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Symbols in movies: Review of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and La Land

Introduction

Cinema is well-known for its capacity to present audiences with a profound and captivating
experience rather than just telling stories. In this context, Damien Chazelle's film "La La
Land" and Jacques Demy's landmark work "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" use symbolism to
transport the spectator on an extraordinary emotional journey. This film analysis seeks to
investigate how universal themes such as love, loss, chasing aspirations, and the complexities
of life are conveyed by comparing and contrasting the symbolic elements of both works.
While "La La Land" is known as a modern Hollywood musical, "The Umbrellas of
Cherbourg" influenced French cinema's passionate melodrama tradition. In both films,
symbols, colors, music, and dance enrich the characters' inner worlds and deepen the ideas.
This analysis will look at the usage of symbols in both films independently before attempting
to illuminate the distinct aesthetic and semantic worlds of these two cinematic classics by
emphasizing shared themes and distinctions.
General Overview for The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

The film "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" explores the complexities of love and the reality of
life. It's a musical drama. Jacques Demy also appears in this film. He contributed to the
filmography as a key figure in the French New Wave and a significant representative of
musical plays. If we consider the key characters. The major protagonists are Geneviève
Emery, Madame Emery, and Roland Cassard. Geneviève is a young woman discovering the
mysteries of love. Guy Foucher is Geneviève's sweetheart, a young guy who joins the
military. Madame Emery is Geneviève's mother and business owner, and Roland is a
significant role in his life. According to the tale summary, Geneviève and Guy's love is
separated owing to the war, and the events in their life reflect the impact of this separation.
The broad themes explored include love, life, facts, and the extent to which choices can
influence human life. Cherbourg umbrellas provide emotional depth through long and wide
shots. At the same time, bright colors and lighting highlight emotional tones. Michel
Legrand's compositions enhance the emotional mood, while the noises and speech improve
the film by supporting emotional scenes. The film's message encourages us to think deeply
about the complexities of love, the impact of life decisions, and the anguish of separation.
And, while this work has subject aspects and artistic methods with Demy's earlier works, it
was created in the 1960s, during the pinnacle of the French New Wave.

Symbols in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

If we consider the title "symbols in films," which is where we will conduct a full analysis and
comparison of the two films within the framework of Chambourg umbrellas; the most evident
symbol we notice in the film is the "umbrella" itself. The umbrella represents the characters'
emotional moods and relationships. The umbrella serves as a symbol for the film's themes of
love, complexity, and separation. The rainbow umbrellas that appear as the main protagonists
Geneviève and Guy fall in love symbolize how intense and vibrant their love is. However,
umbrellas are also utilized in scenes where characters are separated. This event demonstrates
that no matter how powerful love and hope are, they cannot escape the harsh facts of life.

General Overview for La La Land

Damien Chazelle directed the musical drama "La La Land" (2016), which is set in Los
Angeles in the early twenty-first century. The film explores issues such as pursuing
aspirations, love, success, and the problems of life in a modern metropolis. "La La Land" is a
vibrant and exuberant musical that uses modern Los Angeles' visual elements to create a
nostalgic experience for the audience. At the same time, it explores issues like love, pursuing
dreams, and the obstacles of art. T he major protagonists in this film are Mia and Sebastian.
They are both artists attempting to fulfill their own goals.
The plot revolves around the complexity of love, job goals, and life's unexpected twists and
turns.
The color palette is utilized to accentuate the film's emotional tones. In particular, the color
yellow represents vitality and promise. Dance scenes and choreography give a visual feast
throughout the film.
The film follows a musical pattern, with Justin Hurwitz's compositions adding emotional
depth. Music is employed to highlight the emotional states of the characters and scenes in the
film.
Damien Chazelle's unique technique combines musical elements with narration to create
emotional depth.
Finally, "La La Land" blends a modern plot with traditional Hollywood aesthetics.

Symbols in La La Land

To begin with, the color yellow is associated with energy, hope, and optimism throughout the
film "La La Land". Mia's yellow clothing, in particular, represents her drive to pursue her
goals and career. Furthermore, the color yellow is employed in dance sequences to underline
the scenes' excitement and energy.
Secondly, the city of Los Angeles is used as a visual symbol in many scenes in the film.
Especially in the dance scene at Griffith Observatory, the lights of the city create a romantic
atmosphere, while the stars represent the motivation to follow dreams.
Jazz music represents both the characters' friendship and the obstacles of artistic expression in
the film. Sebastian's personal objectives as a jazz pianist, as well as his affection for this form
of music, serve as major symbols in the film.
Also film, "La La Land," pays homage to legendary Hollywood musicals. The film's dance
sequences, costumes, and set designs create a nostalgic ambiance that evokes the enchantment
and elegance of old Hollywood.
As a result of its superb use of symbolism, "La La Land" transports the audience to a deep
emotional state. The color palette, music, cityscape, and character connections elevate the film
above its status as a musical.

Evaluation and Comparison of Using Symbols

"La La Land" and "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" are films with musical elements set in
different periods and cultures. In both films, symbols are used to emphasize the feelings of the
characters, the themes of the story, and the deep meanings they want to convey to the
audience.
In both films, symbols provide the audience with significant emotional layers, deepening the
ideas and inner worlds of the characters. While "La La Land" is a modern Hollywood musical
with an exuberant and romantic ambiance, "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" is an emotional
French melodrama about postwar struggles. Both films use symbolism to provide the
spectator with an amazing experience.

Conclusion

The films "La La Land" and "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" have established a distinct place
in the world of cinema through the skilled use of symbols. In both films, symbols, colors,
music, and other visual aspects allow the audience to grasp the characters' emotional
experiences and relate to typical human emotions.
As a modern Hollywood musical, "La La Land" stands out with its lively sequences, color
palette, and jazz music. The color yellow shows Mia and Sebastian's excitement for their
aspirations, as well as the hardships they face in achieving them. The film presents the
spectator with a contemporary love story that deals with the conflict between love, career, and
dreams.

"The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," on the other hand, presents an aesthetic that is unique to the
romantic melodrama genre of French cinema. The changing colors of the umbrellas depict the
characters' emotional states as well as the complexities of love. Jacques Demy's directing
approach incorporates both visual aesthetics and music to create emotional depth.

Both films use symbolism effectively to illustrate the emotional development of the
characters, leaving the audience with a strong feeling. This analysis will look in depth at these
two masterpieces that reflect the power of cinema, demonstrating the distinct aspects of
symbolism in each film. Both films provide the audience with an outstanding creative
experience by employing symbolism unique to their era and cultural setting.

Sources:

 https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/3235-the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg-a-finite-
forever

 https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg-2004

 https://www.popmatters.com/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg-jacques-demy-poetry-of-
hearbreak-2495386785.html

 Tribhuvan University Visual Representation of American Dream in Damien Chazelle’s

La La Land Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Central Department of English In the Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the
Degree of Masters of Arts in English

 How and why cinematography used in La La Land to draw the audience in the
romance of Sebastian and Mia?
(ttps://in-la-la-land.weebly.com/uploads/4/5/1/9/45190245/final_extended_essay.p
df)

 The New Wave Meets the Tradition of Quality: Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of
Cherbour (https://bpb-eu-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.brighton.ac.uk/dist/f/7504/files/
2020/11/The-New-Wave-Meets-the-Tradition-of-Quality-Jacques-Demys-The-
Umbrellas-of-Cherbourg.pdf)