Analysis of "La Jetée" Short Film by Finn Rowan
Finn Rowan provides an insightful analysis of the short film "La Jetée." The narrative is explored through themes of time, uncertainty, and cyclical structure, emphasizing the significance of storytelling and the impact of war and destruction on individuals. The film's use of enigmas and binary oppositions between past and future adds layers of complexity to the protagonist's journey, leaving viewers questioning reality and memory.
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Presentation Transcript
La Jetee Short Film Analysis Finn Rowan
Characters At the start, there is no clear protagonist only a narrator is heard over still images. The protagonist is established by the narrator telling us this story is about a man gives a sense of a tale being told something from the past. A woman is introduced as something mysterious unclear whether she is real or a figment of the boy s imagination. We are aligned with the man throughout his story being told, from a child to death POV shots looking at the woman place us with him. The characters in the film do not have any names perhaps makes the viewer more detached from them maybe the ideas being presented are more important than the characters?
Time and Place The setting of the film is established early on Paris, France. A black screen with text establishes events at the start seems more factual as if from a history book even though the story is set in a dystopian future of WWIII. Time is a significant theme the past and future are explored throughout and come together at the end when it is revealed the man watches himself die when he is a child.
Narrative Enigmas are used throughout the film the lack of names and dialogue, a sense of mystery throughout with a twist at the end and the uncertainty of whether the past with the woman is real or not? Is the woman real or just a sign of the man s death? A more spiritual being? The narrative of the film is in a cyclical structure, emphasising the importance of time perhaps a suggestion of things repeating and the death and the destruction in the world never ending.
Binary Oppositions The past versus the present versus the future The past and the future are explored in the film and contrast each other the past seems peaceful and happy, while the future is mysterious and uncertain. Fantasy versus reality/memories versus reality The man s memories are explored but it is unclear whether what he is experiencing is real or not unknown whether the woman is real or created by him. World wide problems versus one man s story The issues ongoing in the film are worldwide problems war but we follow one man s story perhaps a comment on the effect war and destruction has on individuals or it could highlight the insignificance of this man s life, compared to the larger world. Mankind s desire to control versus the lack of control mankind has The scientists want to experiment with time travel humanity s desire to control but this is contrasted by the man dying at the end unable to escape his fate possibly representing the lack of control individuals have over large scale problems?
Ideas and Messages There is a suggestion that the future is uncertain the future in the film is presented in a low key light with a black background ominous and unclear perhaps the film is saying we cannot truly comprehend what the future may hold. The film seems to warn of dangers of the future with its dystopian setting a future holding more destruction and a Third World War ideas of existentialism and fears of the future being explored? Emphasis on the importance of memories and childhood imagination something personal to each individual which others cannot touch. Explores the dangers of scientific advancement with time travel a comment on how humanity is desperate to advance and control everything? However, this only leads to more death and destruction? The ideas of the experiments and the poor conditions of the prisoners could link to the holocaust perhaps nothing is improving?
Feelings Created by the Film The black and white images throughout and the low key light create a rather cold atmosphere or alternatively, maybe this give the sense of something historical, linking to the theme of the past. Moreover, the use of photos and the mise-en-scene of ruins throughout could give the sense of the destruction seeming real could create thoughts of existentialism fears about the world around us. The low key lighting underground makes the work the scientists are doing seem disturbing an uneasy feeling also creates sympathy for the prisoners and the protagonist. The dramatic choir music gives the sense of some kind of impending doom no hope or it could link to churches and burials death. The lack of names and dialogue throughout the film could potentially make viewers feel rather detached maybe the intended feeling is for something cold and uncaring.
