Twenty-five years ago, a modest German film called “Run Lola Run” captivated audiences worldwide. Reflecting on its legacy, director Tom Tykwer sees parallels between his groundbreaking film and today’s blockbuster multiverse movies.
Starring a magenta-haired Franka Potente, “Run Lola Run” tells the story of Lola, who must race across Berlin to save her boyfriend (Moritz Bleibtreu) from a life-threatening situation and somehow find 100,000 Deutsche Marks.
The film stands out for its unique structure, divided into three segments that each reimagine Lola’s predicament, leading to vastly different outcomes. Tykwer explained, “The whole idea that you start from the same moment again, and you create a parallel universe” was central to the film’s concept.
While Tykwer noted that “Run Lola Run” resets its story with each segment, unlike modern multiverse films where alternate stories coexist, he acknowledged that conceptually, his film might have influenced the multiverse trend. Films like “Into the Spider-Verse” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” share similarities in how each universe or vignette unfolds.
In “Run Lola Run,” each segment begins with an animated sequence where Lola runs down her building’s stairwell and encounters a neighbor with a menacing dog. Tykwer always envisioned this sequence as animated because it closely represents direct imagination in film.
The physical demands on Potente were significant, as she is seen running extensively throughout the film. Surprisingly, she does not consider the shoot one of her most grueling experiences. Despite being a smoker at the time and not in peak physical shape, Potente emphasized that the character’s spontaneity was crucial. Tykwer didn’t want her to look like an ultra runner, but rather like an ordinary person suddenly taking action.
“Run Lola Run” returns to theaters nationwide on Friday, June 7, with a restored 4K print to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
