Minutes for July 14, 2004

“Trouble at 3160, or The Equipment  Wins Again”

-Briefly discussed mid-term exam, to be on next Monday as scheduled

-Began watching Jopp’s “Forget America” crash and burn on A/V equipment after about 40 minutes

-New film “Run Lola Run” by Tykwer (german)

-Synopsis of film: Film opens with crowd of people milling around, questions flow freely about life and who we are and what makes what, man in security outfit states the answer of the “Rules” and time limits, everything else is variable. Opening credits began with an animated sequence which we will see more of in the film, it is simply of Lola running and avoiding obstacles.  The story begins with a panicked phone call from Manni, Lola’s boyfriend of over a year.  After a successful drug transaction he has managed to lose the 100,000 to a homeless man.  He is upset first because Lola did not pick him up as scheduled and second because his boss, Ronnie will kill him if he doesn’t have the money.  Lola tosses the phone and runs into action.  The films soundtrack of fast paced techno music goes right along with the fast paced photography of Tykwer, fluid point of view shots and jump cuts along with the occasional flashes through use of still photos, give no time to look away.

            Lola begins the first of what will be three “chances” at saving Manni.  She heads to the bank where her father is working. She bumps past an old woman with a baby and through Tykwer’s flash photo scene we see the possible future of that old woman as losing her child only to steal someone else’s. The film moves to introduce her father in his office with his lover discussing their future as a family, child included. She rounds a corner and almost runs over the homeless man with the money. Lola continues to her father’s office and another flash photo scene occurs when Lola passes a man on bike, we see him beat up for the bike, meeting a nurse in the hospital and getting happily married in a quick flash of photos.  A man pulling out causes an accident due to Lola’s crossing in front of him and an ambulance nearly crashes through a plate window for the same reason.  Lola reaches her father’s office, at a bank, gets buzzed in by the security guard from the beginning.  Passing a woman in the hall we see the third flash scene in which a woman’s future of an accident, crippling and eventual suicide.  Upon entering her father’s office Lola is disciplined and berated by her father who agrees to help her and does so by informing her of his affair, his intent to leave the family and finally that he is not her father, have a nice day.  Lola crushed by her father’s news continues on to meet Manni who upon her arrival has begun his attempted robbery to regain the needed money.  Lola assists but is shot accidentally by a police officer in the getaway.

            We flashback to Lola and Manni in bed with Lola questioning his love for her and the second run begins.  As the red money bag falls the dying Lola utters “stop”.  The phone lands in the cradle as before and she is off again.  Past her mother again, during the animated sequence she is this time tripped, changing her actions, the flash of the woman and child is different, this time she wins the lottery, again runs into the homeless man and biker, this time the biker goes on to die homeless of a drug overdose.  The ambulance cannot stop and crashes through the glass and the driver once again crashes into the car.  Lola arrives at her father’s office to find him fighting with his mistress; it seems the happy family is crashing as the child is not his.  Lola becomes more emotional this time and when asked to leave she grabs the security guards gun and robs the bank of exactly 100,000 marks.  We once again also see the flash future of the woman, this time happily engaged in S&M with a coworker.  Lola arrives at the meeting point with the ill-gotten gains and watches in horror as Manni is struck by the ambulance.

            Flashback again to Manni and Lola in bed, this time he questions her about his dying.  As the green bag of money falls Manni says ”no” and once again the phone hits the cradle and Lola is off. Same mom, animated Lola jumps the stairs, passes the woman, soon to a born again religious person, into the homeless guy and past the biker this time no flash.  She runs into the car saving the accident from happening but misses her father at the bank.  The biker meets the homeless man at a café and sells him the bike; Manni recognizes the man on the bike and gives chase.  Lola ponders how to get the 100,000 and goes into a casino, 100 on 20 wins twice and she’s off to meet Manni.  Manni catches the homeless man and gets back his bag, causing Lola’s father in the same car Lola hit to have an accident with yes, ironically enough the same car.  Ambulance stops at glass; Lola helps comfort dying man and is dropped off at the meeting point, money in hand.  She sees Manni get out of Ronnie’s car and all is well.  Freeze frame and fin.

-Discussion tomorrow, questions due as well