A Closer Look at Run, Lola, Run

In Run, Lola, Run, Tom Tykwer (the director of the film) uses several transitional devices such as dissolves and wipes. Normally, these transitional devices occur when either a character is fatally injured or when a scene is about to end.

For example, in two of the three scenarios in this movie, someone is fatally injured. In the first scenario, Lola is shot in the chest accidentally. In the second scenario, Manni gets run over by a van. However, in each of these scenarios, the director will give a close - up shot of the person who is injured, then the background will fade to red. The screen will then show Manni and Lola lying in bed together. After their conversation ends, the screen will fade back to red and then a new scenario will start.

At the end of the first scenario, Lola is accidentally shot. The screen will zoom in on Lola's eyes and the screen will fade to red. Interestingly enough, Lola's red hair makes this fade consistent and congruent with the red coloring that the background fades to. It is also important to point out that when the screen fades to red, the screen will then show Lola and Manni in bed together, and obviously red lighting is used in this scene. I just thought that the red coloring was consistently used in this fade.

At the end of the second scenario, Manni gets run over by a van. The same thing happened in the first scenario happens in this scenario (except it is Manni this time who is fatally injured and not Lola). The screen zooms in on Manni's eyes and the screen fades to red. I thought that the blood coming out of Manni's nose and mouth served the same purpose as Lola's red hair did in the first scenario. The blood also makes this fade consistent and congruent with the red coloring that the background fades to. These two scenarios are perfect examples of dissolves that Tom Tykwer uses in this film.

Tykwer also uses wipes in this film. There are times in this film when the screen will show Lola running to where Manni said he would be on the right side of the screen and Manni standing outside of the drug store on the left side of the screen. There are even times in this film when there are three different things on the screen at one time. For example, towards the end of the second scenario, the screen shows Manni on the left of the screen, Lola on the right of the screen, and a clock on the bottom of the screen. Tykwer uses these wipes in the film to show relation to time.

Run, Lola, Run was a fast - paced film that kept the viewer in constant suspense. Tykwer correctly used successful transitional devices such as cuts, dissolves, and wipes to keep the suspense of the film in tact.