Stéphane Mallarmé once said, “A throw of the dice will never abolish chance”, which actually applies to the film Last Year in Marienbad. So if the movement of throwing the dice won’t exterminate chance, then there is a question could be raised that when is the point that chance disappears? This should only be answered by understanding the relation between Mallarmé’s meaning of chance and the concept of time in the film.
During the French New Wave in film, Last Year in Marienbad is an insightful piece that entirely abandons logical consistency in narratives. On the contrary, this film shows the ability of using emotions and specific elements (time, corridors, mirrors, etc.) to connect from scene to scene.
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This means that we don't need to wait until the very last moment to know if something is going to happen, because we have our own judgment based on the tendency of situations. Even though X looses the game every time, he still insists on playing that game with M, because for him, everything still could be changed before the dice hits the ground.
X utilizes conception of time frequently during his conversation with A. “For days and days, every night-all the rooms are identical…” “A few months, a few hours, a few minutes, a few seconds more… as if you still had doubts…about separating with him…from yourself…as if you were his shadow” “Once more I advanced along these same corridors…for days…months…years…to meet you”(Dauman, Resnais, 1961). This indicates that to X, time doesn’t really matter. Like the way he makes A doubts her beliefs at last, both time and place are blurry, and could be frozen and changed.
In the film, same things always happened in different time and space. The broken of the glass, the conversation between A and X, the screaming of A, and last year and this year in Marienbad, they are happening repeatedly discard the changing of time and space. The only matters that remain stable are the sculptures and plants in the garden, because they are not controlled by
Film Noir, as Paul Schrader integrates in his essay ‘Notes on Film Noir,’ reflects a marked phase in the history of films denoting a peculiar style observed during that period. More specifically, Film Noir is defined by intricate qualities like tone and mood, rather than generic compositions, settings and presentation. Just as ‘genre’ categorizes films on the basis of common occurrences of iconographic elements in a certain way, ‘style’ acts as the paradox that exemplifies the generality and singularity at the same time, in Film Noir, through the notion of morality. In other words, Film Noir is a genre that exquisitely entwines theme and style, and henceforth sheds light on individual difference in perception of a common phenomenon. Pertaining
Approaching the coast of France, Martin rebukes the idea of visiting Paris for the city’s deceptive persona. Paris, as described by Martin, is a perpetual site for chaos and empty desires. While recounting Paris, Martin is also iterating the cycle of his and Candide’s life such as Candide losing his profits and Martin being used by his family. The context of chaos and pleasure is subtly revealing the internal conflict of Candide’s optimism. His philosophy allows him to suggest that when he is dosed with good fortune, all is good. However, Candide immediately is struck with ill-fortune and chaos. This leads to him pursuing pleasure once more, just to be placed in another chaotic environment. Adding onto the cycle of Candide’s life, the contrasting
Set in France in 1904, the stage is a French bar called the “Lapin Agile”, with the action of the plot involving the characters who come into the bar and their relationship to time as well as each other. The script is an abstract look at the chance meeting of historical
Run Lola Run, is a German film about a twenty-something woman (Lola) who has 20 minutes to find $100,000 or her love (Manni) will be killed. The search for the money is played through once with a fatal ending and one would think the movie was over but then it is shown again as if it had happened ten seconds later and changed everything. It is then played out one last time. After the first and second sequence, there is a red hued, narrative bridge. There are several purposes of those bridges that affect the movie as a whole. The film Run Lola Run can be analyzed by using the four elements of mise-en scene. Mise-en-scene refers to the aspects of film that overlap with the art of the theater. Mise-en-scene pertains to setting, lighting, costume, and acting style. For the purpose of this paper, I plan on comparing the setting, costume, lighting, and acting style in the first red hued, bridge to that of the robbery scene. Through this analysis, I plan to prove that the purpose of the narrative bridge in the film was not only to provide a segue from the first sequence to the second, but also to show a different side of personality within the main characters.
White, Kenneth. “Forget Your Desire: The Cinema of Guy Maddin.” Millenium Film Journal 45/46 (2006): 133-139.
The script’s opening image defines the film’s POV, by using the camera to subjectively identify our protagonist’s recent affliction as he awakens paralyzed from a stroke induced coma. Jean-Dominique Bauby, a.k.a. Jean-Do, is informed of his condition by the doctor. He is unable to respond to the doctor’s questions, which sets-up the conflict that he will struggle to communicate his thoughts throughout the script. As Jean-Do looks around his hospital room, we are informed by pictures and drawings beside his bed that he was a successful editor of a fashion magazine who led a comfortable and pleasurable lifestyle. There are images of his children alongside drawings that they have made for him. There is a sense of hopelessness and despair expressed through his interior monologue when he asks, “Is this life”? There are several unified themes stated in the opening pages of the script. First, there is a bell heard in the distance which informs the reader that our protagonist is trying to somehow communicate with others, but cannot do so throug...
“Marie Antoinette” (2006) directed by Sofia Coppola is a drama/comedy, that is centered on the life of the notorious Queen of France, in the years leading up to the French Revolution. Coppola’s film style was very modern avant garde. The film focuses on Antoinette point of view throughout all her adventures and difficulties. She was the character with whom the viewer identified with the most, her observation were the most important (aside from the audience). Therefore there were many close ups and high lighting on her. The film also invokes the lesson that luxuries is not everything that it will not make you completely happy, which makes the audience feel somewhat sympathetic towards the queen. Coppola successfully achieves to use beautiful and extravagant cinematography to tell the story of the late Marie Antoinette. The mise-en-scene of the film that will be discussed is setting, costume, lighting and figure behavior.
...successful collaboration of sound, colour, camera positioning and lighting are instrumental in portraying these themes. The techniques used heighten the suspense, drama and mood of each scene and enhance the film in order to convey to the spectator the intended messages.
...r, with investigation into the visual elements of this film, meanings of this film expand beyond the literal dialog and -- existing in the film.
The Rules of the Game embodies the isolation, disillusionment, bitterness, and nostalgia portrayed during the Poetic Realism or French Impressionist cinematic movement (1934-1940) by contrasting the realistic and formative traditions. The Rules of the Game follows a nar...
Through most of the characters’ passion for filmmaking, this movie teaches the audience the great significance of film history. Many people in modern day tend to take film and its history for granted, but they do not realize the depth and effort that mankind has put into such a development. In Hugo, the theme of film history revolves around the entire production, and the audience sees flashbacks of Georges Méliès’ past that reveal his vital role in movie-making. By investing a deep meaning to the tale, viewers start to understand the great emotional and intellectual characteristics of movies. Additionally, Hugo himself delivers a message to his counterpart characters, which also serves as a lesson for the onlookers. He shows the audience that everyone has a part and purpose in this world. Protagonist Hugo Cabret says that “everything has a purpose, even machines. Clocks tell the time, trains take you places. They do what they’re meant to do.” Voicing through Hugo, the filmmakers illustrate how every individual has a reason to live and discover their calling. With a statement about the forgotten grandeur of film history and a valuable message to the crowd regarding one’s purpose, Hugo inspires and presents itself as a noteworthy and unforgettable
...lly being transformed into interior elements and psychic events are exteriorized’ (Eisner, 1973:15). This can be seen in the film where the set is a self-contained construct of the subjective perception of a character that challenges our normal perception of reality. The set is an alteration of reality and it is infused with life and expresses the insanity, disorientation and illusions of a world detached from the everyday.
made in. Some incorporate them into the plot, some use them as allegories, and some satirize them.” Without an influence or connection to relate with the audience, the film would have no dimension. When seeing a movie, viewers are always going to search for an underlying meaning or message that could connect to their lives today. Although most
...verything around us is made by our actions. Positive or negative they cause an effect that will ultimately lead to a different story base on how we interpret life. Narrative elements are used as a bridge by the directors in their film to create any master plot that is currently known. Any modification at any narrative element used by the director at important moments inside the story can help you portray a different master plot. This used of narrative elements can be best described as an ever changing process that takes place inside an individual’s head. Depending on the individual that may be exposed to those narrative elements can create different meanings. This new interpretation can be different for everyone. We have to be aware that one change in the surface scenery can lead to many ideal outcomes in our minds and that is the main power the audience has.
Phillip Kaufman’s 2001 film Quills represents the last year of the Marquis de Sade’s life in the Charendon Insane Asylum as a struggle between good versus evil. While this may be thematically correct in terms of the de Sade’s overall life, Kaufman takes many liberties with the actual historical record. The historian must ponder whether or this is a valid approach. Does Hollywood have an obligation an obligation to remain true to history? I contend the film is a historical fiction whose only charge is entertainment.