the “present” setting. 
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created? The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.  The main enigma presented by the film is the memory of the main character that allows him to travel through time, which is slowly answered by introducing the character if The Woman as a central character and the ending revealing that the whole plot was leading up to creating the memory The Man saw which allows him to time travel 
Narrative binary oppositions The ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.  The predatory and cruel “present” contrasts with the kind past and future. While the “present” is confined in small tunnels and are always claustrophobic scenes filled with darkness, with shadows or sunglasses obscuring the scientists faces, the past is bright and sun lit and open and the future is wide and the people show their faces clearly, and in both times The Man is treated with kindness 
Crisis – how was this conveyed? Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?  The crisis point is when the man is to be executed, which is when he makes the choice to use the Future People’s offer to go back in time to the airport to see The Woman again, which leads to one of the Scientists shooting him at the airport, which his child-self witnesses, allowing the plot to happen 
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative? The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).  The narrative is closed in a way that means The Man will relive the plot over and over again, repeatedly witnessing his death and going back in time to be there to be killed.  

Part 3: Meaning and Effect 

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response?  The film gives the idea of being trapped in one’s past: always preferring life in the past to the present. It also gives the idea of being afraid of the future or what might come, choosing to live in nostalgia rather than giving in and going on to your own future. It says that no matter what opportunities life presents them with, people will choose to trap themselves in the past. How was this achieved? Your own idea: The collection of stills creates an idea of a fading memory, only recounting a story in still images.  The photographs also create an idea of being frozen in time, trapped in moments rather than “moving” along. The only moving image in the film being from the woman, who is symbolic of the main character’s link to the past, also shows this idea of remembering the past more fondly than anticipating the future.       
Aesthetic binary oppositions The naturalistic representation of the past greatly contrasts with the more interpretive, symbolic representation of the future society Effect of these oppositions? Your example: This contrast contributes to the main character’s preferable view of the past.    

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film? 

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme The film manages to do a lot on a low budget, which is admirable   Creating enigmas I liked opening the movie with a mystery to have it resolved at the end 
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?) Opening the movie with the ending with a lot of information absent and then filling in the information at the end was a cool concept    Striking use of technical features The transitions between images were artistic 

La Jetée

La Jetée (Marker, Korea, 1962) – Analysis Sheet for Evaluative Commentary

Part 1: Brief Reference

What did you like about the film? I like the film because there was a narration over the top allowing you to see the emotions and facial expression of the actors and actress, although the imaging was still shot images, it didn’t always feel like it, which was conveyed through dissolves.  What didn’t you like? Although I like some of the still image shots, some of it felt very repetitive, making the story feel very hard to follow along with and keep up with it. Some moments of the plot were hard to follow along, making the story quite confusing.  
What ideas could you use? Narrative or style? I might use a narration to help introduce my film.  What ideas won’t you use? Why? I don’t think my film will be in all still shots as I think it doesn’t convey the whole story.   

Part 2: In-Depth Study – Narrative

Narrative FeatureExampleYour own example
Establishing protagonist – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?Introduced only in narration – first in third person as “a man marked by an image”; then in first person -memory of incident at the airport. We don’t see him until the first experiment is shown. This shows how core the act of remembering is to his identity – indeed we find out very little about him (he remains nameless) apart from his ‘remembering’ (even when he is travelling in time).  There is an image of a young boy alongside two grownups (possibly parents), this could convey the young boy watching the scene and not seeing his face leaves a sense of mystery. Using text at 1:35 describes the emotion of what the protagonist felt without seeing an actual image of him. “The violence scene that upset him” this shows that the death and the scene caused him sadness and impacted him quite a lot.
Establishing other characters – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?The Woman is the first person we see (“the only image to survive the war”) – and she is defined only by the fact the narrator remembers her. Feminist critics may comment on the fact she barely seems to exist outside the experiences of the narrator and her growing belief in him.  There is a lot of mid shots of the scientist, there is a few close-up shots of the scientist showing their important status in the film. There are also some low angles shot showing that they are in control and leaders and are the ones controlling the time travelling.
Establishing location (time and place) – what information do we find out? How is it conveyed?We were told immediately that the location was in Paris. The bombed-out wreckage of the city (real WW2 images) doesn’t immediately establish that this is the future until the narrator mentions radiation. The underground location beneath the Palais de Chaillot is shown by intercut images of broken cherubs and other sculptures.  There are many locations shot in Gardens exploring the romantic theme of the film, this also shows the peace and calm life before bombing and war  
Creating Enigmas – what are they? How are they created?The image the narrator obsesses over is the central enigma: who is the man he witnesses dying? How does he die? Who is the woman? The still images and voiceover powerfully evoke the nature of memory.  What other questions are posed throughout the narrative?  Why were the protagonists chosen to time travel? What is the significance of the women? Why did parents take their children to watch planes on Sunday morning? Were the women a decoy for the scientist to kill the man?
Narrative binary oppositionsThe ‘Living Present’ vs Past/Future. As the film progresses, what constitutes the ‘present’ (for the protagonist) seems to shift from his dystopian subterranean society to the ‘past’ of pre-apocalypse Paris. This is conveyed by the faster rhythm of the montage and the sequence (18:00-18:49) where the images almost become like traditional cinema.  Men vs women – the women are represented as an interest to the man but also appears at the end of the film to look like a decoy for the scientists to kill the protagonists.
Crisis – how was this conveyed?Is it the first experiment? The moment the man spots the woman from the airport? Or is it when the future society offers him the chance to escape to the future?  What do you think is the crisis point? How does this affect the rest of the narrative? I think the crisis point is the first experiment because that is the time when things change for the man, and he isn’t really his normal sense.
Resolution – is it closed or open narrative?The narrative is closed – but it is also in a loop: the narrator is both the dying man and the child watching the scene. This ‘time paradox’ has inspired films as diverse as The Terminator and Looper (as well as 12 Monkeys which is almost a remake).  What do you think about the end? Is it closed – or endlessly circular? I think the ending is closed, as the man has seen the future and has been in the past and present so therefore there is an ending to the film.

Part 3: Meaning and Effect

What did you think was the intention of the filmmaker(s)? Intellectual message? Emotional response? Everyone is trapped in their time – they cannot escape it, even through memory. It is also about concept of photography and cinema itself, trying to ‘freeze’ time with images despite time always being in motion.How was this achieved? The use of photomontage separates each frame of the story into a frozen image – even though these are joined together using traditional narrative film techniques such as voiceover, dissolves, fades and music. As the man begins to ‘live’ more and more in the ‘past’ with his lover, the space between these frames speeds up to resemble ‘motion picture’ speed at one point. The stuffed animals in the museum are also ‘frozen’ in a single moment.  
Aesthetic binary oppositions The use of still photo images are combined with traditional narrative cinematic techniques that bring them ‘to life’… until the moment around 18:00 when they flow together.Effect of these oppositions? Shows the intensity of emotion the narrator feels with his lover: like he is finally ‘living’ in moving time rather than a series of frozen, separated moments.  

Inspirations – what ideas did this film give you for your own short film?

Establishing characters, setting, plot, theme   I really liked the setting of the film and the minimalistic look, it felt very powerful but also very simple. I really liked the plot of not knowing some of character and the reveal of the ending was really good and interesting to watch.Creating enigmas   I really liked the enigma of not knowing who the man was at the start, it really made the film worth watching as this enigma pulled me as the audience and spectator to continue watching the film.
Narrative structure (non-/linear? Open/ closed ending?)   I really liked the use of non linear narrative. The nonlinear narrative helped develop the character which resulted in in-depth emotional involvement of the audience.Striking use of technical features   The use of singular image put together, creates greater involvement for the viewer, after a while the use of singular images felt like it had merged into actual videos as you got used to the shots.

French New Wave

French New Wave – 1958 to 1960s

  • When American director took ideas and inspired by from French film makers. French New wave filmmakers explored new approaches to editing, visual style, and narrative, as well as the engagement with the social and political upheavals of the era. The movement was characterised by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favour of experimentation and a spirit of iconoclasm. Rejection of mainstream or old Hollywood film conventions. Working with low budgets as they are working with the end of WW2
  • Specific stylistic and structure Elements:
    – The auteur style – The auteur theory holds that the director is the “author” of their movies, with a personal signature visible from film to film.
    – Low Budget – natural lighting used, and natural set design using the most of the surroundings near by. There was many tight budgeting in the 1950s – 1960s when filmmaking so on location sets meant that the filmmakers are spending less money.
    – visual style – The cinematic stylings of the French New Wave brought a fresh look to the cinema with improvised dialogue, rapid changes of scene, and shots that broke the common 180 degrees axis of camera movement. In many films of the French – New Wave, the camera was used not to mesmerize the audience with elaborate narrative and illusory images, but rather to play with audience expectations. They used hand held camera which makes it feel like its a documentary style.
    – Experimentation – The French New wave is characterised by its innovative techniques, bold experimentation, and rejection of traditional cinema conventions. Directors employed unconventional editing techniques such as jump cuts and discontinuous narratives, creating a sense of spontaneity and subjectivity in their films.
  • Directors and Films from the French New wave that influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde ?
    – Jump cuts used inspired by the French New wave directors like Jean-LucGdard and Francois Truffaut show Penn’s film school background. Use of the bluegrass song foggy Mountain Breakdown by Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt keeps the tone light during crime scenes lending a comedic tone to some moments. Bonnie and Clyde used a lot of music which was a lot of Banjo music
  • Three moment from Bonnie and Clyde that depict the French New Wave?
    – The opening credits, depicting period photographs accompanied by the sound of the camera clicks suggestive of gun shots.
    – The films boldly original framing, employing windows, glass and mirrors as recurring visual motifs.

Bonnie and Clyde first response

Rating 8/10

I really enjoyed this film, i think the cinematography is unique to previous stuff i have seen before. I think the love story combined to the gangster aspect was setting a path for a new sub-genre of two partners in crime being lovers. A scene that sticks out to me is the opening scene of the film, I think the way Penn camera moved and follows Bonnie’s actions is seamless and a unique shot.

NEW HOLLYWOOD/INFLUENCE OF FRENCH NEW WAVE

What is meant by “New Hollywood” New Hollywood, also known as the American New Wave, refers to the innovative movement in American film history during the late 1960s to early 1980s where young filmmakers gained creative control, emphasizing narrative style, and realism. 

The Hollywood studio system started declining when TVs became more prominent and popular in American households. The habit of going to the cinema once a week was being broken because of at home entertainment. The film Cleopatra was a big flop, 20th century fox lost a lot of profit because of this film, which weakened young people’s confidence in the current studios. Young people found entertainment in French NewWave cinema, which was on topic for their generation and more experimental.  

1. The Graduate (director) mike Nichols, melodrama, romance 1967 

2. Midnight Cowboy (director) John Schlesinger, drama 1969 

3. The Wild Bunch (director) Sam Peckinpah, western adventure 1969 

4. Easy Rider: (director) Dennis Hopper, road adventure 1969 

He establishment had lost its audience and not addressed them, leading to films like the graduate and easy rider being made.  

Disgraced politician  RICHARD NIXON. Watergate revolved around members of a group associated with Nixon’s 1972 re-election campaign breaking into and planting listening devices in the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on June 17, 1972,   

Vietnam war, proxy war America tried to stop the spread of communism through the Vietcong. Protests all over America rose which led to violence around the country.  

In the ghettos black Americans started protesting because of racial discrimination.  

RFK and MLK get shot weeks apart in the late 1960s  

What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave– The term French New Wave comes from the French film movement which was incredibly self-aware and rejected the traditional styles of classical filmmaking, leading to an experimental era of film, which notably influenced American filmmaking styles for years to come. 50s-60s. Working with a low budget because of post ww2 France.

•What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave Films?

  • Deemphasized plot & dialogue was often improvised
  • Jump cuts rather than continuity editing
  • Location shooting
  • Handheld cameras- Gives a documentary style
  • Long takes
  • Direct sound & available light (live recordings, often didn’t adjust light)

•Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde? Why do you think this was the case?  François Truffaut inspired Arthur Penn, particularly with his film Jules Et Jim which was a 1962 French new wave film- this film challenged the gender ideals of men and women which could also be seen in Bonnie and Clyde 1967 while also utilising voiceovers, snappy editing and fast pacing to show the newer European era of cinema.

•Identify at least 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French New Wave cinema and say why this was the case. In the opening scene of Bonnie and Clyde we can see an extreme close-up shot of Bonnie which breaks the traditional style of the classic establishing shot. The multiple jump cuts of Bonnie in the first scene creatively showcase the influence of snappy fast paced editing that French directors started to use in this era. The use of jump cuts speed up the pace of the film which was enjoyable for younger generations of America and Europe.

Another notable scene in Bonnie and Clyde which showcased the French new wave influence was the famous death scene. Penn ends this film with a cut to black to show that his characters were dead and gone. There was no tidying up the end of the story or hopeful resolutions which was a direct steer away from the traditional classical Hollywood style. There was an abundance of violence in this scene, it was bloody and chaotic. Penn’s use of violence shows the move away from the Hayes code which limited violence and crude acts. This showcase of violence was an allegory for the Vietnam war which acts were dutifully hidden from the Americans at home. The ending of Bonnie and Clyde ushered ideas that criminals might be loveable, adding to the idea that violence could be art.

Lastly, when bonnie meets her family, and then cuts to her running through the field this scene is another notable example of the break away from the classical Hollywood style which always made the effort to frame the characters. The handheld shaky camera shows the influence of a documentary style of filmmaking which made its way over from France during this era. A filter is used in this scene which creatives a dream-like atmosphere which connotes a life that Bonnie could have lived if her life was not corrupted by crime. This also subverts from the technical rules followed by directors in classical Hollywood who did not experiment with filters and colour (post 1927).

1.How did New Hollywood directors like Penn approach film narratives? Penn abandoned the traditional “prude” style of filmmaking commonly used by directors in the classical era who were under the Hayes code. Penn used brutal violence, sexual innuendos, and casual humour in Bonnie and Clyde specifically to show the change from traditional Hollywood to the new Hollywood.

2.What is discontinuity editing? discontinuity editing is an editing style that is the opposite of classical editing. In a discontinuous sequence, the filmmaker will deliberately use an arrangement of shots that seem out of place or confusing relative to a traditional narrative. There’s no smooth or logical flow to the shots as they are edited together. This can seem disorienting or ambiguous, but it is used to demand participation on the part of the audience to engage in the intention of the plot

A great example of discontinuity editing is the famous (and favourite of mine) ritual/killing of colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now. The disorientating cuts between Willard and the ritual show the morality and differences between the American soldiers compared to the Cambodian tribe, ultimately showing the death, killing, and violence takes shape in every culture, but is perceived differently as to reason of cause. To further explain this… Willard has been sent on a mission by the American government to kill Kurtz for his actions with the Cambodian tribe. Willard began his journey travelling up the Cambodian river from Vietnam, he starts with American ideals of patriotism which is paired with continuity editing. Slowly as he gets closer to Kurtz leading him to the ritual scene, discontinuity editing takes over showing Willard’s loss of morality as he begins to take the place of Kurtz, falling into ideals of animalistic killing shown through the water buffalo killing (which was a very real water Buffalo being killed)

3.Why is this time in film production sometimes referred to as “The Rise of the Auteurs” in Hollywood? in “Old Hollywood” many actors, producers and studios were credited as the main workers on a film and given the spotlight. Once the French new wave era started many thought that the directors or the “Auteurs” should be credited as the storytellers of the film. The directors started to be seen as the creative driving force.

4.What is the lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern films? We can see the lasting impact of the French new Wave era in films today, With projects like Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis (2024) which used experimental editing with aspect ratio. Or we could go back to 1994 to see Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction which creatively used discontinuity editing to piece together multiple storylines into one. Martin Scorsese also used many French New Wave influences in his films like Casino which used snappy jump cuts to showcase the rise of Ace Goldstein’s casino.

NEW HOLLYWOOD BONNIE AND CLYDE

I liked this film. I like how the film starts with bonnie and we get to see the majority of the film from her perspective, bonnie is not treated as a trophy to be won, and she also joins Clyde in committing crimes which was a new outlook on how women were perceived in cinema. The opening of the film puts the main female character at the centre, as well as showing her as partially naked. conveying the female lead as naked and having her as the first thing the audience sees would have been a revolutionary move in cinema at this time, regarding the hayes code and societies view on women. This film gets a 9.5/10

CASABLANCA

Humphrey Bogart was an American actor. His performances in classic Hollywood cinema made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart as the greatest male star of classic American cinema. Humphrey Bogart’s breakthrough came with his 1941 film High Sierra, although he rose to stardom after acting in John Huston’s Maltese Falcon, which is considered to be one of the great noir films. Bogart was on contract to warner bros who were known for their gritty gangster films, which Bogart was commonly cast in. -made his name as a character who is tough without a gun.

RICK BLAIN

Ingrid Bergman rose to stardom after acting in Casablanca which was her second English speaking role. With a career spanning five decades, Bergman is often regarded as one of the most influential screen figures in cinematic history.

ILSA LUND.

Paul Henreid was an Austrian-American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is best remembered for several film roles during the Second World War, including Capt. Karl Marsan in Night Train to Munich, Victor Laszlo in Casablanca and Jerry Durance in Now, Voyager. Mr. Henreid’s first big American success was in another such role, that of the bombastic German consul in the Guild Theater production of “Flight to the West.” The play opened in New York on Dec. 30, 1940, and helped get him his first Hollywood contract, with RKO Radio Pictures in 1941.

Claude Rains was known for many roles in Hollywood films, among them the title role in The Invisible Man, a corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and, perhaps his most notable performance, as Captain Renault in Casablanca.

Hans Walter Conrad Veidt was born on 22 January 1893 in his parents’ home at Tieckstraß. A new career path for Veidt opened up in 1911 during a school Christmas play in which he delivered a long prologue before the curtain rose. The play was badly received, and the audience was heard to mutter, “Too bad the others didn’t do as well as Veidt.” Veidt began to study all of the actors he could and wanted to pursue a career in acting, much to the disappointment of his father, who called actors ‘gypsies’ and ‘outcasts’.

Greenstreet’s stage debut was as a murderer in a 1902 production of a Sherlock Holmes story at the Marina Theatre, Ramsgate, Kent.[citation needed] He toured Britain with Ben Greet‘s Shakespearean company, and in 1905 made his New York City debut in Everyman. He appeared in such plays as a revival of As You Like It (1914). He appeared in numerous plays in Britain and America, working through most of the 1930s with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne at the Theatre Guild. His stage roles ranged from musical comedy to Shakespeare, and years of such versatile acting on two continents led to many offers to appear in films. He refused until he was 61.

He began his stage career in Vienna, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before moving to Germany, where he worked first on the stage, then in film, in Berlin during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Lorre, who was Jewish, left Germany after Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party came to power Lorre caused an international sensation in the Weimar Republic–era film M (1931) where he portrayed a serial killer who preys on little girls. His second English-language film was Alfred Hitchcock‘s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), made in the United Kingdom.

Eventually settling in Hollywood, he later became a featured player in many Warner Bros. crime and mystery films. He acted in Mad Love (1935), Crime and Punishment (1935), The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942), Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), Passage to Marseille (1944), and My Favorite Brunette (1947). During this time he acted in several films acting alongside actors Humphrey Bogart and Sydney Greenstreet.

THEMES AND ISSUES

ISOLATIONISM- a policy of remaining apart from the affairs or interests of other groups, especially the political affairs of other countries. Isolationists believed that World War II was ultimately a dispute between foreign nations and that the United States had no good reason to get involved

When WW2 first erupted America quickly decided to stay neutral and not get involved in any affairs regarding the war. Rick Blain is the personification of Americas Isolationism in WW2, he starts the film off by being heavily removed from any situations regarding the Nazis or Allies, until, someone he cares for, Ilsa Lund turns up, as kind of his own pearl harbour that pushes him to fight against the Nazis around him. In the early days of the war, 96% of Americans expressed that they did not want America getting involved and thought of it as a “phony” war. Rick Blain starts off the film very cynical and hard-headed, but as the film comes to an end after reuniting with Ilsa his patriotism rears is head.

REPRESENTATIONS IN CASABLANCA- MIS-EN-SCENE

1. Lighting

  • Casablanca makes use of high-contrast lighting, which is characteristic of the film noir genre. Dimly lit interiors and shadows that create an air of mystery and tension. This lighting emphasizes the moral ambiguity of the characters, particularly Rick, whose personality is reflected in the shadowy spaces around him.

2. Set Design and Location

  • The setting of Rick’s Café Americain is central to the mise-en-scene. The cafe itself, with its stylish but slightly worn-down décor, represents a neutral space in the conflict between the Axis and the Allies. It’s a microcosm of the larger world outside.
  • The backdrop of war-torn Casablanca, with its French colonial influence, reflects the theme of escape and the complexity of wartime decisions, particularly in how the city is portrayed as a place of both opportunity and corruption.

3. Costumes

  • Characters are dressed according to their roles and personalities, often in a way that subtly communicates their inner struggles or alignment. Rick’s tailored suits highlight his status and sophistication, while Ilsa’s elegant wardrobe conveys her grace but also her inner turmoil.

5. Props

Key props like the letters of transit and the piano play significant symbolic roles in the film’s themes. The letters represent the hope for escape, freedom, and a way out of Casablanca’s perilous political situation. The piano, particularly in the famous scene where Sam (Dooley Wilson) plays “As Time Goes By,” becomes a symbol of the past, love, and nostalgia, echoing Rick and Ilsa’s romance.

EDITING

The letters of transit is an important example of editing in Casablanca. This pivotal moment occurs near the end of the film, when Rick makes the sacrificial decision to ensure that Ilsa and Victor leave Casablanca, even though it means losing Ilsa forever. The editing here is crucial in building the emotional weight of the scene.

Cross-cutting between characters: The scene is carefully edited with cross-cutting between Rick, Ilsa, and Victor. As Rick makes his decision, the editor uses quick, tight shots of each character’s face, showing their emotional reactions—Rick’s stoic resignation, Ilsa’s tears, and Victor’s determination. The cross-cutting between them increases the emotional tension, as the audience feels the internal conflict each character is experiencing.

SOUND

1. Dialogue

  • Dialogue: The dialogue in Casablanca is sharp, witty, and often filled with subtext. Rick’s dialogue, in particular, is filled with cynicism, reflective of his character’s emotional journey. His famous lines, like “Here’s looking at you, kid” or “We’ll always have Paris,” have become iconic for their mix of romanticism and bittersweetness.

2. Underscoring

  • Max Steiner’s Score: The film’s musical score, composed by Max Steiner, uses underscoring to emphasize the emotional tone of key moments. One of the most notable ways this is done is through the recurring use of “As Time Goes By”, a song that becomes an integral part of the narrative and a thematic anchor for the film. The melody plays during key moments, such as when Sam plays it on the piano, reminding Rick and Ilsa of their past love and setting the nostalgic and tragic tone.
  • Use of Music to Convey Emotion: The film also uses music to heighten tension and drama. For example, the score swells during dramatic moments of decision or sacrifice, adding weight to the characters’ choices and reinforcing the emotional stakes. The music’s swelling intensity complements the on-screen action and deepens the audience’s emotional engagement with the narrative.

3. Sound Motif

  • “As Time Goes By” as a Sound Motif: The song “As Time Goes By” is more than just a piece of music in Casablanca—it functions as a sound motif that recurs throughout the film, representing Rick and Ilsa’s past love and the passage of time. The motif appears in different variations, from Sam playing it on the piano to the orchestral arrangements in key moments. The song’s repeated use ties together the themes of nostalgia, love, and lost time, creating a powerful emotional connection for the audience. It reminds the audience of the characters’ shared history and the poignant inevitability of their separation.

REPRESENTATIONS OF CHARACTERS.

WOMEN; In Casablanca, Ilsa Lund is the only prominent female character we meet. Ilsa is being competed over by Victor Laszlo and Rick Blain. Her character represents how women are viewed as trophies and never given enough agency to lead themselves, even in the face of persecution all the men in Ilsas life believe that she needs a man to take care of her.

MEN; The plot and the historic timeline that it follows reflects stereotypically masculine concerns: war, duty to country, and freedom. Every decision-maker depicter, regardless of his political affiliation, is a man. All viewers, both male and female, are forced to see the world of Casablanca through the eyes of a man – the lens of a masculinized camera.

AUTHORITY FIGURES; Captain Renault is represented by his corruption, although being the chief of police in Vichy French territory he still has his indulgences and helps refugees escape in exchange for sex. Eventually Renault decides to put his faith in rick and they form a friendship, this is symbolic of an alliance between the United States and France, emphasizing cooperation against the common enemy of fascism.

AMERICANS; when Ilsa walks back into Rick’s life, the American character (in a time of war) crystallizes: when circumstances demand heroism, Americans get tough on the outside and moral within, capable of sacrifice and romance and rugged individualism, shaping democracy, sticking their neck out. Rick’s Café, in itself, exalts the power of American diversity and the guarded optimism located in America in the forties.