The document provides a reaction and analysis of the film Amélie directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. It notes that the exaggerated colors and camera angles create a surreal world for Amélie. While set in Paris, the film focuses on Amélie's very private and introverted world. The use of color, especially red, is symbolic. It also analyzes themes around photography and capturing moments, as well as Amélie's desire to spread happiness despite outside events. Both of Amélie's parents show signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the film as well. Overall the saturated colors and shots aim to paint an intimate picture into Amélie's mind.

1. Ashley Oman
3/10/2020
Movie Reaction #2
Amélie Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
The first thing I noticed when watching Amélie was the color choices. The exaggerated
colors and skewed camera angles distort reality and creates a surreal scene for Amélie’s world.
She seems to be in her own little world, so painfully shy and introverted. While the film is based
in Paris and the scenery of France is beautiful and contributed to the dreamy nature – the focus
is really on Amélie’s world. The color red is prevalent throughout the film as a symbol of love or
passion. In the opening scene when introduced to Amélie, she is eating red raspberries and
taking care of her red fish. She dresses in greens or blue – which is symbolic of happiness,
health and peace. There’s no constant color aesthetic to the film – each shot a different tonal
range. A yellow hue for the grocer and a hot pink for the adult store. Some dreams or memories
are in black and white, all the variation of color mixed with animation creates so much interest
for the eye. I have seen this movie twice and I noticed something new with each watch.
The theme throughout the film of the photo booths, in my opinion, symbolizes the box
that she has pigeonholed herself into. She likes being a private and quiet person, but in an
instant that moment is gone. With the flash of a camera – a moment can be captured and
saved. Stored away in a box of treasure, similar to the one Amélie found hidden in her
bathroom. I box of toys that weren’t important to anyone except the young child that hid them
there, forgotten. I thought that it was interesting that the night she found the treasure box she
had been watching the news about Princess Diana passing away. She stops paying attention to
the horror on the news and takes the treasure she found back to the original owner, spreading
happiness in spite of terrible things happening around her.

2. Amélie’s parents both seem to show characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder,
they both enjoy cleaning out their respective purse or toolbox and putting all the items back in
order. The constant motion, bright colors are incredibly jarring and a bit disorienting but
definitely paints a surreal picture. Jeunet said himself “every shot should be like a painting,” he
paints a picture saturated in color, disorienting and imposing at times but a raw and intimate
glimpse into Amélie’s private mind. The beginning shot of the film where the camera zooms
along through the streets of Paris, paced with narration is about 20 minutes long and almost
feels like you are turning pages in a book, being introduced to characters in a novel. In the final
shots of the film – facing Amélie and Nino on the motorcycle – as if they are shooting a
commercial for a motorcycle company. Smiling, carefree and in love – the only thing missing is
this motorcycle.