Run Lola Run - Opening Sequence

The sequence begins with two opening quotes

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

And

After the game is before the game.
This is followed by a fast ticking noise of a clock, which immediately allows the audience to make the judgement that time plays a major part within this film, especially as a clock pendant follows and each time the credits wipe past. The music becomes more intense, like a race and the pendant stops swinging. A clock is revealed and the hands are moving faster than normal, everything about the opening sequence creates suspense and builds up the tension of the opening scene. The camera enters the mouth of a gargoyle on the top of the clock, entering darkness as the pace of the music increases, and german whispers are introduced as silhouettes fade in. The camera rushes through crowds of people as a narrative begins over the top, the camera is tilted upwards suggesting that the characters are more superior to the audience at this point as we have no idea about their character. In certain sections the camera slows down on certain characters who we are introduced to as the film goes on, we learn more about these characters as we are shown flash forwards of their lives through photographs as Lola encounters them, through each run the outcome is different.

A police officer then takes over the narrative, addressing the audience directly, he kicks a ball into the air, as the crowd of people form “Lola Rennt” the camera follows the ball from a birds eye view, however at this point, the significance of this is not known, but is soon made clear from the beginning of the first run.

We are then shown an animation of a girl running through a dark cave like setting, she encounters a clock, which represents the repeated theme of time, this happens multiple times, it is automatically assumed that this character is Lola, this makes the idea of running more fun and comical to the audience, and suggests not to take the film so seriously. After this all the characters are re-introduced, but this time we are shown through police style mugshots, and the name appears like a closing door, even the sound that we hear sounds like the closing of a cell door.

An establishing birds eye view of the scale of the location, the camera zooms in and makes its way to what appears to be Lola’s apartment and to a phone ringing, which is subsequently answered by Lola, the phone plays a significance within the film as it appears before each run.

During the conversation, it switches between a frantic conversation between Lola and Manni, as Manni explains his situation in fright. During Lol’as flashbacks it is slights sped up and in black and white, this makes a clear distinction between the past and reality, it also suggests that during the runs she is not going back in time, as the two would have some sort of link between them. I believe that the phonebox is a representation of the confinement of the situation, whatever Manni does there is no way he can escape Ronnie, and no way that he can get 100,000 marks in 20 minutes.

When Lola and Manni release that he left the bag on the train, they constantly repeat “bag” in german, and during the flash back even “the bum” makes a realisation about the bag and repeats it.

All the camera angles within the opening scene manage to capture all the emotions within the two characters, taking on low angles and high angles.

As Manni becomes more distressed and begins to shout at Lola, the music builds up subtly in the background, as a constant panic is portrayed in each scene, until Lola screams, and the camera gets closer and closer into her face in each shots, and glass smashes, this is also some sort of representation within the film, as it is repeated throughout.

A calm state is returned, and the camera is on the floor and shows a turtle move across the floor, this relates to the theme of times, and portrays the slow progress of the situation, despite the fast paced music and their motivation.

An alarm goes off, signifying the last few seconds of his call, again signifying a countdown, like the countdown of twenty minutes throughout the whole film. Fast paced music begins in the back ground as dominoes are knocked on Lola’s screen, this is a portrayal of all the thoughts being processed within her mind as she frantically thinks of an idea for Manni and to save him. She looks at the clock, throws the phone in the air and through a matter of seconds the shots quickly flick between the phone, the clock and the dominoes, all which signify a countdown, and the theme of time is repeated. The camera circles her, portraying the confined space she has got herself in, as her brain scans all the possible people who could help her, until she comes to the conclusion of her father, this is done after much repetition, and it’s almost as if this has been done like a casino draw, as the ball (Lola) flicked constantly between her mother and the father, then finally settling for her father. Lola runs out of the door and the image of her father follows her out the room and shakes his head like this is bad decision. The audience is introduced to her mother for the first time as Lola runs passed her, an animated version of Lola appears on her mothers tv screen, as she runs down the staircase of the apartment, so does the animated version. This is the beginning of the first run.