The use of static images in La Jetee

Santos 2022-10-17 19:14:30

As said in the movie, "Memories are no different from ordinary moments, only those moments that leave scars are so unforgettable." The frame-by-frame pictures in the movie are very similar to the "moment", and the still face of the woman in the boy's memory contains the meaning of "eternal moment". The pictures in this movie seem to be taken from the hero's memory one after another, telling the man's unforgettable memories and fateful ending. After the "Third World War", totalitarian rule, human nature was wiped out, and the city was reduced to ruins. Under this background, the still picture also seems to imply that it is the most painful memory of a city and a period of time.

Although the whole film is composed of still pictures, it appears very fluid and integrated.

First, the film uses different scenes to create an implicit connection between the pictures, and at the same time plays a role in the overall narrative. For example, when the important clue - the necklace is mentioned in the second half of the film, the film uses a close-up to highlight the necklace. And when the man goes back to running towards the woman when he was a child, the picture adopts the medium shot, and the necklace is in the middle of the picture. Thus, the necklaces echo each other at the end and the middle of the film, and stills from different scenes enhance the integrity of the narrative.

Second, although the picture is still, Mark makes each one tremble slightly. This little trick makes the picture not sluggish and has a dynamic effect visually.

Third, in editing, the speed of cutting between pictures represents the speed of the narrative rhythm. For example, when the background is introduced at the beginning of the film, the film is poetic, and the editing is slower at this time, and at the end of the film, the editing is faster as the man runs.

Fourth, sound plays a very important role in enhancing the continuity between pictures. The voice-over and the picture together form the narrative of the film; the priorities of the background music indicate the urgency or distress of the characters as the story develops. The heartbeat in the background music represents a man's excitement when he falls in love; and when the man returns to the airport, the huge roar of planes in the background heralds tragedy or death - silence and excessive volume often contain such meaning.

View more about La Jetée reviews

Extended Reading

La Jetée quotes

  • Narrator: The camp police spied even on dreams.

  • Narrator: On the tenth day, images begin to ooze like confessions.