»Lola rennt«
Run Lola Run
Lola Trivia • Photos • Fun Film Facts
Berlin's historic Oberbaumbrücke
was a key location for Lola rennt.
For a larger view of this and other
photos, see our "Lola" Locations page.
Foto: © Hyde Flippo
The following trivia and film facts related to the film Lola rennt ("Run Lola Run") should help increase viewers' appreciation and enjoyment of the movie. Some of them come from Jan Fischer's "Die inoffizielle Tom Tykwer Homepage" (no longer online) and Oliver Gerards' Lolas Berlin page.
Also see our own “Lola” Locations, Photos page with photographs of various Berlin locations used in Lola rennt. It's a virtual Lola tour of the German capital.
Minor Movie Mysteries
What about the film's symbolism? - Besides ticking clocks, a lot of breaking glass, and the number 20, there is the spiral (die Spirale). The movie's story is about how time and events can be more of a spiral than a stright line. Manni makes his phone call to Lola from a phone booth in front of a bar called "Spirale" (with the round spiraling sign and the word "Spirale" in yellow). The animation at the beginning of the film shows Lola running through a spiral. (The staircase animation is also a kind of spiral.) According to director Tom Tykwer's own commentary (on the DVD version), he is a big fan of Hitchcock's "Vertigo"—which also used a spiral theme.
What about that strange portrait of the back of a woman's head in the casino? - Tykwer wanted to fill a blank wall and asked his art director to paint a picture of Kim Novak in "Vertigo." But since it had to be done in a hurry (about 15 minutes), and no one had a photo of Novak to copy, the impromptu artist painted her from the back with that typical blonde bun hairdo. The painting now hangs in Tykwer's living room in Berlin.
Why does Lola scream, and is it a reference to Oskar's screaming in "The Tin Drum"? - In an interview, director Tom Tykwer claimed that it wasn't an intentional reference, although he could understand people seeing the connection. According to the director: "Lola's scream is a mad, wild and hysterical expression of despair and an effort to take action against the panic and to get things moving." Franka Potente says she had to learn a few tricks of the trade in screaming techniques, since she had never done any real screaming herself. The filmmakers assisted her glass-shattering scream by shooting pellets to break the glass clock face in dad's office, for instance.
Who's the patient in the ambulance in the last segment? - He's the bank security guard, Herr Schuster (Armin Rohde). Few people make the connection, but according to director Tykwer's film commentary (on the DVD version), Schuster has a heart problem. When Lola holds up the bank where her father works, you can see him grab his chest just after she says that she isn't sure whether she wants to hurt anybody or not. In real life Schuster would have probably died on the spot if he had had to endure heart massage as pointless as that in the film, without a respirator or oxygen. Tykwer probably didn't want to cover Schuster's face, but it's difficult to recognize him anyway. - Some people have also speculated that Schuster is Lola's real father, but there is no solid evidence for that. However, Tykwer says he intentionally tried to hint at some vague connection between Schuster and Lola—a thread that runs through all three segments. That would also help explain some of Schuster's strange dialog with Lola.
What does the cartoon character say at the beginning of the first segment? - The animation is based on the actual croupier in the third segment and he says, "Rien ne va plus," French for "No more bets." The casino workers in the movie are played by actual casino employees, but the casino interior scenes were shot inside the city hall of Berlin's Schöneberg district.
Who is the guy on the motorbike who ends up on the hood of Herr Meier's car in the car crash in the last story? - Few people can figure this out on their own, since he is seen so briefly, but he is the same man who stole Lola's moped at beginning of the film. By having him involved in the final crash, on the very moped he stole, Tykwer effectively punishes him for his crime.
Source: Tykwer and Potente's DVD commentary and “Die inoffizielle Tom Tykwer Homepage”
Die Uhren (The Clocks)
Aus einem Interview mit Tom Tykwer:
"Ein wahnsinniges Element waren auch die Uhren, die überall im Bild auftauchen. Da haben wir stundenlang diskutiert, ob es in dieser oder jenen Szene jetzt sieben Minuten oder sechs Minuten vor zwölf sein muß. Oder vielleicht schon fünf vor zwölf? Die Continuity hat jedenfalls Überstunden gemacht! Das visuelle Konzept war schon in der Vorbereitung von größter Bedeutung, das Drehbuch war deswegen auch sehr technisch geschrieben. Technik ist ein elementarer Bestandteil des Films, der sich jedoch organisch integriert und unsichtbar wird. Ziel war ja, dass die ganze Struktur in Vergessenheit gerät und der Wunsch, dass Lola Mannis Leben rettet, zur Hauptmotivation wird."
English Summary: Keeping track of all the clocks seen in the movie was a big headache. The script was written with this in mind, but continuity had to work overtime to make sure the clocks in each scene were set to the proper time. But the emphasis remained on the story, and the technical aspects were meant to stay in the background.
Source: "Die inoffizielle Tom Tykwer Homepage" (no longer online)
Das T.S. Eliot-Zitat am Anfang des Films:
Wir lassen nie vom Suchen ab,
und doch, am Ende all unseren Suchens,
sind wir am Ausgangspunkt zurück
und werden diesen Ort zum ersten Mal erfassen.
Aus der 5. Strophe des Gedichts "Little Gidding" von T.S. Eliot
From the 5th stanza of the poem "Little Gidding" by T.S. Eliot
The original English:
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Tykwer chose these lines in part because T.S. Eliot is his favorite poet.
Source: Tykwer's DVD commentary and "Die inoffizielle Tom Tykwer Homepage" (no longer online)
Sepp Herberger (1897-1977)
The film uses several quotations by one of Germany's most famous soccer coaches, Josef (Sepp) Herberger (1897-1977). Herberger coached the German team that won the world championship against favored Hungary in Switzerland in 1954. That historic event became known as the "Miracle of Bern," and many people claim the victory helped strengthen the West German sense of national identity. (Das Wunder von Bern is also a 2003 German film on DVD.) Herberger was a sort of German Yogi Berra, famous for the odd quotes that he used to remind his team to stay concentrated on the game and never to underestimate their opponents. Some of his more memorable quotes:
- "Nach dem Spiel ist vor dem Spiel" ("After the game is before the game.") That is, as soon as the match is over, it's time to concentrate on the next one.
- "Der Ball ist rund" ("The ball is round.") Meaning, that's the only sure thing, and anything can happen during a game.
- "Das Spiel dauert neunzig Minuten" ("The game lasts 90 minutes.") In other words, "It ain't over till it's over."
Note: The above quotes are seen/heard in the opening sequence of the film: In the first caption, right after the T.S. Eliot quotation, and in the first lines spoken by Schuster (the bank guard), just before he kicks the ball into the air.
Source: "Die inoffizielle Tom Tykwer Homepage" (no longer online)
Tom Tykwer Bio:
Tykwer Facts
Born: Wuppertal, 1965
Films: "Die tödliche Maria" (1993), "Winterschläfer" (1997), "Lola rennt" (1998), "Der Krieger und die Kaiserin" (2000), "Heaven" (2002).
Drehbuch/Musik: Tykwer wrote or co-wrote the script and composed the music for each of the three films he has made to date.
Current place of residence: Berlin
Current love interest: Franka Potente, the start of "Lola rennt"
Deutsche Kurz-Bio
Der "Lola rennt"-Regisseur Tom Tykwer ist Berliner aus Wuppertal, Jahrgang 1965. Der Sohn eines Textilkaufmanns und einer Sekretärin soll ein früher King-Kong-Fan und Horrorfilm-Kenner gewesen sein.
Schon als Elfjähriger hat er mit Spielzeugmonstern Lieblingsfilme wie "Invasion der Körperfresser" auf Super-8 nachgedreht, berichtet die Fama. Heute dreht er in anderem Format und in einer anderen Film-Liga.
Source: "Die inoffizielle Tom Tykwer Homepage" (no longer online)
Berlin Locations
"Lola" scenes were shot in both the eastern and western parts of Berlin. Find out where on our "Lola" Locations, Photos page with many of the film's Berlin locations.
ALSO > "Lola" Exercises | "Lola" Links | Lola's on Video
Related Links
Lola's Running on Video
A three-part article about the video release of "Lola rennt." With links to the video in DVD or VHS format.
"Lola" Exercises
A set of worksheets and questions for the film.
"Lola" Locations, Photos
A guide to the Berlin filming locations for this German movie.
"Lola" Links
Web links for reviews, fan sites, and more—in German and English.
On the Web
Tom Tykwer.com
Tykwer's official site. Tom Tykwer.de - deutsche Version.
Tom Tykwer - Wikipedia (Deutsch)
The German Wikipedia entry for Tykwer.
Tom Tykwer - Wikipedia (English)
The English-language Wikipedia entry for Tykwer.
Franka Potente
From the German-Hollywood Connection.
Berlin Map
Click on "Berlin" to view various map locations on that city's map. From Stadtplandienst.de.
Berlin Photos
Current and historical views of Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie, and the Berlin Wall. From the German Way.
East Side Gallery
A look at one of the few remaining sections of the Berlin Wall. From the German Way.
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