Azad Patel: La J’ette is the perfect example for visual story telling, it fits in the genre of science-fiction with ease. The idea of telling story with only photographic still is extremely difficult and challenged. It is not hard to misunderstand the genre as a Documentary, but the narrator makes the genre straightforward to understand. Still photography is usually implemented in documentary filmmaking with the use of found footage. The story of the film is strongly debatable because of the involvement of time. It is also some what similar to the story line of the The Time traveler’s wife, unlike that movie in La J’ette the hero dies at the end, or should I say at the beginning. The music of the film complements the film very well, the music in the build of the story. It was kind of sad tunes which can lead us to presume something bad happening at the end, the kind of music played at the funerals. Editing is the place where the stills are transformed into a story, so editing was the extraordinarily outstanding. Specially, the climax sequence in the film. The timing between two stills was perfect in the entire film. I had trouble understanding the need, or meaning, of the moving shot of the girl in resemblance of the film.
Anthony Reed; La J'etee by Chris Marker This film was a great film that was put together using mostly still images. The dark black and white imagery with heavy shadows on many of the faces gives you the sense that the events of this film took place during a terrible time.The choice of the music also compliments the emotional unsettling of this film with the use of dark music like a classical dramatic film. I liked the way that real world sounds were used to bring life to some the images, for example the sounds of the planes and the crowds in the airport scenes. The movie was put together in a way to make the viewer feel unsettled. The dark images and music are similar to a horror movie. It feels as if something is going to jump out at you during any moment. It really got a little creepy during the only motion scene in the movie with the close up of the girls face while loud scary sound effects of birds was playing simultaneously.Throughout the film the low whispers and rambling of the doctors in the background also help add that dark mysteriousness like horrors and dramas like something bad is getting ready to take place. Overall Chris marker did a great job using high contrast where the shadows and black images were really dark and heavily used with a soundtrack and voice effects that matched the emotion of it all. In my opinion the combination of all elements served it's purpose because I don't think any viewer would watch this and mistake it for anything else but something troubling happening.
Anthony Reed; La J'etee by Chris Marker This film was a great film that was put together using mostly still images. The dark black and white imagery with heavy shadows on many of the faces gives you the sense that the events of this film took place during a terrible time.The choice of the music also compliments the emotional unsettling of this film with the use of dark music like a classical dramatic film. I liked the way that real world sounds were used to bring life to some the images, for example the sounds of the planes and the crowds in the airport scenes. The movie was put together in a way to make the viewer feel unsettled. The dark images and music are similar to a horror movie. It feels as if something is going to jump out at you during any moment. It really got a little creepy during the only motion scene in the movie with the close up of the girls face while loud scary sound effects of birds was playing simultaneously.Throughout the film the low whispers and rambling of the doctors in the background also help add that dark mysteriousness like horrors and dramas like something bad is getting ready to take place. Overall Chris marker did a great job using high contrast where the shadows and black images were really dark and heavily used with a soundtrack and voice effects that matched the emotion of it all. In my opinion the combination of all elements served it's purpose because I don't think any viewer would watch this and mistake it for anything else but something troubling happening.
La J'etee temporality and movement are contradicted outwardly with the still pictures. The film underscores the fantasy of time slip by and perceived both by the characters inside the film and the viewers of the film. Much the same as the characters in La Jetee are caught in time, the viewers of La Jetee is caught in the stillness of the pictures.The film accomplishes the sentiment of movement and time slip through its editing.The sound is the main genuinely continuous component in La Jetee. La Jetee is corresponding with the sound. As the story moves from the before to the present-day, La Jetee makes mental coherence and mood through its visual and sound editing.The soundtrack fills in as an altering structure which shapes the mental moves between the sequences of the story. Amid the short scene when the character cascades back depleted and is back in the exploration center, the music stops, there transforms into a nonappearance of direct dialogue and the voices in La Jetee.
Gabriel Carden: La J'etee, a french film-noir, could easily be associated with the likes of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". It is distinct in it's use of still frames that create the entire feature. Shots (stills) range from extreme wide, medium shot, and close-up, with a fluidity of rapid or slow change to the next still; making the film seem as if it were moving but at a much slower pace than normal 35mm productions. The film also makes use of voice overs and quiet whispers to drive the action forward and make the audience think the pictures are moving. What begins appearing as a collection of old photographs is discovered to be specifically chosen shots in order to craft a story line that reaches through time and space. I likened it to "Eternal Sunshine..." in how it begins confused and it is not till the end do we understand we are essentially wanting the film backwards; seeing his death before introducing the character. The use of black and white stills aids in the historical context as well as a brighter contrast from the doom and despair of the experimental room to the romance blossoming in our protagonist dreams.
Nathaniel Erebia; La J'etee by Chris Marker The beauty of this short film comes from the manipulation of sound and lighting to help create a feeling of fear or panic for the viewer. While the film was composed of still shots, Marker did not let that affect his ability to frame the respective subjects with multiple angels. Marker would allow light to bring focus to his subjects but allow shadows to cast over them in intense moments. Not only that, there were scenes where the protagonist interacted with the scientist where the two actors were perfectly lit and the background was dark. The dark background was not only meant to bring importance to the interaction but it meant to play into the horror theme as well. The score of the short film also helped play into the horror genre. During the first interaction with the antagonist, the sound would pick up to create somewhat of an intense atmosphere. Also, the use of natural sounds helped the audience feel what the protagonist was going through with the use of heart beat rhythm tap. This rhythm played with the audience through the form of pathos. For me, not only did the natural sound and score help bring the film together but it kept me guessing on what would happen next.
Jordan Williams: Wow! La'J'ette by Chris Marker had such an abstract concept yet so intriguing. Although the language barrier was the challenge, the visual storytelling helps the story to be clear. The visuals between two characters and their interest for each other was of course a "classic." The nostalgia he has developed with his intimate interest is clearly a time where the main character finds peace in a post-war era. Even the involvement of a historical aspect in a "destroyed Paris" brought everything to perspective. The way every scene tied the story together, was exquisite. At first it seemed random and puzzling but as the story progressed you tend to capture the moments that were showed early and then showed later as the story progresses. For example, The beginning scene at the airport with the woman being shown and the reactions of people due to the "incident" and then the film concluding at the beginning scene at the airport having revealed what actually happened. Also with the guy in the hammock with his eyes covered and then referred to later that he was being experimented on to test time travel. I personally enjoyed this selection due to every scene keeping me "on the edge of my seat" on how the story was going to end.
Overall the film was great to watch. The contrast of images really stood out to me. The still photographs being put into a specific shot was a nice thing to add. Having the shadows placed against the white imagery gave the feeling of eeriness and fear. The sounds added more to the horrific theme as well, adding the right amount of volume to each sound that I heard. Also, the other sounds that were not really dominant, in opinion, like the whispers for example, added more the horror theme. With the shots and the music, I liked how they balanced off each other to add more to the film. Also the combination of editing added more the film as well, it made me feel the message that Chris Maker was trying to provide and as a viewer I always got that feeling of something bad was about to happen next. The film made me feel how a horror film is suppose to feel, the suspension, the eeriness, and that feeling of something bad is about to happen, all of those things made me enjoy the film.
Ella Oprandy: La J'etee by Chris Marker I thought Marker did a good job of using symbolism throughout this piece. His repeated showing of the words "tete apotre", the main apostle, represented well the main character who becomes the first successful "missionary" into the past and future. The couple's apparent obsession with time-centric activities drew special attention to the overarching theme of time. Multiple visits to the museum and the historic redwood tree, as well as Marker's overall choice to use stills rather than actual motion picture all but once in the film, could have been a representation of time's ability (in this film) to be manipulated, frozen. Marker's choices regarding audio were distracting at times but tied in well with the motif of paranoia. I thought the background music playing while the couple was simply walking in the garden was too suspenseful for the rather mundane scene. In addition, the scientist's constant whispering while the time traveler was preparing for a journey had the desired effect in that it was chilling and creepy but the fact that it was in German while the rest of the film was in French made me wonder at that discrepancy rather than the scene.
Braedan Snow: La J'etee by Chris Marker The short film La J'etee really emphasized the importance of every single shot in a film. Since the film was composed of a succession of still images, each shot had to be framed and constructed flawlessly in order to capture the essence of the story. I thought Marker did a great job at showing movement throughout his shots that made it seem natural and not composed. The effect of the shakiness of the photographs also added another visual component to the film, making his work stand out from others. Each image perfectly captured the emotion of the characters, such as sinister look of the experimenters and the dream like quality of the woman. Not only was this film visually striking, but it also contained a range of audio that intensified the story. The increasing thud of the heartbeat made the viewer feel on edge, identifying with the stress the main character was enduring. On the contrast, the sound of birds made the viewer feel relaxed as the woman carefully slept, and the sound of the birds increased as she grew more awake. The mise en scene of the film was dark, suspenseful, and supernatural. The shots were often very dark, both physically and emotionally. Marker showed off the haunting images of the underground prison that made the viewer feel uneasy. He also played into the viewers emotion of showing such strong, provoking images of the main character suffering and even dying violently. Overall this film leaves a strong impression on its viewers both visually and mentally.
Kelsey Peterson: La J’etee by Chris Marker The film is shot using still images, which for me was very interesting. A film with just still images I typically would not enjoy and find rather boring but this short film really kept my focus. The dark and gloomy images set the feeling of the film, knowing it was not going to be positive and being able to foreshadow that something good was not going to happen. The music in the background really tied into the eeriness and creepiness behind the film. At times you can hear faint whispering while the images are playing. The order of the plot helped to keep viewers intrigued as well. It had you wondering what was going to happen next or why the man had this particular image of that day stuck in his head. You also see realize deeper into the film why certain images were shown, for example at the beginning when they were at the airport the image of the woman was shown, giving no evidence of who she was or why she was there. Later on in the film when they are doing the experimentation you see who she actually was in relationship to the man. Overall, I really enjoyed this film- much to my surprise. It was suspenseful and intriguing.
Kyle Heinze: La J'etee by Chris Marker The beginning of the film deeply relies on the use of heavy and eerie music to set the mood. The initial sequence of cross dissolved images shows the ongoing and monotonous destruction and misery caused by the war. Marker uses still images and narration throughout, giving the film a unique form and providing the viewer with an uncommon experience, drawing attention to the details of every frame. Within nearly every frame, the audience is able to clearly see and feel the characters' emotions, bringing them to life. A variety of transitions are used throughout the film, including dissolves, cuts, and fades to black. These transitions are obviously placed strategically to show passages through time and shifts in location. The singular use of actual moving video in the film draws the audience's attention, signifying the importance of the woman. The dimly lit images and morbid conclusion intensify the film's depressing and dark atmosphere.
John Anderson: La J'etee by Chris Marker At the beginning of the film LA J'etee, I noticed the shots of the destroyed city of Paris were edited using the dissolve technique. The editor may have chosen to do this because these memories of the destruction of Paris all seem to blur together, each shot looking like recovered photographs. Another sequence that caught my attention was during the shots of a prisoner being experimented on, with whispers in a foreign language playing in the background. This sound manipulation can make audiences feel like they are hearing these whispers from the prisoners perspective. Another time this sound manipulation was used was when the main character was walking towards the head experimenter and we could hear his heart beating loud and rapidly. Lastly, I noticed that the only non-still image in the whole film was a single shot of the woman in the man's dreams, laying in bed, blinking at the camera. I think the intention this shot being the only "moving shot" was to emphasize the importance of this woman to the main character.
Alex Harris: La J'etee by Chris Marker From an editing standpoint, the film shows a very artistic and unique storytelling style. The use of still images and narration gives this film a somewhat tense feeling even when there is no real action. With the only non-still being the shot of the woman blinking in bed. I enjoyed the use of simple "b-roll" images to set scene, and then following them with stop-motion styled image sets for more character and action emphasis. The concept of time can be somewhat hard to grasp, especially when there are elements of time travel, but the use of different cuts and fades help to give the viewer a sense of time passage between images. The story itself was an excellent science fiction film. It is fun to see how the concept of time travel in film has been around so long, and how the concept is conveyed at different times.
Alex Hubbard: La J'etee by Chris Marker The first strong element of the work was the music. The full and hypnotic melodies of the choir gave the film a strong emotional beginning. Even though none of the story is evident at the beginning of the film, the music conveys that the impending story will have great emotional impact. The use of still images gives the viewer the opportunity to focus less on the acting, and focus on the importance of each individual image and its relation to the story. Normally, if I were to see a compilation of moving pictures of ruins, they would all run together. The still images forces the eyes to scan each image for importance, such as the rubble scattered on the floor of the church or how the film's lead character's teeth grit at different intensities during each image of the experimentation. The still images also suggest the way the human memory works. Instead of clear moving pictures of vivid memories, the sequences come in bursts of pictures, like a scattered memory grasping for moments of the past. The only image that was played as a moving picture was the woman opening and shutting her eyes in bed, almost as if that one image was the victim's most important memory that he had seared into his brain with perfect clarity. The use of sound was impactful. The two sounds that struck me specifically were the whispers and the heartbeat that were placed intermittently throughout the film. At first, the whispers signified the victims of the experiment slowly slipping into madness, but as the film continued, it sparked a feeling of familiarity. The whispers reminded me of the memories of hearing subtle whispers when I'm asleep. The whispering lets the viewer experience what it must be like for the victim, being able to hear the quiet whispers of the doctors during his travels under the experimentation. The noises give the viewer insight into the victim's personal experience. The most impactful sound was the victim's varying heartbeat. I watched this film on my phone, so the heartbeat was close and personal in my ears. With his increasing heartbeat and the intensifying of images, I could almost feel my own heartbeat matching in tempo. The film had a magical way of making my body physically react to the victim's intense anxiety.
Jessica Long: La J'etee by Chris Marker Chris Marker became known for his short essay film, La J'etee. He tells a story of a post-apocalyptic (world war III) time in which a survivor is used in time travel experiments by a “mad” scientist. He uses black and white photographs (still style) in a variety of speeds with short narrations and somber sound effects. The narration of the story is simplistic in its style however, it is the content that is rather philosophical and complex as the experiment attempts for the survivor to time travel from the present, past, then future only to discover his own death. It is arranged as a documentary using narration but at the same time it is a reflection story. The dark images, painful faces, and monotone narration suggests something evil is about to happen. However, in the end, you are pondering instead a philosophy of life in its transitional stages through time. It is quite inventive and keeps the viewer engaged. It is also unexpected that an economical, simplistic production like this has the artistic power to engage an audience much like a big effects, expensive modern style cinema. It reminds me of an old show called “The Twilight Zone.”
Justin LaSor: La J'etee by Chris Marker La J'etee is a very unique short film. It uses still images for each shot to tell the story. This way of telling the narration was completely new to me and I found it quite intriguing. It was surprising how captivating the still images were. Each image was able to set a sort of mood to the story. Also, the music and sounds that were used throughout the short film immersed the viewer even further by intensifying the still shots. Sounds like faint whispering and the thumping of the main character's heart beat add to tone. In the end, I enjoyed the film more than I thought I would and it has opened my eyes to a different way of filming a narrative.
Sam Sheriff: I have actually seen La Jetée by Chris Marker before, but it still very striking. The first image that interests me is that of the prisoner experimented on prior to the protagonist. The narrator mentions that everyone in the experiments either died or went mad and so we the the first subject with some mad expressions. Then his face slowly fades and as it does it looks just like a skull, completing the visualization of the words with (as throughout this film) only a few still images. The next striking image is of course the one full motion sequence in the film of the woman blinking. Just before the full motion, we see quick near fluid changes between stills of her moving around in bed. This entire scene takes a long time and doesn't have any narration which together with it being the only part of the film with fluidity cements the idea in the viewer that the only "real" thing to the man is that woman. Finally I would like to talk about the people from the future. Them all in black and covered in shadows is very striking by itself, but when you realize that that one image may very well have inspired the cover of "with the beatles" by The Beatles, it becomes simply amazing.
Jimmy Pierce: La Jetée by Chris Marker. The most striking moment of this entire movie for me was the one-second shot of the woman opening her eyes. Its significance is unmistakable, not only by virtue of it being the only moving image in the entire thing, but by its central place in the runtime, and the atmospheric build-up to it. For me at least, it really imparted a sense of unity with the protagonist. In that moment, I, too, felt like I was breaking through a wall of black and white, still unreality into this woman's presence. The entire film is great at using minimal tools to affect the audience in just that way, from the whispering and heart-beats accompanying the drug's effects to the haunting musical choices. It's very immersive for a bunch of photographs and a French narrator. And, of course, the story is brilliant in a darkly absurdist, Kafka-esque Kurt Vonnegut kinda way. It really shows how effective a minimalist approach can be, and how you don't need CGI and a huge budget to tell a time-hopping dystopian sci-fi epic.
Ben Boynton: This film was interesting to say the least. The director, Chris Marker, chose an interesting concept for his work, which was to shoot his "movie" as still photos with narration. I thought that as far as that approach goes, whether you like it or not, it was a well executed idea. By changing the lighting of the shot depending on the setting or tone, he was able to help convey things like emotion and mood, and through some creatively-sequenced photographs he was able to simulate the motion that a true movie would have. I thought the plot was rather intriguing and the twist at the end was good. The only part of the movie that was truly a "movie" was the scene where the woman was laying in bed, and after using a series of photos to simulate her moving around it showed a brief clip of her that was actually video, which I thought was a powerful way to demonstrate the importance of the woman to the man. However, I was very bored by the end of the movie. I do speak French so that interested me, but the whole "movie of still photos" thing just didn't really work for me. I think that it was a well-directed piece of art that had some powerful moments, but ultimately it just isn't my cup of tea. Marker does show some strong directorial skills though and definitely knows what he is doing
Cody Quinn: La Jetee by Chris Marker Before now, I had never heard of this movie. Wow. This was incredible for what it had to portray and the era it was made in. It is a true sci-fi movie. Even though the movie is shown through pictures, it gave the same eeriness and kept my attention the same as sci-fi movies do today. I have never seen anything like this. It's crazy how Chris Marker accomplished the use of time travel through this method. Like all great sci-fi movies, the ending was the craziest. It was shocking to find out that the incident he witnessed as a child was his own death. It's amazing how this sci-fi classic depicted this story without anything fancy and depended on pictures.
This was an altogether great and unique film. I could imagine that most audiences today would roll their eyes at the fact that it was made only from still images. The feel of this movie was very similar to other sic fi films like The Matrix and Blade Runner. It was very dystopian and had a dark not so feel good theme to it. I thought it was well put together, because I like how it switched back and forth between time settings, which gave it several different plots to it. It all came together in the end which is why I really enjoy films like these.
Dylan Milinkovich; La J'etee by Chris Marker La Jetee was a brilliant work in that it told a captivating story through the utilization of still images, appropriate sound effects, and interesting narration. This movie had me tensed up throughout from the loud pumping of the heart as the man was being tortured during the experiments, to the soft murmuring of the scientists collaborating as the results were being taken. The use of the singing from an opera combined with the shots collapsed buildings was very powerful at the beginning of the story already giving it a sense of panic over the situation the man witnessed. Still frame shots of the man running and chasing after the woman at the end of the film combined with the eerie but fast paced music, is a perfect example of how storytelling can be elicited through just visualization of facial expressions, body postures, and sound. For never having heard of this film before, I was impressed with it's old but very familiar style of Sci-Fi it conveyed.
Virginia Nobles: La J'etee by Chris Marker Chris Maker made this short film depicting an apocalyptic type WW2 era. Through the use of sounds such as the intermittently placed heartbeats and whispers coupled with still shots, he created an erie feel almost mirroring that of a horror movie. With the language difference, the still shots really helped the film to flow together smoothly and make sense.
Keri Drake: La J'etee by Chris Maker Overall I think Maker did a wonderful job with this piece of work of his. The narration was perfectly fit for the story he was trying to tell and the choice of images and theme he used, also his choice background music played a major role in this production. The usage of the still images told the story and matched well with what the narration was telling us , keep the story quite interesting. There were great full shots, close ups, and medium shot. Times back then are drastically different from today's time so seeing an images and videos captured in black and white is always great to me. The transitions used fit great with the variety of shots created while telling this story, causing it to move smoothly from scene to scene. All in all, you can tell still photography played a major role in this production, with the close up shots being my favorite of them all being able to visually see the different facial expressions of all of the different characters in the script.
Nick Stellon: La J'etee by Chris Marker Films are simply put, pictures. Often these pictures are put so rapidly together to fool an audience into thinking they are experiencing life flashing before them. It is through this technique that creates essentially all movies today. La J'etee explores what happens when you slow these images down. In this film, the images are clearly seen, often times lingering for seconds at a time. And it is because of this that you start to appreciate the shots themselves. Expressions of actors are magnified by strategic shadows, often times making the character seem mysterious, such as those from the future who are covered in shadows. Angled shots show power dynamics, particularly in the laboratory, with the protagonist looked down upon by the audience, signifying his lack of power, while the scientists are towering and powerful thanks to a shot looking up at them. The rule of thirds is clearly followed in this film with characters being placed strategically to draw the audiences eyes. Overall, this film accomplishes the ultimate goal of telling a story, while incorporating a unique technique in an extraordinary way. The film becomes not just an interesting narrative, but also a case study for framing, and the effects it can have in film.
Katy Hale: La J'etee by Chris Maker I think this was a very interesting piece to follow, but I also think it was very well put together in terms of narration and picturization. The language and content of the film was difficult for me to follow, but once I understood why each shot and line was staged in a specific way, I understood the content and meaning more. I enjoyed the still image look because it was very detailed and organized. The still images represented the narration and it all matched up. I also enjoyed the background music because I thought it fit the mood and type of vibe Maker was trying to portray. Overall, I think it was a very interesting and unique film that had a lot of imagery and narration attached to it. I enjoyed the plot and its reality/story behind the film, but it wasn't my favorite.
Peyton Wilkins: La J'etee by Chris Maker The still images and the audio in La J'etee play together nicely. The audio is used to set the dramatic mood in the film by changing from scene to scene. The scenes that stick out the most to me are the ones in the laboratory during the experiments. The silent whispers played with images of prisoners in agony really give me the feeling of secrecy and isolationism. I feel like I'm in the room with the prisoner and hearing what he hears while suffering through the experiment. When the audio is the quickening heartbeat, I could feel my own pulse speeding up with nervous anticipation. Overall, the audio plays an important role in this short film to keep the audience engaged and immersed.
The short film La J’etee by Chris Marker, tells the story of an post-apocalyptic time. The film is accompanied by dark and meaningful melodies, images, and sounds that allows the viewer to divulge themselves completely into the film, almost as if they are there themselves. One example in particular, however, that really manipulated me into thinking I was part of the storyline were the sounds of the heartbeats and whispers that intensified during the climaxes of the movie. I believe this was the strongest aspect of the film. Additionally, Marker’s uses of still images allows his audience to not miss a detail and focus on the story line, rather than the acting. This adds a unique personality to the film that I have not experienced before. The only moving image displayed was the scene of a woman blinking directly at the camera, potentially added by Marker to display the importance of a memory or dream. All in all, this film was interesting to study since it is different than films we view and watch in today’s day-in-age.
One of my teachers in high school showed the film, La J’etee by Chris Marker, to me years ago and it has remained one of my favorites. I was very excited to see on the syllabus that we were required to watch it and write a response because I believe this piece of work is a great example of telling cinema. The piece plays on the darks songs and imagery to create a scene for us and help us become engulfed in the character's world. Additionally, the songs and imagery gives us a glimpse into the character's emotions and what they are experiencing and feeling. I feel like this was a great piece of work to start off the class. I am excited to see what else we have to watch this semester! Additionally, professor Carrao, have you ever watched his film "A Grin Without a Cat?" That's another film we watched by Marker in high school. It is pretty good, but I definitely prefer La J’etee.
Christian Ellis: In La J'etee by Chris Marker, I loved how he was able to tell a story with black and white still shots; before watching this I had never seen anything like it. The dramatic music made it even more of an attention grabber. It was interesting watching the different type of shots after having talked about them in lab and lecture. I thought that because it was in a different language that it would have been confusing and distracting, but that was not an issue.
Chris O'Connor: La J'etee by Chris Marker The short film is mostly comprised of still images and dramatic music to set up an uneasy tone. The lighting is reminiscent of chiaroscuro and the dark shadows heavily contrast the dim light. This evokes a feeling of fear in the viewer and Marker is able to accomplish this through stills. The details of his shots and the camera angles used allow for a lot of detail to be given. As a viewer, the watching experience is elevated with his unique form of filmmaking. The editing of the film also adds to the panic and fear. The dark pictures coupled with the eerie music creates a horror like atmosphere for the viewer. La J'etee is a nice change in the movie making formula and further emphasizes the importance of experimental films.
The sequencing of stills and audio combined with the old quality of this 1962 film forces the audience to imagine movements that connect the scenes and tell the story. The sounds and narration create an illusion of actual moving clips. Each viewer can interpret movement in their own way making you appreciate the shots themselves. This effect has a high impact with very minimal approach. Very impressive for the time period it seems. The stills have a spiritual undertone to me that seems to fuel the arch of the plot. The moving scene of the girls eyes is a very dramatic moment with great purpose from Chris Marker which solidifies todays lesson about timing and continuity choices. It is the establishment of the rules that makes it artistic to disobey.
Samuel Gay: La J’etee is brilliant and fits perfectly into the science fiction genre. With the use of still images, coloring, and sound design this movie effectively tells it’s story. The still images used to tell this story reminded me of a powerpoint at first, but quickly changed my mind as I saw the very sharp and vivid still images. The images showed precise detail and fit along perfectly with how the narrator was telling the story. The framing of these shots changes based on where he is. The lab pictures are very tight and the focal length is much greater where as when he is with the girl the shots are wider and the focal length is much shorter however no detail is lost in either. The coloring plays a huge role in telling this story effectively as the main characters mood changes so drastically. The colors are very dark, grim, and highly contrasted and the focus is very sharp while he is in the lab, but when he is with the woman, the focus is very soft, there are brighter colors and much more light and a softer contrast. Because this film is almost entirely made up of still images, sound design is a crucial part of the film as it was all done in post production. The music is much more sad and scary while he is in the lab and much more happy and expansive when he is with the woman. Overall this story was told very effectively, however I did not see how the moving shot was supposed to fit in or aid in the story telling at all.
Gretchen Franz: La J'etee by Chris Marker When La J'etee first opens, I think a general audience would be taken aback when they realize that the film is composed of still shots, instead of the stereotypical moving frames. Even more unconventional, I don't think that the film could be categorized as stop motion neither. However, some frames did move- as in shake or pulse. This was particularly noticeable when the main character was experiencing stress. The shots were accompanied by the sound of a heartbeat and it almost seemed that the frames were pulsing with the sound of the heartbeat. As the movie is comprised of still shots, the sounds contributed a great deal to the cohesion of this film. Within the first few minutes, the setting is established with several wide shots showing the devastation that has hit Paris. Music as these shots roll helps to demonstrate the setting and feeling. Additionally, voice over whispers, paired with the alternating medium close up shots between characters help create a conversation between characters, though there is never any dialogue. Finally, the quality and coloring of the images themselves help develop the feeling for the film as well. The black and white picture adds mystery, more still when there is high contrast. The juxtaposition between the shots in the lab and the shots in with the women demonstrate the main character's feelings about each setting. Additionally, the distortion of the last frames with the other time travelers shows how the time travel has affected reality. Overall, the succession of still shots was effective and dynamic in telling the story.
La J'etee was ok. The story was intriguing but the narration was excessive, however, my opinion hardly matters. I'd like to discuss what sets this short apart from most others: The use of still, rather than moving, images. The entire appeal of early cinema was its novelty, and it was only novel because the pictures moved, which begs the question: why did the auteur take a step backward? In our era, creators like Emmanuel Lubezki and Paul Thomas Anderson are forcing film audiences to question "what can a long take do that an edit cannot?" and vice versa, but La J' etee asks "what can a still image do that a moving one cannot?" The answer is simple: Journalism. Before cinema, photography was the most potent and moving form of journalism, because the audience connected with the subjects in a photograph in a way they can't as easily do with the subjects of a few paragraphs of words. A moving picture may be able to carry more information than a photograph, but cinema as a medium doesn't have the same journalistic connotation that photography does, or at least it didn't when La J'etee was set. Chris Marker chose to use stills rather than clips in order for us to feel as if we were watching something that really happened, that we were not intended to see, as if the photographer were a journalist, there in secret, risking their life in order to show us these secret experiments.
Madison Naves: La J'etee by Chris Marker was not appealing to me. i found it hard to follow because of the quick subtitles and the way the story was narrated. it was narrated in a light and poetic way like the way someone would write a review on a piece of artwork. i was also off put by the fact that the movie was composed of all still shots. It seemed like something only fitting for a children book turned into a television program. I found this hard to follow even though i noticed the film trying to help regain focus on certain details by zooming in or out of shots or slight whispering during narration. the qualities of the pictures were nice and i thought that is what saved the film but i also feel the entire story could have been saved if the movie had characters and dialogue between them and regular moving shots.
Azad Patel: La J’ette is the perfect example for visual story telling, it fits in the genre of science-fiction with ease. The idea of telling story with only photographic still is extremely difficult and challenged. It is not hard to misunderstand the genre as a Documentary, but the narrator makes the genre straightforward to understand. Still photography is usually implemented in documentary filmmaking with the use of found footage. The story of the film is strongly debatable because of the involvement of time. It is also some what similar to the story line of the The Time traveler’s wife, unlike that movie in La J’ette the hero dies at the end, or should I say at the beginning. The music of the film complements the film very well, the music in the build of the story. It was kind of sad tunes which can lead us to presume something bad happening at the end, the kind of music played at the funerals. Editing is the place where the stills are transformed into a story, so editing was the extraordinarily outstanding. Specially, the climax sequence in the film. The timing between two stills was perfect in the entire film. I had trouble understanding the need, or meaning, of the moving shot of the girl in resemblance of the film.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Reed; La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThis film was a great film that was put together using mostly still images. The dark black and white imagery with heavy shadows on many of the faces gives you the sense that the events of this film took place during a terrible time.The choice of the music also compliments the emotional unsettling of this film with the use of dark music like a classical dramatic film. I liked the way that real world sounds were used to bring life to some the images, for example the sounds of the planes and the crowds in the airport scenes. The movie was put together in a way to make the viewer feel unsettled. The dark images and music are similar to a horror movie. It feels as if something is going to jump out at you during any moment. It really got a little creepy during the only motion scene in the movie with the close up of the girls face while loud scary sound effects of birds was playing simultaneously.Throughout the film the low whispers and rambling of the doctors in the background also help add that dark mysteriousness like horrors and dramas like something bad is getting ready to take place. Overall Chris marker did a great job using high contrast where the shadows and black images were really dark and heavily used with a soundtrack and voice effects that matched the emotion of it all. In my opinion the combination of all elements served it's purpose because I don't think any viewer would watch this and mistake it for anything else but something troubling happening.
Anthony Reed; La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThis film was a great film that was put together using mostly still images. The dark black and white imagery with heavy shadows on many of the faces gives you the sense that the events of this film took place during a terrible time.The choice of the music also compliments the emotional unsettling of this film with the use of dark music like a classical dramatic film. I liked the way that real world sounds were used to bring life to some the images, for example the sounds of the planes and the crowds in the airport scenes. The movie was put together in a way to make the viewer feel unsettled. The dark images and music are similar to a horror movie. It feels as if something is going to jump out at you during any moment. It really got a little creepy during the only motion scene in the movie with the close up of the girls face while loud scary sound effects of birds was playing simultaneously.Throughout the film the low whispers and rambling of the doctors in the background also help add that dark mysteriousness like horrors and dramas like something bad is getting ready to take place. Overall Chris marker did a great job using high contrast where the shadows and black images were really dark and heavily used with a soundtrack and voice effects that matched the emotion of it all. In my opinion the combination of all elements served it's purpose because I don't think any viewer would watch this and mistake it for anything else but something troubling happening.
La J'etee temporality and movement are contradicted outwardly with the still pictures. The film underscores the fantasy of time slip by and perceived both by the characters inside the film and the viewers of the film. Much the same as the characters in La Jetee are caught in time, the viewers of La Jetee is caught in the stillness of the pictures.The film accomplishes the sentiment of movement and time slip through its editing.The sound is the main genuinely continuous component in La Jetee. La Jetee is corresponding with the sound. As the story moves from the before to
ReplyDeletethe present-day, La Jetee makes mental coherence and mood through its visual and sound editing.The soundtrack fills in as an altering structure which shapes the mental moves between the sequences of the story. Amid the short scene when the character cascades back depleted and is back in the exploration center, the music stops, there transforms into a nonappearance of direct dialogue and the voices in La Jetee.
Gabriel Carden: La J'etee, a french film-noir, could easily be associated with the likes of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". It is distinct in it's use of still frames that create the entire feature. Shots (stills) range from extreme wide, medium shot, and close-up, with a fluidity of rapid or slow change to the next still; making the film seem as if it were moving but at a much slower pace than normal 35mm productions. The film also makes use of voice overs and quiet whispers to drive the action forward and make the audience think the pictures are moving. What begins appearing as a collection of old photographs is discovered to be specifically chosen shots in order to craft a story line that reaches through time and space. I likened it to "Eternal Sunshine..." in how it begins confused and it is not till the end do we understand we are essentially wanting the film backwards; seeing his death before introducing the character. The use of black and white stills aids in the historical context as well as a brighter contrast from the doom and despair of the experimental room to the romance blossoming in our protagonist dreams.
ReplyDeleteNathaniel Erebia; La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of this short film comes from the manipulation of sound and lighting to help create a feeling of fear or panic for the viewer. While the film was composed of still shots, Marker did not let that affect his ability to frame the respective subjects with multiple angels. Marker would allow light to bring focus to his subjects but allow shadows to cast over them in intense moments. Not only that, there were scenes where the protagonist interacted with the scientist where the two actors were perfectly lit and the background was dark. The dark background was not only meant to bring importance to the interaction but it meant to play into the horror theme as well.
The score of the short film also helped play into the horror genre. During the first interaction with the antagonist, the sound would pick up to create somewhat of an intense atmosphere. Also, the use of natural sounds helped the audience feel what the protagonist was going through with the use of heart beat rhythm tap. This rhythm played with the audience through the form of pathos. For me, not only did the natural sound and score help bring the film together but it kept me guessing on what would happen next.
Jordan Williams: Wow! La'J'ette by Chris Marker had such an abstract concept yet so intriguing. Although the language barrier was the challenge, the visual storytelling helps the story to be clear. The visuals between two characters and their interest for each other was of course a "classic." The nostalgia he has developed with his intimate interest is clearly a time where the main character finds peace in a post-war era. Even the involvement of a historical aspect in a "destroyed Paris" brought everything to perspective. The way every scene tied the story together, was exquisite. At first it seemed random and puzzling but as the story progressed you tend to capture the moments that were showed early and then showed later as the story progresses. For example, The beginning scene at the airport with the woman being shown and the reactions of people due to the "incident" and then the film concluding at the beginning scene at the airport having revealed what actually happened. Also with the guy in the hammock with his eyes covered and then referred to later that he was being experimented on to test time travel. I personally enjoyed this selection due to every scene keeping me "on the edge of my seat" on how the story was going to end.
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ReplyDeleteOverall the film was great to watch. The contrast of images really stood out to me. The still photographs being put into a specific shot was a nice thing to add. Having the shadows placed against the white imagery gave the feeling of eeriness and fear. The sounds added more to the horrific theme as well, adding the right amount of volume to each sound that I heard. Also, the other sounds that were not really dominant, in opinion, like the whispers for example, added more the horror theme. With the shots and the music, I liked how they balanced off each other to add more to the film. Also the combination of editing added more the film as well, it made me feel the message that Chris Maker was trying to provide and as a viewer I always got that feeling of something bad was about to happen next. The film made me feel how a horror film is suppose to feel, the suspension, the eeriness, and that feeling of something bad is about to happen, all of those things made me enjoy the film.
ReplyDeleteElla Oprandy: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteI thought Marker did a good job of using symbolism throughout this piece. His repeated showing of the words "tete apotre", the main apostle, represented well the main character who becomes the first successful "missionary" into the past and future. The couple's apparent obsession with time-centric activities drew special attention to the overarching theme of time. Multiple visits to the museum and the historic redwood tree, as well as Marker's overall choice to use stills rather than actual motion picture all but once in the film, could have been a representation of time's ability (in this film) to be manipulated, frozen. Marker's choices regarding audio were distracting at times but tied in well with the motif of paranoia. I thought the background music playing while the couple was simply walking in the garden was too suspenseful for the rather mundane scene. In addition, the scientist's constant whispering while the time traveler was preparing for a journey had the desired effect in that it was chilling and creepy but the fact that it was in German while the rest of the film was in French made me wonder at that discrepancy rather than the scene.
Braedan Snow: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThe short film La J'etee really emphasized the importance of every single shot in a film. Since the film was composed of a succession of still images, each shot had to be framed and constructed flawlessly in order to capture the essence of the story. I thought Marker did a great job at showing movement throughout his shots that made it seem natural and not composed. The effect of the shakiness of the photographs also added another visual component to the film, making his work stand out from others. Each image perfectly captured the emotion of the characters, such as sinister look of the experimenters and the dream like quality of the woman. Not only was this film visually striking, but it also contained a range of audio that intensified the story. The increasing thud of the heartbeat made the viewer feel on edge, identifying with the stress the main character was enduring. On the contrast, the sound of birds made the viewer feel relaxed as the woman carefully slept, and the sound of the birds increased as she grew more awake. The mise en scene of the film was dark, suspenseful, and supernatural. The shots were often very dark, both physically and emotionally. Marker showed off the haunting images of the underground prison that made the viewer feel uneasy. He also played into the viewers emotion of showing such strong, provoking images of the main character suffering and even dying violently. Overall this film leaves a strong impression on its viewers both visually and mentally.
Kelsey Peterson: La J’etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThe film is shot using still images, which for me was very interesting. A film with just still images I typically would not enjoy and find rather boring but this short film really kept my focus. The dark and gloomy images set the feeling of the film, knowing it was not going to be positive and being able to foreshadow that something good was not going to happen. The music in the background really tied into the eeriness and creepiness behind the film. At times you can hear faint whispering while the images are playing. The order of the plot helped to keep viewers intrigued as well. It had you wondering what was going to happen next or why the man had this particular image of that day stuck in his head. You also see realize deeper into the film why certain images were shown, for example at the beginning when they were at the airport the image of the woman was shown, giving no evidence of who she was or why she was there. Later on in the film when they are doing the experimentation you see who she actually was in relationship to the man. Overall, I really enjoyed this film- much to my surprise. It was suspenseful and intriguing.
Kyle Heinze: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the film deeply relies on the use of heavy and eerie music to set the mood. The initial sequence of cross dissolved images shows the ongoing and monotonous destruction and misery caused by the war. Marker uses still images and narration throughout, giving the film a unique form and providing the viewer with an uncommon experience, drawing attention to the details of every frame. Within nearly every frame, the audience is able to clearly see and feel the characters' emotions, bringing them to life. A variety of transitions are used throughout the film, including dissolves, cuts, and fades to black. These transitions are obviously placed strategically to show passages through time and shifts in location. The singular use of actual moving video in the film draws the audience's attention, signifying the importance of the woman. The dimly lit images and morbid conclusion intensify the film's depressing and dark atmosphere.
John Anderson: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the film LA J'etee, I noticed the shots of the destroyed city of Paris were edited using the dissolve technique. The editor may have chosen to do this because these memories of the destruction of Paris all seem to blur together, each shot looking like recovered photographs. Another sequence that caught my attention was during the shots of a prisoner being experimented on, with whispers in a foreign language playing in the background. This sound manipulation can make audiences feel like they are hearing these whispers from the prisoners perspective. Another time this sound manipulation was used was when the main character was walking towards the head experimenter and we could hear his heart beating loud and rapidly. Lastly, I noticed that the only non-still image in the whole film was a single shot of the woman in the man's dreams, laying in bed, blinking at the camera. I think the intention this shot being the only "moving shot" was to emphasize the importance of this woman to the main character.
Alex Harris: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteFrom an editing standpoint, the film shows a very artistic and unique storytelling style. The use of still images and narration gives this film a somewhat tense feeling even when there is no real action. With the only non-still being the shot of the woman blinking in bed. I enjoyed the use of simple "b-roll" images to set scene, and then following them with stop-motion styled image sets for more character and action emphasis. The concept of time can be somewhat hard to grasp, especially when there are elements of time travel, but the use of different cuts and fades help to give the viewer a sense of time passage between images. The story itself was an excellent science fiction film. It is fun to see how the concept of time travel in film has been around so long, and how the concept is conveyed at different times.
Alex Hubbard: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThe first strong element of the work was the music. The full and hypnotic melodies of the choir gave the film a strong emotional beginning. Even though none of the story is evident at the beginning of the film, the music conveys that the impending story will have great emotional impact.
The use of still images gives the viewer the opportunity to focus less on the acting, and focus on the importance of each individual image and its relation to the story. Normally, if I were to see a compilation of moving pictures of ruins, they would all run together. The still images forces the eyes to scan each image for importance, such as the rubble scattered on the floor of the church or how the film's lead character's teeth grit at different intensities during each image of the experimentation.
The still images also suggest the way the human memory works. Instead of clear moving pictures of vivid memories, the sequences come in bursts of pictures, like a scattered memory grasping for moments of the past.
The only image that was played as a moving picture was the woman opening and shutting her eyes in bed, almost as if that one image was the victim's most important memory that he had seared into his brain with perfect clarity.
The use of sound was impactful. The two sounds that struck me specifically were the whispers and the heartbeat that were placed intermittently throughout the film.
At first, the whispers signified the victims of the experiment slowly slipping into madness, but as the film continued, it sparked a feeling of familiarity. The whispers reminded me of the memories of hearing subtle whispers when I'm asleep. The whispering lets the viewer experience what it must be like for the victim, being able to hear the quiet whispers of the doctors during his travels under the experimentation.
The noises give the viewer insight into the victim's personal experience. The most impactful sound was the victim's varying heartbeat. I watched this film on my phone, so the heartbeat was close and personal in my ears. With his increasing heartbeat and the intensifying of images, I could almost feel my own heartbeat matching in tempo. The film had a magical way of making my body physically react to the victim's intense anxiety.
Jessica Long: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteChris Marker became known for his short essay film, La J'etee. He tells a story of a post-apocalyptic (world war III) time in which a survivor is used in time travel experiments by a “mad” scientist. He uses black and white photographs (still style) in a variety of speeds with short narrations and somber sound effects. The narration of the story is simplistic in its style however, it is the content that is rather philosophical and complex as the experiment attempts for the survivor to time travel from the present, past, then future only to discover his own death. It is arranged as a documentary using narration but at the same time it is a reflection story. The dark images, painful faces, and monotone narration suggests something evil is about to happen. However, in the end, you are pondering instead a philosophy of life in its transitional stages through time. It is quite inventive and keeps the viewer engaged. It is also unexpected that an economical, simplistic production like this has the artistic power to engage an audience much like a big effects, expensive modern style cinema. It reminds me of an old show called “The Twilight Zone.”
Justin LaSor: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteLa J'etee is a very unique short film. It uses still images for each shot to tell the story. This way of telling the narration was completely new to me and I found it quite intriguing. It was surprising how captivating the still images were. Each image was able to set a sort of mood to the story. Also, the music and sounds that were used throughout the short film immersed the viewer even further by intensifying the still shots. Sounds like faint whispering and the thumping of the main character's heart beat add to tone. In the end, I enjoyed the film more than I thought I would and it has opened my eyes to a different way of filming a narrative.
Sam Sheriff: I have actually seen La Jetée by Chris Marker before, but it still very striking. The first image that interests me is that of the prisoner experimented on prior to the protagonist. The narrator mentions that everyone in the experiments either died or went mad and so we the the first subject with some mad expressions. Then his face slowly fades and as it does it looks just like a skull, completing the visualization of the words with (as throughout this film) only a few still images. The next striking image is of course the one full motion sequence in the film of the woman blinking. Just before the full motion, we see quick near fluid changes between stills of her moving around in bed. This entire scene takes a long time and doesn't have any narration which together with it being the only part of the film with fluidity cements the idea in the viewer that the only "real" thing to the man is that woman. Finally I would like to talk about the people from the future. Them all in black and covered in shadows is very striking by itself, but when you realize that that one image may very well have inspired the cover of "with the beatles" by The Beatles, it becomes simply amazing.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Pierce: La Jetée by Chris Marker.
ReplyDeleteThe most striking moment of this entire movie for me was the one-second shot of the woman opening her eyes. Its significance is unmistakable, not only by virtue of it being the only moving image in the entire thing, but by its central place in the runtime, and the atmospheric build-up to it. For me at least, it really imparted a sense of unity with the protagonist. In that moment, I, too, felt like I was breaking through a wall of black and white, still unreality into this woman's presence. The entire film is great at using minimal tools to affect the audience in just that way, from the whispering and heart-beats accompanying the drug's effects to the haunting musical choices. It's very immersive for a bunch of photographs and a French narrator. And, of course, the story is brilliant in a darkly absurdist, Kafka-esque Kurt Vonnegut kinda way. It really shows how effective a minimalist approach can be, and how you don't need CGI and a huge budget to tell a time-hopping dystopian sci-fi epic.
Ben Boynton: This film was interesting to say the least. The director, Chris Marker, chose an interesting concept for his work, which was to shoot his "movie" as still photos with narration. I thought that as far as that approach goes, whether you like it or not, it was a well executed idea. By changing the lighting of the shot depending on the setting or tone, he was able to help convey things like emotion and mood, and through some creatively-sequenced photographs he was able to simulate the motion that a true movie would have. I thought the plot was rather intriguing and the twist at the end was good. The only part of the movie that was truly a "movie" was the scene where the woman was laying in bed, and after using a series of photos to simulate her moving around it showed a brief clip of her that was actually video, which I thought was a powerful way to demonstrate the importance of the woman to the man. However, I was very bored by the end of the movie. I do speak French so that interested me, but the whole "movie of still photos" thing just didn't really work for me. I think that it was a well-directed piece of art that had some powerful moments, but ultimately it just isn't my cup of tea. Marker does show some strong directorial skills though and definitely knows what he is doing
ReplyDeleteCody Quinn: La Jetee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteBefore now, I had never heard of this movie. Wow. This was incredible for what it had to portray and the era it was made in. It is a true sci-fi movie. Even though the movie is shown through pictures, it gave the same eeriness and kept my attention the same as sci-fi movies do today. I have never seen anything like this. It's crazy how Chris Marker accomplished the use of time travel through this method. Like all great sci-fi movies, the ending was the craziest. It was shocking to find out that the incident he witnessed as a child was his own death. It's amazing how this sci-fi classic depicted this story without anything fancy and depended on pictures.
This was an altogether great and unique film. I could imagine that most audiences today would roll their eyes at the fact that it was made only from still images. The feel of this movie was very similar to other sic fi films like The Matrix and Blade Runner. It was very dystopian and had a dark not so feel good theme to it. I thought it was well put together, because I like how it switched back and forth between time settings, which gave it several different plots to it. It all came together in the end which is why I really enjoy films like these.
ReplyDeleteDylan Milinkovich; La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteLa Jetee was a brilliant work in that it told a captivating story through the utilization of still images, appropriate sound effects, and interesting narration. This movie had me tensed up throughout from the loud pumping of the heart as the man was being tortured during the experiments, to the soft murmuring of the scientists collaborating as the results were being taken. The use of the singing from an opera combined with the shots collapsed buildings was very powerful at the beginning of the story already giving it a sense of panic over the situation the man witnessed. Still frame shots of the man running and chasing after the woman at the end of the film combined with the eerie but fast paced music, is a perfect example of how storytelling can be elicited through just visualization of facial expressions, body postures, and sound. For never having heard of this film before, I was impressed with it's old but very familiar style of Sci-Fi it conveyed.
Virginia Nobles: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteChris Maker made this short film depicting an apocalyptic type WW2 era. Through the use of sounds such as the intermittently placed heartbeats and whispers coupled with still shots, he created an erie feel almost mirroring that of a horror movie. With the language difference, the still shots really helped the film to flow together smoothly and make sense.
Keri Drake: La J'etee by Chris Maker
ReplyDeleteOverall I think Maker did a wonderful job with this piece of work of his. The narration was perfectly fit for the story he was trying to tell and the choice of images and theme he used, also his choice background music played a major role in this production. The usage of the still images told the story and matched well with what the narration was telling us , keep the story quite interesting. There were great full shots, close ups, and medium shot. Times back then are drastically different from today's time so seeing an images and videos captured in black and white is always great to me. The transitions used fit great with the variety of shots created while telling this story, causing it to move smoothly from scene to scene. All in all, you can tell still photography played a major role in this production, with the close up shots being my favorite of them all being able to visually see the different facial expressions of all of the different characters in the script.
Nick Stellon: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteFilms are simply put, pictures. Often these pictures are put so rapidly together to fool an audience into thinking they are experiencing life flashing before them. It is through this technique that creates essentially all movies today. La J'etee explores what happens when you slow these images down. In this film, the images are clearly seen, often times lingering for seconds at a time. And it is because of this that you start to appreciate the shots themselves. Expressions of actors are magnified by strategic shadows, often times making the character seem mysterious, such as those from the future who are covered in shadows. Angled shots show power dynamics, particularly in the laboratory, with the protagonist looked down upon by the audience, signifying his lack of power, while the scientists are towering and powerful thanks to a shot looking up at them. The rule of thirds is clearly followed in this film with characters being placed strategically to draw the audiences eyes. Overall, this film accomplishes the ultimate goal of telling a story, while incorporating a unique technique in an extraordinary way. The film becomes not just an interesting narrative, but also a case study for framing, and the effects it can have in film.
Katy Hale: La J'etee by Chris Maker
ReplyDeleteI think this was a very interesting piece to follow, but I also think it was very well put together in terms of narration and picturization. The language and content of the film was difficult for me to follow, but once I understood why each shot and line was staged in a specific way, I understood the content and meaning more. I enjoyed the still image look because it was very detailed and organized. The still images represented the narration and it all matched up. I also enjoyed the background music because I thought it fit the mood and type of vibe Maker was trying to portray. Overall, I think it was a very interesting and unique film that had a lot of imagery and narration attached to it. I enjoyed the plot and its reality/story behind the film, but it wasn't my favorite.
Peyton Wilkins: La J'etee by Chris Maker
ReplyDeleteThe still images and the audio in La J'etee play together nicely. The audio is used to set the dramatic mood in the film by changing from scene to scene. The scenes that stick out the most to me are the ones in the laboratory during the experiments. The silent whispers played with images of prisoners in agony really give me the feeling of secrecy and isolationism. I feel like I'm in the room with the prisoner and hearing what he hears while suffering through the experiment. When the audio is the quickening heartbeat, I could feel my own pulse speeding up with nervous anticipation. Overall, the audio plays an important role in this short film to keep the audience engaged and immersed.
Mason Camp: La J’etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThe short film La J’etee by Chris Marker, tells the story of an post-apocalyptic time. The film is accompanied by dark and meaningful melodies, images, and sounds that allows the viewer to divulge themselves completely into the film, almost as if they are there themselves. One example in particular, however, that really manipulated me into thinking I was part of the storyline were the sounds of the heartbeats and whispers that intensified during the climaxes of the movie. I believe this was the strongest aspect of the film.
Additionally, Marker’s uses of still images allows his audience to not miss a detail and focus on the story line, rather than the acting. This adds a unique personality to the film that I have not experienced before. The only moving image displayed was the scene of a woman blinking directly at the camera, potentially added by Marker to display the importance of a memory or dream. All in all, this film was interesting to study since it is different than films we view and watch in today’s day-in-age.
Miranda Fulmore: La J’etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteOne of my teachers in high school showed the film, La J’etee by Chris Marker, to me years ago and it has remained one of my favorites. I was very excited to see on the syllabus that we were required to watch it and write a response because I believe this piece of work is a great example of telling cinema. The piece plays on the darks songs and imagery to create a scene for us and help us become engulfed in the character's world. Additionally, the songs and imagery gives us a glimpse into the character's emotions and what they are experiencing and feeling.
I feel like this was a great piece of work to start off the class. I am excited to see what else we have to watch this semester! Additionally, professor Carrao, have you ever watched his film "A Grin Without a Cat?" That's another film we watched by Marker in high school. It is pretty good, but I definitely prefer La J’etee.
I have not seen it. I'll be sure to check it out.
DeleteChristian Ellis: In La J'etee by Chris Marker, I loved how he was able to tell a story with black and white still shots; before watching this I had never seen anything like it. The dramatic music made it even more of an attention grabber. It was interesting watching the different type of shots after having talked about them in lab and lecture. I thought that because it was in a different language that it would have been confusing and distracting, but that was not an issue.
ReplyDeleteChris O'Connor: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteThe short film is mostly comprised of still images and dramatic music to set up an uneasy tone. The lighting is reminiscent of chiaroscuro and the dark shadows heavily contrast the dim light. This evokes a feeling of fear in the viewer and Marker is able to accomplish this through stills. The details of his shots and the camera angles used allow for a lot of detail to be given. As a viewer, the watching experience is elevated with his unique form of filmmaking. The editing of the film also adds to the panic and fear. The dark pictures coupled with the eerie music creates a horror like atmosphere for the viewer. La J'etee is a nice change in the movie making formula and further emphasizes the importance of experimental films.
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ReplyDeleteThe sequencing of stills and audio combined with the old quality of this 1962 film forces the audience to imagine movements that connect the scenes and tell the story. The sounds and narration create an illusion of actual moving clips. Each viewer can interpret movement in their own way making you appreciate the shots themselves. This effect has a high impact with very minimal approach. Very impressive for the time period it seems. The stills have a spiritual undertone to me that seems to fuel the arch of the plot. The moving scene of the girls eyes is a very dramatic moment with great purpose from Chris Marker which solidifies todays lesson about timing and continuity choices. It is the establishment of the rules that makes it artistic to disobey.
ReplyDeleteSamuel Gay: La J’etee is brilliant and fits perfectly into the science fiction genre. With the use of still images, coloring, and sound design this movie effectively tells it’s story. The still images used to tell this story reminded me of a powerpoint at first, but quickly changed my mind as I saw the very sharp and vivid still images. The images showed precise detail and fit along perfectly with how the narrator was telling the story. The framing of these shots changes based on where he is. The lab pictures are very tight and the focal length is much greater where as when he is with the girl the shots are wider and the focal length is much shorter however no detail is lost in either. The coloring plays a huge role in telling this story effectively as the main characters mood changes so drastically. The colors are very dark, grim, and highly contrasted and the focus is very sharp while he is in the lab, but when he is with the woman, the focus is very soft, there are brighter colors and much more light and a softer contrast. Because this film is almost entirely made up of still images, sound design is a crucial part of the film as it was all done in post production. The music is much more sad and scary while he is in the lab and much more happy and expansive when he is with the woman. Overall this story was told very effectively, however I did not see how the moving shot was supposed to fit in or aid in the story telling at all.
ReplyDeleteGretchen Franz: La J'etee by Chris Marker
ReplyDeleteWhen La J'etee first opens, I think a general audience would be taken aback when they realize that the film is composed of still shots, instead of the stereotypical moving frames. Even more unconventional, I don't think that the film could be categorized as stop motion neither. However, some frames did move- as in shake or pulse. This was particularly noticeable when the main character was experiencing stress. The shots were accompanied by the sound of a heartbeat and it almost seemed that the frames were pulsing with the sound of the heartbeat. As the movie is comprised of still shots, the sounds contributed a great deal to the cohesion of this film. Within the first few minutes, the setting is established with several wide shots showing the devastation that has hit Paris. Music as these shots roll helps to demonstrate the setting and feeling. Additionally, voice over whispers, paired with the alternating medium close up shots between characters help create a conversation between characters, though there is never any dialogue. Finally, the quality and coloring of the images themselves help develop the feeling for the film as well. The black and white picture adds mystery, more still when there is high contrast. The juxtaposition between the shots in the lab and the shots in with the women demonstrate the main character's feelings about each setting. Additionally, the distortion of the last frames with the other time travelers shows how the time travel has affected reality. Overall, the succession of still shots was effective and dynamic in telling the story.
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ReplyDeleteLa J'etee was ok. The story was intriguing but the narration was excessive, however, my opinion hardly matters. I'd like to discuss what sets this short apart from most others: The use of still, rather than moving, images. The entire appeal of early cinema was its novelty, and it was only novel because the pictures moved, which begs the question: why did the auteur take a step backward? In our era, creators like Emmanuel Lubezki and Paul Thomas Anderson are forcing film audiences to question "what can a long take do that an edit cannot?" and vice versa, but La J' etee asks "what can a still image do that a moving one cannot?" The answer is simple: Journalism. Before cinema, photography was the most potent and moving form of journalism, because the audience connected with the subjects in a photograph in a way they can't as easily do with the subjects of a few paragraphs of words. A moving picture may be able to carry more information than a photograph, but cinema as a medium doesn't have the same journalistic connotation that photography does, or at least it didn't when La J'etee was set. Chris Marker chose to use stills rather than clips in order for us to feel as if we were watching something that really happened, that we were not intended to see, as if the photographer were a journalist, there in secret, risking their life in order to show us these secret experiments.
ReplyDeleteMadison Naves: La J'etee by Chris Marker was not appealing to me. i found it hard to follow because of the quick subtitles and the way the story was narrated. it was narrated in a light and poetic way like the way someone would write a review on a piece of artwork. i was also off put by the fact that the movie was composed of all still shots. It seemed like something only fitting for a children book turned into a television program. I found this hard to follow even though i noticed the film trying to help regain focus on certain details by zooming in or out of shots or slight whispering during narration. the qualities of the pictures were nice and i thought that is what saved the film but i also feel the entire story could have been saved if the movie had characters and dialogue between them and regular moving shots.
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