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Movies | Art
La La Land: The Problem with Self-Referential Cinema
What art owes us and what we owe art
‘La La Land’ is a magical realist musical that plays with pastiche in the same way that a child would play with their favorite superhero action figures. The film references ‘Les demoiselles de Rochefort’ (1967) in the opening scene with a song-and-dance number on a freeway during a traffic jam. By doing so it introduces the dynamics of the world, i.e. one where the characters will break into song to communicate their emotions.
‘La La Land’ also references multiple films in the excellent dance sequence between Sebastian (Seb) and Mia, among them are ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952) (a frequently cited film in ‘La La Land’), ‘Shall We Dance’ (1937), and ‘The Band Wagon’ (1953).
‘La La Land’ imbues meaning through intertextual references to older films. It mixes and matches motifs, choreography, framing, and editing of a wide range of romantic musicals. By referencing these works the film hopes to bridge a seemingly non-existent gap between the art of the past and the art of today.
‘La La Land’ frequently bridges this gap throughout its jazz infused runtime. Some might criticize its heavy handed pastiche, arguing that by wearing the coats of another, one is wearing the veneer of meaning and depth without any of the nuance.
‘La La Land’ references many films, so much so that you can quite readily find a lot of articles online which will list out all of the various references within the film in intricate detail.
The very same articles that detail the connections that ‘La La Land’ makes beg a question: what if we don’t know the references? If we know the references we — the audience — can interact with sincere engagement; appreciate and understand the connections it is trying to evoke. But if we don’t know the references we — the audience — are forced to interact with ironic detachment, as we believe this is the only way we can gain a sense of power.
