Film Analysis Of L Homme Sans Teute And Borrowed Time

Short films are a revolutionary way in which an idea is presented in a restricted time frame. Directors are forced to make considered decisions to create an interesting text, while conveying an major issue effectively. They use specific film techniques, unique characters, settings and alternative style to explore their theme explicitly, while addressing it in a succinct manner. The directors of L’Homme Sans Tête (The Man Without A Head) (Juan Diego Solanas - 2003) and Borrowed Time (Lou Hamou-Lhadj and Andrew Coats - 2015) aim to experiment with both subject matter and techniques, while conveying a very significant issue in an subversive style. This free-form genre, the short film, allows the directors to experiment and take risks, as there
The short film, L’Homme Sans Tête (The Man Without A Head), clearly reiterates this point, as Solanas tries to demonstrate the idea of love, romance and dance in the ‘bleak’, industrialised society we live in. In order to communicate well and to assimilate into society, the man attempts to buy a head from a shopkeeper, which can express that everything in this world is a commodity, even body parts. This in itself displays the materialistic society that he lives in, and his struggle to communicate without a head. He attempts to show through his film that people should not be influenced greatly by the ever-changing society, but to be different and to be proud of who you are. Throughout his film, Solanas effectively conveys his thoughts through the use of several film techniques to emphasise his message that he presents to the audience. His personal choices can be displayed during the restricted time
At the start of the film, clouds take the viewers into a surrealist world, and adds mystery and obscurity as we are taken to the unknown. Later on, while he is sitting on his bed, a sense of realism occurs due to the diegetic sound of a radio being played, repeating, “Do you ever feel so happy that you just want to dance all around the room?” This is immediately followed by “Happiness is the reward of industry and labour, Dancing is a waste of time”, which juxtaposes with each other, and shows that there are different views being portrayed in this particular society and highlights the separation between the man and the world surrounding him. Insecurity and vulnerability of the man in the dystopian society is demonstrated by a long shot of the man and the background of the factory, which puts him into the context of the bustling industrial dystopian environment. As you can see, Solanas has used personal choices of experimentation, which has created a very abstract piece sending an important message, which is significant for future