Distinctively Visual Elements
- German Film by innovative writer, musician and writer Tom Twyker.
- Its a hybrid combination of live action and animation, colour black and white footage aswell as 35mm handheld video camerawork tests the visual parameters of film.
- the title implies, the single, most distinctive visual feature is the image of a sprinting, flame haired woman.
- visual impact is the keystone feature of the film and a complex range of cinematic techniques achieve this.
- central running figure of Lola is shot from multiple angles.
- heroic quest to save a life
- ensuring that we see Lola in myriad ways, identifying with her and entering the frame so to speak of her experience, the visual multiplicity of split screens which connect her with Manni, sensory reinforcement.
- she has a purpose, visual purpose of the film is to chart her ongoing determination to save her lover.
- "stream of consciousness " style of filmmaking without the narrative unity foind in mainstream films.
- vision is used in preference to dialogue to communicate and shape meaning, positioning the audience to empathise with Lolas plight admire her resilience and resourcefullness.
- The film uses and innovative tripartite storytelling structure incorporating three wholly,self-contained alternate versions of events, played out in virtual ' reel time '.
- Lola rushes past each character, flash forwards offer alternate glimpses of their possible futures
- Each ultra rapid, freeze-frame montage is accompanied by the lifelike sound of a shutter click and whir of a hand held camera. The words " and then " reinforce our perception that these rapid fire glimpses into the future are alternate possibilities. Black and white flashback sequences are also used but only initial version of the story.
- Manni loses the money and this establishes his reliance on Lola to save him.
- emotional relationship is thus given at the beginning of the film to help establish audience empathy.
- A sense of panic is instigated with the phone ringing
- Described as: " so wretchedly slow, so humorless, so audience unfriendly".
- Explored boundaries of the film itself to offer audiences a dazzling visual spectacle.
- Achieved by a highly acclaimed film style that incorporates contemporary youth culture features such as a relentless, pounding techno soundtrack with a distinctive video game feel.
- Films manipulation of visual elements include the use of animation and colour. Black and white film is used for Lola and Manni's flashback sequences
- Vibrant colours also function as connecting visual threads, Lolas vivid red hair colour has connotations of danger, love and passion.
- Throughout the film's three alternative versions of events, it actually poses deeper existential philosophical questions that challenge our perceptions of happenstances, causality and fate.
- The dog on the stairs result in lost or gain seconds of time
- Postmodernism is highly subjectivity or self-referential with nothing fixed but open to re-interpretation.
- Normalcy is challenged on many levels such as Lola's Surrealist ability to shatter glass with her piercing screams.
- Game Imagery begins with the opening two epigraphs.
- Both Emphasize restraints and the opportunities for replay.
- What the film emphasizes however is the fact that there are high stakes involved; victory will be represented by Manni's life
- Hybrid nature of the film, describing it as post modernist, punk, a fairy story or a crime thriller.
- Lola is alienated by both her parents, rude awakening to her fathers mistress.
- She is pro-active and authoritative while Manni is represented in a more static, pessimistic way, reliant on her to save him.
- Distorts gender rolls by making Lola the hero and Manni the one who needs to be rescued.
- FairyTale features are found in the film which help to develop the theme of maturation.
- Her physical prowess is evident by images of her running but her developing emotional strength is also made clear through facial expressions, dialogue and voiceover.
- Another fairytale motif is the fact that Lola seems to have magical powers shown by her ability to break glass, to twice hit the 20 on the roulette mscene and the final twenty minute segment, to bring bank guard Shusters failing heart back to equilibrium.
