Lola Run Symbolism

In Run Lola Run (Tom Tykwer, 1998), one visual effect that is repeated multiple times is the transition from real life to a cartoon, like shown above. Color values, composition, and depth will be used to help discuss the role of the above still. In this particular frame the dominant colors are Lola’s red hair, green and blue clothes, and her skin color. The colors contrast the brown and black stairwell in the background. The dark stairwell seems symbolic of Lola’s journey; it seems to go deeper and deeper with no sign of stopping, which means she will be traveling indefinitely. The bright colors make the viewer focus on Lola and her actions. The different planes in the frame are all in focus, which means that Lola is not isolated from …show more content…
Dying hair red hair is socially associated with two very different personalities, a defiant, aggressive, and energetic attitude, or to a romantic personality. In Lola’s case, both the defiant, aggressive, and energetic attitude and the romantic personality fit the build. She will not stop at anything while she tries to save her boyfriend, a combination of the two personalities. She will be aggressive in her pursuit of her love. Red is quite a pertinent color, along with Lola’s hair, there is a red phone, red candles and posters, and red hues at certain points in the film. The color of Lola’s clothing compared to the rest of the frame really makes her pop out of the picture. The colors that she is wearing, compared to the fashion of Berlin throughout the rest of the film seems outlandish, but it really adds more definition to Lola’s punk character. The contrast between the bright clothing and the dark staircase bring all the viewers attention to what Lola is doing. Along with the shadows in the frame, the brown and black of the staircase make it look like Lola is running into a never-ending abyss; symbolic of the journey she is about to embark …show more content…
This is one of few times in the movie where the main focus of the frame is moved off center. Tykwer did this intentionally to also show the never-ending stair well, an important symbolic representation. The majority of this frame is the stair well. The simplicity of the frame is such that Lola, the main focus, gets all the attention. The contrast of colors brings the viewers eyes directly to Lola. The two dimensional space is in this frame is organized with one dominant figure in Lola, and many auxiliary features in the many staircases. Lola is in a vertical position along the left third of the frame, which signifies strength (Berdan, “Composition & the Elements of Visual Design”). The many staircases are in diagonal lines, and for the most part they all lead to Lola; they act as both the path she has to travel, and also act as a path for the viewer’s eyes to the main subject of the frame. The lines of the stairs, the vertical positioning of Lola, along with the contrast of colors in the frame provide an organization that makes the main focus of the frame