Run, Lola, Run by Tom Tykwer (1998) is a cinematically innovative film that
departs in many ways from usual standards of narrative construction by using a wide range of filmmaking techniques. Although its unique graphic and audio
representation as well as its plot technique confronts stereotypes that are produced by Hollywood, it can also be associated with principles of classical narrative form. In this paper I will discuss the complex structure and narrative of the movie as well as its extensive self-reflexivity by focusing on its different ramifications in art cinema, counter-cinema and classical Hollywood cinema. In an interview on a Belgian film website David Bordwell argues that a lot of films which seem to be unusual and innovative are actually rooted in the spirit of classical cinema: A movie like Lola Rennt for instance, which is very experimental in some ways, is in many ways also very traditional. Beginning-middle-end, she gets three chances, the last one is the right one, she looks at the audience in the end and acknowledges it's all been a game... I mean, this is very much in the spirit of classical cinema. Although this might be true, there certainly are devices in the film that can be aligned with art cinema. The categorization and analysis of Run, Lola, Run is a matter of how you define classical Hollywood cinema and of how much emphasis you put on the different characteristics that define the structure and the narrative of the film. [...]
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Narrative Constructions in Tom Tykwer's Run, Lola, Run
- Art Cinema
- Art Cinema's Realism in Run, Lola, Run
- Authorial Expressivity in Run, Lola, Run
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to analyze the complex structure and narrative of the movie Run, Lola, Run (1998) by Tom Tykwer, focusing on its extensive self-reflexivity and its relationship to art cinema, counter-cinema, and classical Hollywood cinema. It explores how the film's unique narrative techniques and stylistic choices challenge traditional cinematic conventions.
- The film's departure from traditional narrative structure through the triple repetition of a single sequence of events.
- The film's use of art cinema elements such as realism, authorial expressivity, and a deconstruction of cinematic space and time.
- The film's combination of art cinema elements with elements of classical Hollywood cinema and counter-cinema.
- The film's stylistic signatures, including its use of parallel montage, multiple visual formats, and MTV-style editing.
- The film's exploration of themes of fate, chance, and free will.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- The first chapter introduces the film's unique narrative structure, which involves the repetition of a single sequence of events with different outcomes. It explores the film's departure from traditional cinematic narration and its use of art cinema devices such as a philosophical framework and a direct entry into the main plot without background information.
- The second chapter focuses on the film's realism, analyzing how it portrays a highly realistic subject matter with real locations and characters. The chapter also examines the film's use of subjective camera shots and its depiction of psychological insight into Lola's character.
- The third chapter discusses the film's authorial expressivity, emphasizing how the director, Tom Tykwer, uses stylistic choices to create a unique narrative experience. The chapter analyzes the film's use of different camera angles, parallel montage, multiple visual formats, and other deviations from classical cinematic norms.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key terms and concepts explored in this paper include narrative structure, art cinema, realism, authorial expressivity, classical Hollywood cinema, counter-cinema, self-reflexivity, cinematic techniques, fate, chance, free will, and stylistic signatures. The paper analyzes how these elements are employed in Tom Tykwer's Run, Lola, Run to create a unique and thought-provoking film experience.
- Quote paper
- Simone Donecker (Author), 2005, Narrative Constructions in Tom Tykwer's Run, Lola, Run, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/61325
