I saw La La Land this weekend and Damien Chazelle musical is brilliant and emotional tribute to the 1950’s musical. Visually stunning eye candy for my inner graphic designer. Not so much a visual re-imaging of Los Angeles as a opportunity to see it through an artists eye. Chazelles last film, “Whiplash”used Jazz as a tool to explore ambition, the price of achieving excellence. Whereas La la Land is a tribute to Jazz as a dying art form. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were last paired as a romantic item in Crazy, Stupid Love. Emma Stones character Mia and Sebastian played by Gosling brief antagonistic meeting in the opening scenes is a result of a restrained road rage incident. Their potential hostility towards each other is tempered by the magical and captivating dance scene in the middle of a traffic jam.
Film for Designers
Visually the film is a benchmark for design excellence (in my opinion). A palette of colours that tells a story just as much as the music and dance. From Mia’s gorgeous yellow dress as the couple dance with the city of Los Angeles as a backdrop. To close-ups of both characters faces bathed in green and framed by red neon.
LaLand is a fun, optimistic film and even with a bitter-sweet ending glimpsing the shadows of all dreams, the city alway seems to be happy.