Student Blog: Highlighting a Local Legend: Jon M. Chu

In the Heights has already set groundbreaking records upon its release on June 11. This heartfelt, important, and unique story highlights a strongly bonded Latino community in Washington Heights, New York City. It explores themes of identity, family, and above all paciencia y fe. Let us take a look inside director Jon M. Chu's unique choices and camerawork displayed in the film.

Aside from being the director of one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Jon M. Chu is very much a local icon in the Bay Area. He is originally from the Palo Alto/Los Altos area, and his father founded Chef Chu's, a beloved Chinese restaurant in Los Altos, CA. I've been going to the restaurant for over 16 years, and it is an absolute favorite of mine. To know that Jon M. Chu grew up in the same town as me and is now going on to work on blockbuster films -- especially ones that are musical adaptations-- is very inspiring.

One thing I noticed specifically about Chu's directing style is his attention to footwork. Throughout the film, there are many shots of people walking through the street with a little ball change as the musical numbers start. I felt that I could see so many characters through the way their feet moved and it also provided a unique perspective that I don't see a lot in other films. The varying dynamics of footwork such as staccato and adagio gave tonal clues about the story being told in song. For example, the opening song, In the Heights, has a moment where the camera focuses on Usnavi's feet. This is contrasted with attention on the feet underwater during 96,000 where not only the whole perspective shifts from above water to underwater, but the style of movement also changes to a more classical, ballet style under the surface of the pool. Growing up taking dance lessons, it's clear that Chu sees the importance of quality and form of specific movements, especially in a movie like In the Heights where dance tells so much about the dynamics of the people and community in Washington Heights.

Another aspect of the film I took note of was the use of props and miscellaneous items as instruments or percussion in songs. For example, in The Club, there's a part where the clinking of the glass and ice adds beats to the song. It not only provides a unique and creative sound, but the glass in that case still acts as a symbol within the scene, showcasing how Usnavi is drinking too much out of jealousy, causing him to be unaware of Vanessa's feelings. In 96,000, the lottery tickets and the water splashing also serve the same purpose as the glass in the club. The flicking of the paper adds another layer of percussion and depth to the song and the tickets are central symbols of the musical number.

In adapting Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical, I felt that Jon Chu did a spectacular job taking on this crucial story while also taking charge of his creative choices. The movie stands alone from the musical not only because of the different mediums used to express this story but also because the people working on the movie were able to put their own perspective on it. However, the movie still exhibits, in my opinion, the soul of what this musical is about -- bringing focus to an underrepresented community that has so much love, resilience, and determination.

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