Film Analysis 2 - Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run is a film with simple plot and 3 different ending which is the main character Lola is helping her boyfriend to take or earn back the money that her boyfriend lost in the train. The story begins with Lola receive a call from her boyfriend, Manni. Manni tells Lola about the incident of how he lost the 100,000 marks and how his boss trying to kill him if he cannot get back the 100,000 marks. Lola promises him and helps him to get the amount of money as soon as possible. That’s the race between Lola and time begins.

The editing of the film uses graphic relations by repeats the scenes of Lola run out the house and the camera run around her mother, later on showing the animated sequences to indicate that Lola started a new run again.

Also while Lola is running, upbeat and quick background music is used to show rhythmic relations in the scene. They use fast cuts and short shots to make the audience to feel the pressure that Lola feels in the heavy situation. Also, audiences may suspense and curious on Lola runs. Would she or wouldn’t she be success this time on completing her mission? Intensely to build such impact that the audience will experience during watching Run Lola Run.

Besides, the flashback sequence when Lola or Manni dies show their intimate relationship which also let the audiences understands them easily. Also, when the scene Manni call Lola, they put in some flashback to show Manni make a big mistake and Lola also broke her promise to Manni that she will pick him up in the taxi.

The spilt screen that uses frequently when Lola is going to reach Manni shows the distance between Manni and Lola. Also when Lola finds her father while her father going up to a car. When they meet up in the end while the screen join together and shown as they are together.

Lola trying to choose and think about the persons who can help her while the camera turns 360 degree around her with jump cuts of the scene.Lola chooses her father that work in the bank that can help her out in the end. 

There is a form cut on the transition of the phone and the bag of money drop. By combining the shots and overlay the shots of both props.

The mi-se-scene of Run Lola Run involves with pop-culture with the outstanding colors and performances.

The colors in Run Lola Run somehow exaggerate but also a slide of monotone that provide the effect of contrast in the film. The outstanding color pop out in the environment and become the focus point of the film. Such as Lola hair is red and Manni in the telebooth is yellow.

Also, the flashback scene when Lola and Manni together on a bed with the effect of red filter, symbolically representing pop-culture arts. Also the color is bringing out the meaning of caution and danger between them.

The characters have exaggerated performances in acting and action. Lola screams in high pitch can break glasses is so much exaggerated that out of reality. Also, some of the stranger that Lola pass by has intense judging her.   However, some characters are very noble to put out the contrast on it performances.

Props such as glasses represent the fragility of life. When Lola screams and the glass breaks show repeatedly in the film, highlights her panic and power to overcome them. Also, before Manni get hit by the ambulance, the ambulance hit on the huge piece of glass to show caution and danger that later will happen.

The use of animation is probably the most of pop-culture of the film because it combines reality and different dimensions.  Musics are also a part of pop-culture which is loud and fast paced to exaggerate the run.  Also, the settings in Berlin have many of building with similar structure that looks like a maze.

Life is spontaneously like a video game in Run Lola Run. We are able to have chances to win and to choose until it would be happy ending. The different of timing, circumstances and decisions change the ending of your destiny.  Life is unpredictable which can have many possibilities of changes, treats, opportunity and ourselves might affected by others as also the others by our own. 



Reference:

https://www.ghc.edu/faculty/llerych/Film_125_Textbook_Chapter_4.pdf

https://fromscreentowords.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/narrative-and-editing-with-run-lola-run/

http://infolab.stanford.edu/~prasanna/dmc/chance.html