MIDNIGHT
IN
PARIS
(SPOILER ALERT)
The Plot
In the movie Midnight in Paris, directed by Woody Allen, the
main character Gil (Owen Wilson) is a successful screenwriter in Hollywood but
longs for so much more. He is desperate to finish his novel about a man who
works in a nostalgia shop. He
makes plenty of money as a screenwriter, but writing a novel is his passion. He
and his fiancé, Inez (Rachel McAdams), travel to Paris with her parents who are
on a business trip. Inez wants to enjoy fine dining, shopping and spending time
with her friends who are quite obnoxious. Gil wants to walk the streets of
Paris and enjoy the beauty of the city. His dream is to live in the twenties in
Paris with some of the greatest minds of all times such as Hemingway (Corey
Stoll), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) and the Fitzgeralds (Tom Hiddleston and
Alison Pill). One night when Inez goes out dancing with her friends, Gil
chooses to stay behind to walk the streets of Paris. At midnight Gil is magically transported back to the 1920s in Paris where he meets his literary
idols. He also meets Adriana (Marion Cotillard) who he adores because she also
longs to go back to a different time. One night after they kiss they are
transported back to the 1890s in Paris which is where Adriana wants to be. She
begs Gil to stay with her, but he suddenly realizes he needs to live in the
present. He also realizes Inez is not the woman for him. He decides to stay in
Paris and pursue his dream as a novelist. And, ironically meets a woman in the
present day who sells nostalgic items.
The Elements
Woody Allen sets the
scene perfectly for taking a trip back in time with his brilliant use of
lighting and sound. When Gil goes back in time the color changes to a warm
yellow displaying a sense of romantic nostalgia in France. And, the jazzy
instrumental soundtrack gives the film a Parisian feel. His use of costumes is
also brilliant. The present day characters are dressed simple and boring. But
as he travels back in time at night the characters are dressed in dapper suits
and sparkling gowns which portrays this time period as exciting and fun.
The Meaning
In the movie, the character Paul, played by Michael Sheen, defines nostalgia as denial of the painful present. Sometimes if a person focuses on the past it gives
them an escape from the present. And, it is obvious in this movie Gil is
unhappy in the present. Just as Gil, people long to be embraced by a community
of peers who share the same interests and goals. But, people cannot live in the
past because it keeps them from enjoying the present. The here and now is what
people have and it is important to embrace life and pursue dreams.
I never noticed that about the clothing and the lighting change! It makes sense though, his view of the 1920s is so much more brighter and exciting. I also noticed that everyone in the present dressed in very expensive atire, even if it was bland. I found it interesting that even though they dressed differently, Gil seemed to always fit in no matter what era he was in. What did you find more helpful to set the scene of this movie, the lighting or the music? I found that the music really set the tone for most of the movie.
ReplyDeleteI also found that the sound and music was one of the best parts of the movie. One cool feature that i noticed, was that the opening song to the movie and the song during the ending were the same.
DeleteYour Blog is fantastic, very specific and enjoyable. I too found that the music was one of the key factors in the movie. I really liked how you defined Nostalgia.
ReplyDelete