Damien Chazelle is the one behind one of the most endearing movies on music in the recent past , Whiplash(2014) & La La Land (2016). Both the movies leave strong aftertastes of courage and passion. Here we explore the patterns that are visible in his stories and his construction of them. I do not believe that Chazelle is an extraordinary film maker but he does a few things so brilliantly that one is left in awe.
Whiplash tells the story of a drummer Neiman who meets a conductor Fletcher, in the academy. The character of Fletcher is sketched close to a dictator who treats his orchestra in an atrocious manner. Neiman is an obedient student and follows Fletcher religiously but it seems still his master is least happy with him. What then proceeds is a grueling ordeal between them which flirts with the destruction of both their careers and at the same time transforming both of them.
The foundational idea that Chazelle lays is that contradiction is the source of change, social friction has the sole capacity to create superlatives. This is exactly what is missed today in academic institutions. The academia has been mass producing mediocrity. They treat students as an appendix to themselves and reward obedience and conformity. Students on the other hand covet gratification from their masters above everything else, and get offended even at minor criticism. This meaning that both the entities at the academia are not willing to take the pain of metamorphosis, the pain has been sedated by words like “it’s ok” “that’s good enough”. The end product then is a flood of castrated liberals who stand for nothing and everything and would further multiply biological and sociologically generating the modern serfs.
Fletcher and Neiman are the anti-thesis to such a system. They are willing to take risks and has the courage to endure its costs. Fletcher never wanted obedience he found it disgusting and asinine. He wanted discords, resentment, resistance and a student rebellious enough to transcend him, something only a great teacher can desire and the greatest could achieve.
The climax of the movie is breathtaking, insult injury resilience and renaissance. The next Charlie Parker has been created through the most excruciating process. Neiman an Fletcher realize this at the very last second of the movie and they acknowledge each other and before the audience can savor the moment any further in a beat Chazelle drops the curtain. Sheer pleasure!
La La Land is not as good a movie as Whiplash is. This is majorly because Chazelle’s film making has become predictable. The idea of trans-formative conflicts and people with ambitions and aspirations appear in this movie too. It differs from Whiplash by substituting a relationship based on hierarchy (teacher-student) to a relationship between equals (lovers). La La Land is definitely more glamorous and colourful but does not carry the same intensity and sincerity as Whiplash did.
Here Mia (an aspiring actress) and Sebastian (an aspiring Jazz musician) fall in love during the struggling days of their lives.Mia is a very good actress but she is scared to take risks, Sebastian pushes her to write her own play and act in it. Sebastian wants to start his own Jazz club but then is recruited by a successful music troop and starts touring with them even-if the art he performs is undistinguished and dull. Mia pushes him to abandon the troop and work towards his dream.
Chazelle here delves into love as a force of turmoil and transition. Real love saves you from sedimentation. The only purpose lovers can have is not to live love and die together. Lovers can change each other, put each other in their desired orbits and then leave. Some people can love you enough to let you go. And years later these orbits may again cross paths just for a brief moment to acknowledge what we have done for each other. Love that turned you into you and me into me.
A look, few tears, an acknowledgement and Chazelle drops the curtain yet again.
