Above are images of some notes I made while watching the film La Jetée. I decided to include them here because I think they are an interesting glimpse into the way in which I responded to the film and comprehended it while watching it. In all honesty, I was quite confused at the beginning of the film (as is reflected in my notes), as I didn’t really comprehend the plot until a few minutes into watching it. I think this was humorous in the moment as I was quite embarrassed to have not caught on to the plot earlier, however I think it was also a significant reminder as to the ways in which storytelling through sequential images has evolved and what we have come to expect from cinema. I think at first the photo roman format really established for me personally that I had to approach watching this film as a “work of art” rather than a piece intended primarily to entertain, which is what I believe to be the subconscious understanding underlying how we usually watch films. This meant that rather than following along with the plot and really listening to the narration, I was focusing on the visual elements and the techniques that made the film successful as an artistic endeavour (as shown in my first few lines of notes), whereas usually when I watch a movie, I tend to focus on its plot first and artistic quality later.
La Jetée was a powerful film for me to watch, not just because of the unique style in which it is presented to the audience (which I had never encountered prior to this film), but also how Marker effectively makes use of narration and sound to support the photographs that are displayed on screen. After initially being slightly put off by the discordance that I felt between the visuals and dialogue, I realised that there were several interesting consequences to the film being presented in such a way. First of all, for me it exaggerated all the emotions that were being portrayed by characters on-screen. The fact that the photo roman style makes it extremely evident that an individual has taken the time to capture moments of others’ pain and happiness (albeit fictional), and collate them for us to view seemed almost voyeuristic, as if there was some great pleasure to be felt in doing so, and thus really evoked a strong sense of empathy from me for the protagonist. Although I am unsure as to why a film that makes use of continuous video doesn’t provoke the same response in me, and subconsciously it seems less strange to capture moments in video format compared to a sequence of images (possibly because it is a more natural way of perceiving events), the photo roman style decidedly heightened the emotional impact of the film, as it explicitly leaves in the element of a third party and emphasises the presence of another perspective – specifically that of the storyteller. In such a way, it might highlight more easily the artistic choices that Marker has made in the way he put together the film, for example his method of shooting on thirds, as we saw during our class presentation on this film. Additionally, the entire film is monochrome, and although I am unaware as to whether this is a product of his time or another creative choice, it definitely added to the drama of the film, possibly as it leaves more room to focus on the details of each photograph rather than being distracted by an array of forms in different colours, and also because it allows for greater contrast to be created in each image.
Apart from this, the sound greatly supplemented the way in which I perceived the film. The recurring sounds of the heartbeat, and music played at pivotal moments, all felt like very intentional decisions, unlike modern film, where I feel like music often acts as a gap-filler rather than an actual narrative device. I think Marker effectively used sound to punctuate the climactic moments of the story, and to deepen the sensory experience of the audience in engaging with the film. Moreover, the narration was also quite impactful in guiding the audience through the film, not just in its obvious role as a mode through which one comprehends the actual plot, but also the tone and cadence set the mood of the story, and emphasised the melancholic atmosphere that is created through the visuals. Overall, I think Marker has a very distinct approach towards storytelling that is evident in this film, wherein he guides the audience to what he wants them to see through his composition and the use of recurring motifs and symbols like the mask, sunglasses, and plastic forehead “peanuts” (as we referred to them in class), as well as a very effective mix of recognisable sounds and a narrative voice that thoroughly captivates the audience.
Work from:
4th Nov 2020 – Daily Vitamins Assignment
Time with Professor Mike Rader
