Jacques Demy creates a whimsical façade in The Umbrellas of Cherbough.
The key in comprehending the significance of the umbrella is to first understand its various contexts. First, umbrellas protect us from certain elements. Second, they can be a force or influence. Third, they can also be something that includes many different parts. The weaving of these contexts creates a whimsical façade.
The musical genre acts as an umbrella in this film. This genre acts as a shield that makes a series of melancholy themes more tolerable: France’s draft related to the Algerian War, sad love story that includes not only an abrupt ending of a relationship but also the unexpected pregnancy of an unwed mother and the gradual failing of a family business. This abundance of sad themes is far more tolerable because they are portrayed through song. The umbrella also symbolizes influence in this film.
Supporting character Madame Emery personifies this influence. This is clearly illustrated within the story. Madame Emery wants her daughter Geneviève to marry a man of higher status (Roland Cassard instead of Guy Foucher). Her wishes eventually come true. The umbrella is also laced within the mise-en-scène.
This is because the story surrounds Madame Emery’s umbrella shop. This shop is the center of all other connecting themes.
Basically, the umbrella is related to many different aspects of The Umbrellas of Cherbough. It is not only a physical attribute within the film, it is also symbolic in its use as a form of genre, its direction, as well as the relationship between Madame Emery and Geneviève within the plot. Again, this makes very difficult themes easier to watch, therefore, the weaving of the many contexts of the umbrella creates a whimsical façade.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Une Femme est Une Femme
Through the use of primary colors Jean-Luc Godard portrays a visual sarcasm in A Woman is A Woman.
Through primary colors he is able to stylistically mimic the immature persona of main character Angela. The primary colors [red, blue and yellow] are consistently used within the mise-en-scène: yellow pajamas; Angela’s red clothes; Émile’s blue clothes, etcetera. Primary colors tend to represent the earliest time of development in humans— children. This is exactly how Angela behaves.
Main character Angela, played by Anna Karina, is immature. She has temper tantrums and constantly reacts as a brat. She wants what-she-wants-when-she-wants it and will not humor reason. She wants a baby even though the way she lives is not appropriate to raise a child: she is in a unstable relationship, her boyfriend does not want a child and she works as a singing go-go girl.
In contrast the definition of a woman is an adult female; however, the main character clearly lacks the maturity of an adult. Although it is blatantly obvious that Angela’s dialogue, behavior and actions reflect an immature woman, perhaps even under-developed, the colors accentuate this behavior. Angela’s playground is within an adult theme. Red blue and yellow illuminate this playground, therefore, creating visual sarcasm.
Through primary colors he is able to stylistically mimic the immature persona of main character Angela. The primary colors [red, blue and yellow] are consistently used within the mise-en-scène: yellow pajamas; Angela’s red clothes; Émile’s blue clothes, etcetera. Primary colors tend to represent the earliest time of development in humans— children. This is exactly how Angela behaves.
Main character Angela, played by Anna Karina, is immature. She has temper tantrums and constantly reacts as a brat. She wants what-she-wants-when-she-wants it and will not humor reason. She wants a baby even though the way she lives is not appropriate to raise a child: she is in a unstable relationship, her boyfriend does not want a child and she works as a singing go-go girl.
In contrast the definition of a woman is an adult female; however, the main character clearly lacks the maturity of an adult. Although it is blatantly obvious that Angela’s dialogue, behavior and actions reflect an immature woman, perhaps even under-developed, the colors accentuate this behavior. Angela’s playground is within an adult theme. Red blue and yellow illuminate this playground, therefore, creating visual sarcasm.
Jules et Jim
We tilt a plank balanced by her,
pushing ground to soar to insecure
heights, a flight that lands bottomless.
Through her we seek to find what is lost
within ourselves, made weak by her
cracked shell, we dwell within her presence
or lack thereof, like doves we fly,
then our beaks streak the obvious
glass, crash into shallow puddles.
The smudge is clearer than our minds.
As our ankles hit the soil,
we tilt our weight onto our hearts,
smother our sense of direction
in the reflection of her scattered
bosom, schisms and wilted looms
we fall through, plunge to catch erratic
mannerisms of an obscure
femme, dim light is our savoir, we
savor the question of her, chase
and flirt with the whims of her,
“especially me,” Jules said. Jim
begs to differ, for the stiffer
part of him becomes limp from attempts
beyond sarcastic-intimate
lips. Frozen frames of smiles, frowns and gazes
blaze his bones, the only moan he
sounds is the sealed lid of an urn.
pushing ground to soar to insecure
heights, a flight that lands bottomless.
Through her we seek to find what is lost
within ourselves, made weak by her
cracked shell, we dwell within her presence
or lack thereof, like doves we fly,
then our beaks streak the obvious
glass, crash into shallow puddles.
The smudge is clearer than our minds.
As our ankles hit the soil,
we tilt our weight onto our hearts,
smother our sense of direction
in the reflection of her scattered
bosom, schisms and wilted looms
we fall through, plunge to catch erratic
mannerisms of an obscure
femme, dim light is our savoir, we
savor the question of her, chase
and flirt with the whims of her,
“especially me,” Jules said. Jim
begs to differ, for the stiffer
part of him becomes limp from attempts
beyond sarcastic-intimate
lips. Frozen frames of smiles, frowns and gazes
blaze his bones, the only moan he
sounds is the sealed lid of an urn.
L’Anee Denière à Marienbad
Marienbad, memory bad,
a masculine voice hypnotizes
a stuttered view, fertile infinitude
of déjà vu: “…always walls,
always corridors, always doors…”
Walls contain a boudoir, her body
flanks siamese photos, hold rooms of
empty people equal in hollow
movement, hangs images of terraces,
a fountain that towers our shadow,
or not, many times we stood, once I
fell, a lapsed sound covers her stare,
a garden with a maze of static
and grey evergreens, bird’s eye views
of ceilings, baroque trim, tilt down to
corridors whether crowded or
vacant lead to doors, to rooms with walls,
contain a boudoir, her body flanks
siamese photos, hold rooms of empty people
equal in hollow movement,
hangs images of terraces,
a fountain that towers our shadow,
or not, many times we stood, once I
fell, a lapsed sound covers her stare, a
garden with a maze of static and
grey evergreens, bird’s eye views of ceilings,
baroque trim, tilt down to confirm
intimate factions the distraction of
doors may pivot or remain rusted
shut, locked, block exit, slide or revolve
entrance, means of access from corridors
whether crowded or vacant lead to doors
to rooms with walls contain a boudoir,
her body flanks siamese photos, hold rooms
of empty people equal in
hollow movement, hangs images
of terraces, a fountain that
towers our shadow, or not, many
times we stood, once I fell, a lapsed sound
covers her stare, a garden with a
maze of static and grey evergreens,
bird’s eye views of ceilings, baroque trim,
tilt down to walls: corridors: doors.
a masculine voice hypnotizes
a stuttered view, fertile infinitude
of déjà vu: “…always walls,
always corridors, always doors…”
Walls contain a boudoir, her body
flanks siamese photos, hold rooms of
empty people equal in hollow
movement, hangs images of terraces,
a fountain that towers our shadow,
or not, many times we stood, once I
fell, a lapsed sound covers her stare,
a garden with a maze of static
and grey evergreens, bird’s eye views
of ceilings, baroque trim, tilt down to
corridors whether crowded or
vacant lead to doors, to rooms with walls,
contain a boudoir, her body flanks
siamese photos, hold rooms of empty people
equal in hollow movement,
hangs images of terraces,
a fountain that towers our shadow,
or not, many times we stood, once I
fell, a lapsed sound covers her stare, a
garden with a maze of static and
grey evergreens, bird’s eye views of ceilings,
baroque trim, tilt down to confirm
intimate factions the distraction of
doors may pivot or remain rusted
shut, locked, block exit, slide or revolve
entrance, means of access from corridors
whether crowded or vacant lead to doors
to rooms with walls contain a boudoir,
her body flanks siamese photos, hold rooms
of empty people equal in
hollow movement, hangs images
of terraces, a fountain that
towers our shadow, or not, many
times we stood, once I fell, a lapsed sound
covers her stare, a garden with a
maze of static and grey evergreens,
bird’s eye views of ceilings, baroque trim,
tilt down to walls: corridors: doors.
Tirez sur le pianiste
Shoot the Piano Player, directed by Francois Truffaut, embodies a sense of balance.
Main character Charlie experiences extreme highs and extreme lows. This translates through the storyline. At one point, he is in love and ends up playing as a very successful concert pianist. At another, he is alone and playing at a neighborhood pub. The ending of his relationships with women intricately illustrate the same.
Although both of his women (in his intimate relationships) both die, they die due to opposite circumstances. On one hand, thugs shoot Lena. She runs through crossfire and stray bullets kill her. On the other hand, Theresa commits suicide because she fells death is the only resolution to her self-disguise. Therefore, thugs kill one and one kills herself. This existence of balance also exists in genre.
Francois Truffaut mixes genres in the film to even out the depressing misfortunes of Charlie, drama; slapstick and comical dialogue mingle within this story. By intertwining opposing extremes via plot and genre, he succeeds in portraying a sense of balance.
Main character Charlie experiences extreme highs and extreme lows. This translates through the storyline. At one point, he is in love and ends up playing as a very successful concert pianist. At another, he is alone and playing at a neighborhood pub. The ending of his relationships with women intricately illustrate the same.
Although both of his women (in his intimate relationships) both die, they die due to opposite circumstances. On one hand, thugs shoot Lena. She runs through crossfire and stray bullets kill her. On the other hand, Theresa commits suicide because she fells death is the only resolution to her self-disguise. Therefore, thugs kill one and one kills herself. This existence of balance also exists in genre.
Francois Truffaut mixes genres in the film to even out the depressing misfortunes of Charlie, drama; slapstick and comical dialogue mingle within this story. By intertwining opposing extremes via plot and genre, he succeeds in portraying a sense of balance.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Cléo de 5 à 7
The world certainly does not revolve around Cleo in Cléo de 5 à 7 by Agnes Varda.
This is beautifully staged in an ongoing mise-en-scène. The main character Cleo walks through the city while trying to mentally distract herself from fears of a medical test result. In one of the most memorable shots, Cleo is in the store front of a hat shop. As she peruses an array of hats, the viewer is detached from her every move. This is because the camera’s focus is intentionally set on the reflection of the street. In this reflection buses and cars speed by and pedestrians scat about. This motif of life’s contiguous motion’s and struggles is also reflected in the sound.
In one particular scene, that not only exposes the vibe of a local café in Paris but also Cleo’s fixation on vanity, the sound plays the mortar of this motif. After Cleo decides to play one of her own songs on the jukebox, the sound is saturated by miscellaneous conversations that range from relationship matters to the Algerian War which took place during the creation of this film. The most amusing commentary was someone referring to Cleo’s song as noise.
This film is not only visually pleasing but philosophically interesting. It caused me to consider the significance of an small individual in a large world. At the end of the day, no matter what is on my mind, life goes on in the city and everywhere else for that matter.
This is beautifully staged in an ongoing mise-en-scène. The main character Cleo walks through the city while trying to mentally distract herself from fears of a medical test result. In one of the most memorable shots, Cleo is in the store front of a hat shop. As she peruses an array of hats, the viewer is detached from her every move. This is because the camera’s focus is intentionally set on the reflection of the street. In this reflection buses and cars speed by and pedestrians scat about. This motif of life’s contiguous motion’s and struggles is also reflected in the sound.
In one particular scene, that not only exposes the vibe of a local café in Paris but also Cleo’s fixation on vanity, the sound plays the mortar of this motif. After Cleo decides to play one of her own songs on the jukebox, the sound is saturated by miscellaneous conversations that range from relationship matters to the Algerian War which took place during the creation of this film. The most amusing commentary was someone referring to Cleo’s song as noise.
This film is not only visually pleasing but philosophically interesting. It caused me to consider the significance of an small individual in a large world. At the end of the day, no matter what is on my mind, life goes on in the city and everywhere else for that matter.
Hiroshima Mon Amour
Love, She, meets War, He:
She is a blood-crusted gauze
cradles the flaws of discretion
which lessen the count of nostrils
that share the air. He is a
jagged wound swooned by ice daggers,
phallic-iron barrels, orphans
and widows with infant worms,
stern blood hugs tangled limbs.
Close up views, hues of black
and white, skin scorched, tingles
the finger tips of she
as she grips him in a vague
embrace, the scars melt
the body heat of Germany with
Japan's, a set of hands, wrists,
forearms and elbows twist,
a kiss ignites a familiar
corpse. He thinks she knows nothing
but she knows everything.
Like an atom bomb he
incinerates the petrified
skin on her heart, scrapes the bottom
and finds a reflection
of himself, it bleeds until
his corpse encases his breath.
The scars remain. They breed
on the backs, arms, eye sockets
and minds, mock admirable
decline. He thinks she knows nothing
but she knows everything.
Her tongue is torn. The part closest
to the spine has incomplete
sentences, a reference
to Love’s embrace of lost touches.
The latter fulfills the need
for questions, current actions
feel the same. Is he the blame
or she?
She is a blood-crusted gauze
cradles the flaws of discretion
which lessen the count of nostrils
that share the air. He is a
jagged wound swooned by ice daggers,
phallic-iron barrels, orphans
and widows with infant worms,
stern blood hugs tangled limbs.
Close up views, hues of black
and white, skin scorched, tingles
the finger tips of she
as she grips him in a vague
embrace, the scars melt
the body heat of Germany with
Japan's, a set of hands, wrists,
forearms and elbows twist,
a kiss ignites a familiar
corpse. He thinks she knows nothing
but she knows everything.
Like an atom bomb he
incinerates the petrified
skin on her heart, scrapes the bottom
and finds a reflection
of himself, it bleeds until
his corpse encases his breath.
The scars remain. They breed
on the backs, arms, eye sockets
and minds, mock admirable
decline. He thinks she knows nothing
but she knows everything.
Her tongue is torn. The part closest
to the spine has incomplete
sentences, a reference
to Love’s embrace of lost touches.
The latter fulfills the need
for questions, current actions
feel the same. Is he the blame
or she?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)