8 years ago, the first scene of this musical film gave everyone a lesson in cinema – Actus Ciné
A look back at the breathtaking opening sequence of “La La Land,” in which Damien Chazelle masterfully transformed a Californian traffic jam into a musical comedy choreography.
Whether we're talking about the disconcerting introduction to The Return of the King, the poignant opening of Schindler's List or the iconic prologue of Once Upon a Time in the West, there's no shortage of examples when it comes to listing works that have left their mark on cinema from their very first minutes.
Indeed, while some films take their time to engage in dialogue with their viewers, others decide to challenge them from the start, to shake them up from the outset, to force them to sit up straighter in their comfortable red armchair as soon as the lights go out.
The first 4 minutes of the film
La La Land, directed by Damien Chazelle in 2016, is one of them. Between the deliciously romantic scene of the meeting between its two protagonists, that of their poetic visit to the planetarium and the masterful epilogue of the film, the beautiful surprises that await the audience are numerous in Chazelle's feature film.
But among these anthology moments, we will particularly remember the first 4 minutes of the film, which immediately deliver an artistic uppercut to the viewer and immediately set the tone. As a true lover of musicals that he has always been, Chazelle chooses to build an opening sequence that lives up to the works that have rocked his own memories as a film buff.
La La Land opens on the Los Angeles beltway under a blazing sun, as hundreds of stationary cars honk at each other and the songs from numerous car radios mingle in a collective cacophony.
SNDA single shot?
Suddenly, as a few piano notes gradually cover the hubbub and new music begins, the camera pans to a young woman's window, who begins to sing. She then gets out of her car and begins a choreography, gradually imitated by all the other drivers.
The sequence that follows, during which the camera constantly twirls between the cars and the dancers, is simply breathtaking. Punctuated by the irresistible song by Justin Hurwitz, the scene has all the makings of a single sequence shot, even if it is actually broken down into three separate shots (invisible to the naked eye, but essential so that the shadow cast by the crane goes unnoticed), as Damien Chazelle will reveal in an interview for The Wrap.
Filmed directly on the Los Angeles highway during two days of shooting, the sequence obviously required meticulous preparation.
“It was mind-blowing logistics.”
“It was a lot of work”said choreographer Mandy Moore in the film's press kit.
“Our office was covered in Post-it notes detailing the make of each car, who was supposed to climb on which vehicle, and which cars needed to be reinforced. It was mind-boggling logistics.”
SNDAnd production designer David Wasco added:
“We had a very brief window of time where the California Highway Patrol shut down the freeway and allowed us to shoot this extremely complex sequence. And like magic, it all went very well.”
The result: one of the most impressive dance scenes seen in cinema in a long time.
What is your favorite sequence from La La Land?
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