Iconic Time Travel Films: ‘La Jetée’ Or ‘The Pier’ (1962) And ‘Twelve Monkeys’ (1995)
Love, Memory, and History.
I am sure that it was only after watching the movie Twelve Monkeys (1995) that most of us found out about the film that was the inspiration for Terry Gilliam’s film — Chris Marker’s 1962 short ‘photo-roman’ entitled La Jetée or The Pier, a work of unparalleled brilliance.
Both deal with memory and time travel and are based around a central conceit: a predestination paradox. Yet they could not be more different visually and philosophically. If you haven’t seen La Jetée yet, then why not?
I suggest you become acquainted as there will be spoilers in my piece, or just sit back and allow me to elucidate a little on the similarities and divergences. They are both iconic films and not just for the intriguing — and sometimes infuriating — paradoxes that traveling through time can create.
In a series of photo montages and with an overarching narration, Chris Marker slowly reveals the story of an attempt by scientists in the dystopian aftermath of a nuclear war to rebuild civilization using time-travelers.
These scientists (who whisper in German) are using prisoners of war as guinea pigs. These attempts have resulted in madness for almost every test subject…
