LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL
The film I chose to write about is Leon: The Professional (a.k.a The Cleaner) an English language,French production. It was written and directed by Luc Besson and released in 1994.The film is about a solitary, hitman, Leon Montana ( Jean Reno) or as he calls himself a "cleaner" who rescued a 12 year-old girl who comes from a troubled family, Mathilda Lando ( Nathalie Portman) from getting murdered by the DEA Agents. Norman Stanfield ( Gary Oldman) and his team of DEA Agents killed her father who was paid to stash drugs in his apartment and found some of it missing. In order to that they killed his family except Mathilda who was out shopping. She ends up alone and turns on Leon for shelter, on one condition that she will teach him how to read and do the chores. When Mathilda discovers that Leon is a hitman, she insists to teach her to be like him to get revenge for those who kills her younger brother.
Although they lived next to each other they barely or never talked until he sees her smoking and with a bruise on her face. She goes shopping to be him milk and other stuff and at this time the agents come to kill Lando family. In relation to the themes givin, time here is an important factor, Mathilda escapes death beacuse she wasn't there during the attack, Leon arrives home a few minutes before, if she was at home she would have been killed or if Leon wasn't home they might have killed her because she had no where to go and a suspect would have fall on her. It was all perfect timing and coincidence too.Along time they start to bond to each other and start a relationship.
In this scene we see Mathilda crying when she discovers her family got killed. The camera is moving backwards as she walks down the corridor approaching the murder scene, gets a mid-close up shot while moving downwards to show that Mathilda gave a look to the door from the side and continue walking to reach Leon. The picture above is the fish's eye shot, Leon sees her from the door hole, and Mathilda desperately asks him to open the door. In this scene there is stillness going on, the camera gets close -up shots of her crying, and a shot angled from the side and close-up of Leon watching her from the door hole and deciding what to do.
This particular scene shows Leon and Mathilda walking down the street, after they move out of Leon's apartment. Here is the real action begin, Leon agrees to teach her how to use guns and shoot, after she proves to him that she has courage to do it they move out of the apartment. We see a lot of movement, the camera is moving backwards as they walk down the street capturing New York's buildings in the background. It starts with a long shot and captures them from the front showing they are ready for revenge.
Towards the end when agent Norman Stanfield keeps Mathilda as hostage, Leon saves her by doing his job and goes to kill the agents.In order to save her she has to leave to building to protect from getting killed. In this scene they both confess their love and respect to each other. Here they captured a moment in time, it was the last time they were going to see each other. The camera captures them close-up from a side angle making them look more closer to each other, showing there face expressions of sadness and pain even make it more intimate when they say "I love you" and let go.
The death of Leon scene has something particular,.it shows Stanfield walking behind with a gun pointed towards him. The camera is moving forward with both of them along the corridor like walking towards death. The shots include a mid-close up from Leon's back and Stanfield serious face expression.Before the shooting a close-up shot from front shows Leon's final moments. Stanfield's shot fades and focus on the gun to show that he has just shot a bullet. The camera tilt downwards on the left side and remains tilted for a few seconds showing the last few things Leon see and everything tilted. Stillness is present, as it marks the end of his life.
To conclude I really liked and enjoyed watching this film, it kept me interested in the story till the very end as it is quite different from the rest of the action/ thriller films. It is one of those classic films that never get bored watching it all over again. Regarding the themes of time,stillness and movement, this film nails them all, nut mainly the theme of movement. The reason is that there is action going on continuously such as the fighting and murdering scenes. The changing of locations falls under movement, Leon and Mathilda changed three to four locations in all. Suspense is included a lot. The movements of the camera, moving and run with them and not stationed at a fixed place. Well over all it is a must-see.
Pan's Labyrinth
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| Pan's Labyrinth poster |
The movie Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro, released in 2006 is another film that has a relation with the theme of time,the genre is a drama-fantasy film The story goes back to 1966 in Spain under the Facist Regime, the civil war has ended. Captain Vidal ( Sergi Lpez) is a harsh ruler but hidden men, armed coming from the hills and secret places are willing to fight him. The opening of this movie the narrator tells a story of a Princess who lived in an underworld kingdom with her father were she dreamt of a place where there is no suffering, and pain but calmness and peace. Once she escapes from the kingdom but her body suffers from sickness and coldness until she slowly dies. Her father the king believes that his daughter would return back in one form or another. Carmen ( Adriana Gili) and her daughter Ofelia ( Ivana Baquero) are on their way to the Captain's house in the countryside. Carmen marries the sadistic and harsh captain Vidal,also she is pregnant with his own child. Ofelia is very imaginative and believes in fairies that they do exist. The very first night at the Captain's house, a creature visits Ofelia while sleeping and indicates her to follow it. The creature takes her to a place underground and there she meets a creature named Pan ( Prince of Fauna),
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| Pan and Ofelia |
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| Pale Man |
Setting
The setting of Pan's Labyrinth portrays the darkness, sorrow and brutality that the rebels and Ofelia went through. The underground kingdom was dark, lifeless and everything still as only Ofelia could give her life back to the kingdom. The location of the film is somewhere in the countryside and surrounded with a forest.
Time
How time is related with the film? To begin with Ofelia in the story is the reincarnation of Princess Moanna. The film is set in 1944 after the Spanish Civil War. Captain Vidal is very concerned about time example when Ofelia and Carmen arrives he was disappointed that they arrived 15 minutes late, even he was always waiting for the rebels to come and fight them.Tasks given to Ofelia all of them had to be done before the first full moon of the month. When she encounter Pale Man to get the dagger, she has to get it before the last grain falls of in the hourglass. Ofelia reigns for many centuries in the kingdom and loved by the people, and as result she leaves he traces of her time on Earth.
Personal Reflections
This movie I really enjoyed watching it, I saw it two times and not for a minute I got bored. Guillermo Del Toro ideas of characters are brilliant and very original.Although the story is a mix of fantasy and drama, it's not a children's film, since certain scenes are very brutal and harsh. I was impressed with the kind of story Del Toro wrote, because it is a mixture of reality and fasntasy, rebels fighting against the regime and Ofelia completing the tasks to return to the kingdom.
Hugo
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| Hugo's Poster |
One of the films that I saw recently and really enjoyed it was Hugo,directed by Martin Scorsese and was released in December 2011.The genre of this film is drama and adventure but also a lot of history about the film industry is involved. The story is set in Paris,1930's during the winter time.A young boy named Hugo Cabret ends up an orphan after his father who was a watchmaker dies in a fire and ends up living at the train station walls winding the clocks of the station. Hiding in the walls, Hugo have an automaton a robot like that can dance,sing,write and more if it has a clock and inserting a heart-shaped key. Before his father dies they were already working to fix the automaton, now he was willing to do anything to make it work because it was the only thing he had of his late father.In order to do this he steals little parts and tools from a model shop that is located at the station to fix the automaton. The owner once catches the boy and takes anything found in the boy's pocket including a notebook with sketches and annotations about the automaton,the owner tells Hugo that he was going to burn the notebook.Hugo meets a young girl Isabelle, who is the god-daughter of the shop owner,they became friends.They start an adventure together, Hugo takes her to watch a movie, something that she never saw, and Isabelle take him to the library.Hugo mentions to her once his father saw a movie were a rocket hits the moon's eye.
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| Hugo |
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| Automaton |
The story begins when Hugo discovers that the heart-shaped key wears it Isabelle as necklace.He unlocks the secret of the automaton and when they enter the key, the automaton works and starts drawing and signs it with the name Georges Melies. Now they have a mystery to solve that Hugo's father left. They realise that the drawing is the same image that Hugo mentions before. Georges Melies is the owner of the same shop and Isabelle's god-father. From now on there are scenes regarding history of the film industry. They learn that Georges Melies was a great film-maker, and one of the first to produce,write,direct and act in a movie.Once during their research in the library Hugo and Isabelle met professor Tabad, who wrote the book that they are doing their research on and was a great fan of Melies movies. Tabad believes that Melies died during World War I, until Isabelle and Hugo arrange to come and meet Melies. The professor has a room dedicated to Georges Melies including an original film that was the only one left and a masterpiece with the name :"A Trip to the Moon" ( Le Voyage dans la Lune,1902). When professor Tabad together with Isabelle and Hugo go to her house, Tabad shows them the movie. Melies soon discovers that his films aren't all destroyed but some of them survived even after the war, he later tells them how it all started in working in films.Hugo's uncle dies and the inspectors clears out the station wall, even the automaton, Hugo's wills to do anything to save the automaton including the possibility of getting hit by a train. In the end everything goes well, and the automaton is saved. Now the people can ejoy again the films of the great film-maker Georges Melies.
Setting
This film has that magic, fantasy, mystery and adventure element. It's setting is in Paris, during the 1930's, snow is falling, winter cold, people are dressed very elegant and chic. A magical atmosphere is created due to the lights setting, and a cold colour temperature picture style. Some black and white scenes are included, these scenes features original films of Georges Melies. Some scenes from ariel view of Paris were shot which made Paris look magical and beautiful. The story is part fiction and the rest is based on a true story /history.
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| Scenes of Paris |
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| The classic image of the moon |
Theme: Time
The theme of time is shown throughout the whole movie, since it has history in it. It is during the early 20th century and the machine industry was in its boom. People could afford to buy the necessaries and even money to spend on clothes, furniture and more. At the train station one could find shops and markets, it was sign that there was commerce. As I mentioned before this movie is about the history of film making, in 1895 one of the first movie was shown, it was called "A Train Arrives at the Station" by the Lumiere Brothers who thought that film making wasn't going to be of great importance in the future. Georges Melies believed that films can capture dreams. Originally he started out as a magician until he saw a film by the Lumiere Brothers on the 28th of December 1895, he was impressed and asked the brothers to buy the camera but the offer was refused.The movies had live music but no speech. It was until he built a film set which was made out from glass to have direct sunlight.Due to the sunlight, the only time for films to be produced was during the day only. Unfortunately hasn't been kind with the old movies, but destroyed them. World War I began, men had to fight during war, poverty, suffering and death took over in reality. The war ended the beauty of youth and hope, the soldier that made it back home were bored of movies, they have seen the harsh reality. Melies had an order to send all the tapes to melt them into chemicals and make shoe heels from them.He got so upset that he destroyed everything including the set and props, and ended up working in a model shop that he opened himself. Back to the film, Hugo's perfect timing managed to save the automaton from being trashed, even he was saved from the police inspector from being ran over by a train.
Reflections
I personally really enjoyed watching it also I learned a lot from it. Now I know how the film industry started and by whom. "A Trip to the Moon" is the first science fiction movie which is 10 minutes long, it is incredible. I was impressed by the imagination people had during those years and managed to do a good product for that time. The setting reminded me of winter and Christmas, even since I love vintage clothing I enjoyed seeing those beautiful clothes. At first I thought that it was going to be a boring and childish film, but from the first scene realised that it is an excellent movie.
Film Inspiration: The Hunger Games
My concept for the visual product is of a headpiece that is inspired from the Victorian era and Steampunk. When I saw the first film from the trilogy of The Hunger Games I fell in love with the edgy and eccentric costumes especially of Effie Trinket's character who she wear outrageous outfits at all times. I chose these to two styles of Victorian and Steampunk because steampunk is inspired from Victorian and the film portrays steampunk a lot especially when it comes to fashion and technology.
Victorian Era Fashion
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| Crinoline skirt flatted from front. Winterhalter painting, 1865 |
When Queen Victoria reigned in England she was still very young just 18 years old so she was adventurous,creative, innovative and fearless to try out new things. During the period she reigned, fashion was launched that would be an inspiration and phenomenon till present. Basically the Victorian era was split up into two periods early period ( 1837-1860 ) and the mid-to-late period ( 1860-1901 ).
Before the Victorian era dresses were much elaborate and huge, in fact they used to wear a crinolines under the skirt to make it look fuller, these were like cages . The sleeves were puffed and created broad shoulders. When the Victorian era developed, dresses by time started to become much more practical and narrower sleeves, tight-fitting boned bodice, narrower skirts with ruffles and frills. In the mid-Victorian era (1860-1880) the sewing machine was invented, fashion became more couture design, synthetic dyes were available for intense colours and the crinoline skirt was flattened in the front but showed the garment from the back.
Before the Victorian era dresses were much elaborate and huge, in fact they used to wear a crinolines under the skirt to make it look fuller, these were like cages . The sleeves were puffed and created broad shoulders. When the Victorian era developed, dresses by time started to become much more practical and narrower sleeves, tight-fitting boned bodice, narrower skirts with ruffles and frills. In the mid-Victorian era (1860-1880) the sewing machine was invented, fashion became more couture design, synthetic dyes were available for intense colours and the crinoline skirt was flattened in the front but showed the garment from the back.
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| Soft polonaise bustle. |
In 1875, they were in vogue the soft polonaise bustle this was a draped and frilled train at the back of a dress.With the invention of the sewing machine it made easier to add frills, pleats, ruffles braids and fringing and made it heavily ornamented until later were replaced by the Princess sheath garment. By 1880 the silhouette was getting longer ans slimmer even more by the train. These lasted for three years only though. Followed by in 1883 the hard bustle which made the women's silhouette look like the hind legs of a horse.
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| Tailored made suits of the 1890's |
Tailored made garments were introduced in 1874 that led to fashionable tailor made suits in the 1890's . Fashion now became more plain, simpler and tailored yet still elegant and neat.Sharp tailored jackets were popular and embraced by the late Victorian women, it made more confident and a different posture. Women were showing their strength as a gender in their workplace with Power Dressing, which was similar in 1985, through women wearing masculine tailored and shoulder padded jackets.
The gowns of the 1880's were made from two colours and one material, colours usually were vivid such purple, royal blue, deep red, peacock blue, bright green and many more sometimes the combinations were rather strange. In contrary to day dresses the night gowns were made in softer hues and contrasting fabrics.
The incorporation of details such lace, tulle, corsets, slim-fitted gowns and extravagant headpieces will attract the youth generation. Its a way of keeping the historical Victorian era fashion alive by combining the traditional of the nineteenth century with modern fashion.
Contemporary Fashion Inspired from Victorian Era
Although its been over a 100 years since Victorian era fashion was developed, it remained a phenomenon and an influence with modern fashion designers and society. Famously worldwide fashion designer used Victorian styles in their haute couture collection,ready-to-wear collections,editorials even for wedding gowns. Making a good observation one can notice the influence of Victorian fashion in fairy tale themed shoots, Gothic editorials and in movies such as The Hunger Games, Marie Antoinette, Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd amongst many others. Detailed pieces such as lace, ruffles, frills, tulle and many more add that beautiful and elegant touch to modern collection.
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| Atelier Versace Spring 2011, |
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| Bridal Collection, Yolan Cris Spring 2013 |
Effie Trinket- The Hunger Games
As I mentioned in the beginning my main inspirations for the visual concept the headpiece is Effie Trinket, one of the main character in the Th Hunger Games trilogy who she has the role of an escort in district 12. I fell in love with the costumes that Trish Summerville created for the cast especially for Trinket. Trish Summerville is the costume designer for this trilogy, she confessed that her main inspiration for Effie Trinket's outfits were Marie Antoinette and Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.Summerville wanted to create something silly and fun for Effie. Trinket's was considered as a style icon in the Capitol city, she is an eccentric with a unique and flamboyant outfits and always changing stylized wigs and make-up.Her character is one of a perfectionist and always prim and proper and hate bad manners, this qualities reflect in her outrageous outfits that are always matching, sophisticated, and neat. The Victorian influence can be seen in her outfits very clearly such as the tailored suit with puffed sleeves, ruffles, extravagant headpieces, tulle, wide skirts or dresses, vivid or pastel colours, flower patterns, collars and even permed coloured hair.
| The poster for Catching Fire |
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| Effie Trinket |
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| Wearing a tailored made suit. |
Thomas.,P, 2001-2013. Early Victorian Costume and Fashion History 1837-1860. [online] Available at: <http://www.fashion-era.com/early_victorian_fashion.htm >
[Accessed 18 December 2013]
Thomas.,P, 2001-2013. Mid-late Victorian Fashion and Costume History 1860-1901. [online] Available at: < http://www.fashion-era.com/mid-late_victorian_fashion.htm >
[Accessed 18 December 2013]
Trend Hunter Inc,n.d. 100 Victorian Inspired Styles.[online] Available at: < http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/victorianinspired-styles >
[Accessed 19 December 2013]
Trend Hunter Inc,n.d. 100 Victorian Inspired Styles.[online] Available at: < http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/victorianinspired-styles >
[Accessed 19 December 2013]
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