RUN LOLA RUN

TODOROV’S Three Part Narrative Structure

Follows

• Run Lola Run follows the normal convention of an equilibrium if you look at the different scenes individually as the story follows through for example when Lola tries to find some money for her boyfriend, she then finds her Dad with his mistress, there was an altercation (disequilibrium), Lola then eventually steals the money from her Dad’s business and runs to find Mannie, there is a new equilibrium that is restored as because she is with Mannie and they have money but one character ends up either dead or injured.

Doesn’t Follow

• It doesn’t follow Todorov’s structure as it doesn’t start with Equilibrium as it starts in the middle of the climax (Disequilibrium) and so it could be interpreted as media res narrative. The reason why the film has been done in this way is because as a modern day audience who are cineliterate we like to watch the action and don’t need the full back story to enjoy the film.

• It also gives the film an enigma as it will make

BARTHES code

• In the beginning of the film there is clocks ticking which foreshadows doom and that the ending is going to be negative. The ticking clock could also represent the count down to the climactic action at the beginning of the film.

• Another enigma in the film is that the cartoon/graphic when Lola was running down the stairs it creates a game feel to the film. A comparison to this is the film Lara Croft as this too has a game feel to it.

BINARY OPPOSITION Levi Strauss

• The characters are binary oppositions of each other as she is calm and in control and he is helpless, scared and useless which subverts the Propp’s Character Type as females are meant to be submissive and males are meant to be represented as strong and heroic.

• The movement is also in binary oppositions of one another as she is in constant motion moving to help and he is barely moving, standing in the phone booth. This can also be seen when he got dropped off in the car which signifies the masculinity in the film as he wants everything handed on a plate, he is chauffeured around and Lola has to run around everywhere which shows how sexuality is represented in the film as she is still seen as the submissive character despite her role in the play.

SEMIOTICS Barthes

• In applying a semiotic approach to the film we identified that there are scenes where the director has slowed the character down and juxtaposed this action with fast, up-tempo music (binary opposites could also be applied to this scene too).

• It could also be applied as there is fast up-tempo music in the background which juxtaposes the action in the scene as it is focused on a clock which is counting to 12 noon which is her deadline which gives a sense of foreboding and foreshadows urgency and signifies that something negative is going to happen.

PROPP’S character types

• Disorientating as Lola runs into people and with every restart from the transition fade to red they have different endings for example she runs into a woman pushing a push chair, there were several endings attached to this woman as one ending had the woman steal a baby, another winning the lottery. This signifies that someone’s life can dramatically change as the film shows different endings which gives the film a destination (a moral message); that life doesn’t always go to plan, unexpected things can happen to ordinary people.

• Lola is characterised as a hero which subverts the typical Propp’s character type as the hero is typically a white male. This may have been done to draw in the female audience but also could be interpreted so that the story/narrative doesn’t stick to typical narrative structures and so it gives the film an enigma. Lola could also be seen as being the false hero as to ‘win the day’ she needs rob a bank, threaten people, rob a shop etc.

• Mannie is characterised as being a victim but also a false hero much like Lola as he is the one who needs the help from Lola which subverts the typical film structure as the man is usually dominant and the hero but Lola is dominant as she is the main protagonist/character in the plot, and he is a false hero as he robs a shop, threatens people etc.