If you are not familiar with the movie "The French Mission", then you may have a slight impression of the previous issues of "The Grand Budapest Hotel". The similarity in style between the two is clearly the work of director Wes Anderson.
Due to the different cultural background and geographical location, I did not think very deeply about this film, but it is undeniable that the director still brought me a sensory fantasy experience.
Unitary narrative style, interlocking
The whole film tells the story of the 20th century, in a small town called "boring" in France, magazine editor Arthur Horwitz Jr. transformed the travel series column into "The French Mission", he gathered the best foreign correspondents of the time, formed his own team, and reported weekly international political current affairs, popular art, and various stories of interest.
How to introduce an American newspaper in Paris in the 20th century is a difficult question. Whether it is from history, humanities or folklore, it takes a lot of work, but cleverly, the director cuts in from three short stories, showing the breadth and strangeness of this newspaper.
Unitary narratives are actually not uncommon in literature and film and television.
Many novels and movies have used this method to tell the story, and a few small squares that seem to be unrelated are combined to form the complete puzzle of the whole story. However, although the story is different, he always revolves around a constant theme, which is a very interesting combination.
The three stories are: "A Figurative Masterpiece", "The Revised Manifesto", and "The Policeman's Private Dining Room", in which an artist sentenced to life in prison paints the caretaker muse, and an art dealer buys his painting and hypes it, causing a huge sensation.
Revolutionary students fought for freedom and, inspired by "The Events of May: A Parisian Notebook," wrote two essays.
Lieutenant Nescafi is a master cook in the police world, and by chance, he successfully solves a kidnapping case.
Each story revolves around one or more authorities: prisons/galleries, colleges/squares, and police stations. Each long shot is composed of countless small details to construct a delicate social structure, which is the relationship between the media and society, and the relationship between the times and human beings.
Color, frame, static picture, maintain the same style
The director's style is actually very obvious, forming a style, which is a super high artistic accomplishment.
During the presentation of the film, the director uses the vision of a traveling journalist to show the social environment in which the newspaper is located: boring town. At any time, the reporter never left the bicycle under his feet, which is very in line with the absurd tone of the film.
The entire film switches between black and white and color from time to time. The black part is neat, and the colored part is bright and colorful. A very striking example of the use of color: the interaction between the painter and the model appears in black and white shots.
When the two left the room, the picture instantly changed from black and white to color with the crisp sound of the key twisting and closing the door. Sound and color work together unexpectedly and tightly, while making you wonder what black and white and color symbolize.
The almost square aspect ratio makes you have to focus your eyes on the middle of the screen, always pay attention to the direction of the story, and use it to portray the atmosphere of the story.
In the static picture, it gives people a sense of rhythm one meal at a time, which is somewhat similar to the feeling of stop motion animation. Each still picture is full of the director's language, and I think this is the interesting thing about the rhythm.
Perhaps speaking of this, you will suddenly think of Anderson's stop-motion animation "The Great Fox Daddy". Although the animation is in front, you can still feel the shadow of the director controlling the rhythm.
The location and image materials really need to be bold
In terms of location selection, the director also chose a place that "feels like Paris but not like the town of Paris today - more of a Parisian memory".
The background and composition always make me feel good, and sure enough, the title of "symmetry madness" is not a waste. People often feel that symmetrical composition lacks novelty, but the director uses it to an extreme, and the so-called extreme symmetry is just handy.
The material of the image is also very interesting, and the animation form fully expresses this tension and excitement when the opposing sides are fiercely confrontation later. Slightly exaggerated and full of humor, the random switch between the two made me feel uncomfortable, and I have to admit, it was wonderful.
With the rise of self-media, traditional media has long been squeezed to the margins, but this is not only the change of media forms, but also the depersonalization, thinking and seriousness of expression.
Many people think that the current self-media can reflect greater personalization, but in my opinion, when a huge amount of information pours into people, it is difficult to ensure that you are not overwhelmed and swallowed by this information.
When the self-media crowd wants to get traffic, a certain way will be heavily imitated, and it is difficult for you to see different content. However, when someone really makes a more personal voice, it will be ignored because it is too niche.
So the director's purpose, in my opinion, is not so much the end of traditional media, but an invisible reflection: how much room does personalized expression have to live, and how long have you not made your voice heard?
Editor-in-Chief/Cangba Deer Man
Written by/Asen
Source/"French Mission"