MovieChat Forums > Trois couleurs: Bleu (1993) Discussion > reflection on a reflection: question abo...

reflection on a reflection: question about a shot near the end...

posted 18 years ago by redwoods168
8 replies | jump to latest

Near the end, during a sequence of streams of consciousness shots of different images (the boy with the necklace around his neck, Julie's mother, the fetus on the ultra-sound screen, etc.), there is a shot of a close-up of an eye on which we can see a reflection of the back of a nude, resembling "the thinker." My initial understanding is that this is Julie's eye reflecting Olivier. But seconds later, we see Julie in the same sitting position, so it occured to me that the earlier image might be Oliver's eye reflecting Julie...

What do you think?

[–] ryan_gosling 18 years ago

That reflection is the back of julie.

[–] justinlittle2004 18 years ago

commentary says the image is not a specific person but rather a representation of the 4 people (mother, oliver, mistress, neighbor) we have just seen who she has now accepted into her life.

[–] ryan_gosling 18 years ago

Commentary says the image is the reflection of naked back of julie on oliver's eye.Just like the reflection of the doctor on julie's eye in the begining of the film.That shot presents hope for olivier.and a new life for julie.

[–] redwoods168 18 years ago

Well, looks like we have conflicting commentaries here...

What Ryan stated concords with my response of the shot; But I also find Justin's comments intriguing--I had never thought that the image could represent 4 different people... The version I watched doesn't have the commertary, so I can't verify it. Can anyone elaborate on that idea?

[–] justinlittle2004 18 years ago

just some thoughts(my personal opinion) - I think the idea of the person representing four people makes sense simply because we just viewed each one prior to the shot in question but also because these are the people who have helped Julie find her humanity again, something she had been attempting to deny and supress thoughout the entire movie. I think that her acceptance of these 4 people is also symbolic of her acceptance of her own humanity; a humanity that includes pain and suffering but also hope and the need for human connection and love. Hence the tear acknowledging the tradegy appears near the end that did not occur earlier. The idea of authentic human connection involves the whole of ourselves and an openness which can be potentially painful (Julie is both avoiding new relationships and refusing to deal with the past for this very reason), in loving these 4 people Julie has opened herself up to sort of catharsis in which she can truely mourn the deaths of her husband and daughter.

[–] redwoods168 18 years ago

Thank you for sharing your insight.

I like your interpretation, because it gives the image a much richer meaning. The 4 different people represent different age, gender, class, etc. and thus may signify humanity in general. I really like that!

[–] ProxiDelight 17 years ago

Right on point.

[–] izmank 12 years ago

I just watched the movie for the first time, and I was curious about that shot. Glad to see there already is a thread on the subject, although it's been almost six years since the last comment. :-)

I thought it was intentional that that shot came right after the ultra-sound of the mistress' baby. She was naked, just like the fetus, and her image was captured on Olivier's eye, which I thought was a symbol for a womb. So, it signaled her having been born again.

This message has not been deleted by an administrator, though he tried…