Blue

Krzysztof Kieslowski directed the Three Color Trilogy. The three colors blue, white and red represent the French flag and its’ motto. Blue, the first of the trilogy, was filmed in 1993. According to Nick James, Blue is the very model of a latterday European arthouse work of craft and prestige, and that it is a constituent part of a larger work, the 'Three Colours' trilogy. Schooled in the virtues of neorealist visual storytelling, sumptuously photographed in 35mm colour and impeccably pared down to its vital essences, Blue devotes the vast bulk of its screen time to gazing at Juliette Binoche, an actress of great talent and beauty, as she goes about doing remarkably everyday things. But the film is far from an enraptured hymn to graceful looks and elegant posturing. It's savage irony and remarkable austerity that hold sway.

The camera aesthetics in the film is captivating. The camera’s characteristic typically follows every move whether it be a charcater or an object within the film. For example, the camera follows the wheel of the car before the wreck and also the boy’s feet running after the accident. The colors are very rich, especially the color blue. The color reflects off her face, Julie. Another great affect, the imagery of the music notes as Julie is reading them. The two outsides are out of focus and the middle remains in focus as the camera pans for the audience to read the music. The music and blackouts are very awkward. The music tends to come first and then the blackouts follow. The abrupt change in the film makes them pace uneven and the pattern less flowy.

Throughout the film, the audience is following Julie to see if she will ever overcome her loss of her family. The film seems very heavy especially since things keep happening to Julie. The audience starts to wonder how much more can she take as well as does this kind of luck happen to more people thank one would think. The theme that seems to fit this film is rebirth. The examples that back this idea up is the mouse and its’ babies, the mistress and her being pregnant, and the finding of love that Julie has with Olivier. Julie and Oliver share great conversations together. It is easy to miss out on what is being said because of all of the effects that are going on around the characters.

This film definitely challenges viewers after they see this film. It leaves them asking the question: what would you do if you were Julie and how would you overcome all that she has lost? Would you try to ignore the lost and suffering or embrace it, learn from it and change from it?