It is the best science fiction movie in history and only lasts half an hour: inspired 'Twelve Monkeys'

In 1962 a film of only 28 minutes was released in France that forever changed the science fiction and time travel cinema. Its influence has been recognized by directors like Christopher Nolan in movies like Memento and Inception, by James Cameron in Terminator, Darren Aronofsky in Pi, David Lynch in Mulholland Drive, and, more explicitly, by Terry Gilliam in 12 Monkeys. 

Written and directed by Chris Marker (1921-2012), La Jetée is set in a post-apocalyptic Paris after the Third World War. The planet is devastated and people take refuge underground, in an underground world they build to avoid being affected by radiation.

One of these refugees is captured by a group of scientists who are conducting a time travel experiment, with the idea of contacting the past world and obtaining information that will allow them to prevent the nuclear outbreak. 

The experiment is failing due to the impossibility of finding subjects who can mentally withstand the impact of time travel, but that refugee seems to hold the key: a vague but obsessive memory of his childhood where he sees a woman: an anchor in his memory.

Turned into an art cinema classic since the 60s, this short film made from a series of still black and white photographs represented a revolutionary technical approach because it challenged traditional cinematic narration. 

'La Jetée'

In addition to its artistic and experimental qualities, La Jetée has also been praised for its storytelling, which has had a very significant impact on the science fiction genre, particularly in its exploration of time travel, memory, and identity.

Its legacy extends not only among filmmakers, but science fiction writers like William Gibson (Neuromancer), or the art director of the video game Fallout, have acknowledged the influence of Chris Marker's work in their own.

Inspired 'Twelve Monkeys' 

Starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt and Christopher Plummer, the movie, the script of Twelve Monkeys was written after Universal Studios acquired the copyrights to make a longer version of La Jetée.

In Terry Gilliam's movie, Willis plays a prisoner named James Cole who, in a post-apocalyptic world, volunteers for a scientific experiment that aims to travel to the past to find out what caused the post-apocalyptic situation in the present.

The best science fiction film

Time magazine included La Jetée in the top spot of its list 'The 10 best time travel movies', published in May 2020.

In 2012, it ranked 50th in the prestigious list 'The 100 best films of all time' published by the British magazine Sight and Sound every 10 years, based on the results of a survey conducted by critics, programmers, academics, and filmmakers from around the world. 

In 2022, La Jetée ranked 35th in the Sight and Sound survey that only involves filmmakers. 

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence