1) 2) 3) Films of Godard Tote Bag - gelgud
4) 5) Some Groovy People - 1960s Tote Bag - Bijou Carmen
6) Cats are my Bag - Tote - Xenotees
7) Octopus Tea Towel - Oh Little Rabbit
8) Small Brain ToDryFor Tea Towel - Rob Ryan
9) New York City Tea Towel - Claudia Pearson
10) Brownstone in Blue Tea Towel - Claudia Pearson
11) Woodland Quail Tea Towel - Oh Little Rabbit
|
| | |
This is my latest Nouvelle Vague poster: Jean-Luc Godard's Bande À Part. Apparently, Godard described the film as "Alice in Wonderland meets Franz Kafka". If you haven't seen it, you are in for a treat! It is a must see for film aficionados and is famous for its "minute of silence" scene, the run through the Louvre scene and the famous "Madison dance" café scene. Other bits of trivia about the film are:
1) it is narrated by Jean-Luc Godard himself.
2) the lovely lead actress Anna Karina was Jean-Luc's muse and wife and appeared in several of his films.
3) the three lead characters practiced their dance scene in bars and nightclubs in and around the Latin District.
4) Quentin Tarantino named his production company "A Band Apart" and paid homage to the "Madison dance" sequence when he had John Travolta and Uma Thurman dance together in Pulp Fiction.
5) it was Godard's seventh film.
If you'd like to read more about this iconic film, there is a good essay here you can sink your teeth into.
Images form here.
|
| | |
Here's my second interpretation of a French New Wave film poster: Jules et Jim (here was my first). Of all the Nouvelle Vague directors, I'd have to say that Truffaut is without a shadow of a doubt my very favourite. Although, Jules et Jim isn't my favourite Truffaut film, it does have the gorgeous Jeanne Moreau in it with her fabulous knitted jumper. If you are unfamiliar with Truffaut's Jules et Jim, here's a very nice piece about it and the Nouvelle Vague genre in general.
Meanwhile, here are some classic stills from Jules et Jim and one of Truffaut himself.
Henri Serre, Oskar Werner and Jeanne Moreau from here and here.
|
| | |
My take on the quintessential Nouvelle Vague film - Jean Luc Godard's A Bout de Souffle. Below are some shots of Jean-Luc Godard and cast on set.
Top: Jean Seberg, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean-Luc Godard on the set of A Bout de Souffle. Middle: Jean Seberg. Bottom: Jean-Luc Godard, cast and crew on the set.
|
| | |
Brigitte Bardot is without a doubt one of my favourite French actresses from the 60s. My top three favourite movies with her in them are: 1) Contempt (Le Mépris) 2) And God Created Woman (Et Dieu… créa la femme) 3) Masculin Féminin (She only had a teeny wee cameo appearance as herself in this Godard film. It's a top movie, though, and well worth a look!).
Things you may or may not know about Brigitte Bardot:
a) Like Jane Fonda, she was married to film director Roger Vadim.
b) She recorded almost 60 songs from 1962 - 1982. Quite a few of those songs were written for her by that specialist in attractive women Serge Gainsbourg. The most famous song they recorded together was Bonnie and Clyde.
c) In 1983 she made a movie about her life which was in three parts.
d) She is mentioned in many songs including Warlocks by Red Hot Chilli Peppers and It's Not Enough by The Who.
e) She retired from acting just before her 40th birthday.
f) She is a vegetarian and animal rights activist.
g) She once said of herself: "I am really a cat transformed into a woman... I purr. I scratch. And sometimes I bite".
|
| | |
When it comes to crime films, it doesn't get any cooler than Le Samouraï (1967). Staring Alain Delon as Jef Costello, it is the story of a meticulous, chain smoking, fedora wearing hit man who is hired to kill a night club owner. Unfortunately, several witnesses see him and he is subsequently pursued by not only the police, but also by his employers.
Why I like this film:
1) It's French New Wave cinema at its very finest.
2) Alain Delon *ahem* was described by one film critic as "A beautiful destructive angel of the dark street". Quite.
3) It has a complicated plot that is full of subtle twists and intrigue.
4) There is a gripping chase sequence where Jef Costello is pursued through the streets and metro of Paris by the police. This extended scene is not only lovely to look at, but also incredibly well done.
5) Unlike a lot of crime films these days, the director Jean-Pierre Melville uses character not action to build the suspense.
6) Without wanting to give too much away, it doesn't have a happy ending. I think this makes it a much more well rounded and satisfying film.
Here is the trailer for Le Samouraï. It gives you a pretty good idea of the pace and feel of the film.
Perhaps it's a film to keep in mind next time you're wondering what to watch.
|
| | |
Ah! Bliss! Last night, after having dinner with my boyfriend I strolled up the road to the local music and DVD shop and chanced upon my idea of heaven: the complete Adventures of Antoine Doinel! Lucky me! I knew it was a find when I showed my boyfriend and he just said "Do you want some money for it?" That's his short hand for "Buy it immediately!"
Anyway, back to Antoine. For those of you who don't know, Antoine Doinel is the lead character in four movies made over a 20 year period by Monsieur La Nouvelle Vague himself, Francois Truffaut. The first film in the series, Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959) or The 400 Blows is an utter gem of a movie that is still heartbreakingly charming and insightful 50 years after it was made. It is also drop dead gorgeous to look at. That's Truffaut mid-shoot for The 400 Blows above.
The 400 Blows is a semi-autobiographical story about a feisty young boy, Doinel, whose unstable and indifferent parents lead him to rebellion in the form of skipping school and spending his days in the cinema amongst other things. He eventually ends up in a juvenile home as a result.
The three other Antoine Doinel movies: Stolen Kisses (1968), Bed and Board (1970), Love on the Run (1979) and the short film Antoine and Colette (1962) continue to follow the life of Antoine and all star the same actor Jean-Pierre Leaud. It's interesting to watch him grow older actually! It's a bit like a fictional Seven Up!
There is a lovely short piece written by Martin Scorsese for Time magazine here that I recommend you read as it gives a terrific overview of why Truffaut is one of the most important film makers of the 20th Century. Here is a very good biography of Truffaut and his life.
Finally, I leave you with a quote from the man himself which sums up his philosophy about film making:
I demand that a film express either the joy of making cinema or the agony of making cinema. I am not at all interested in anything in between.
Have a lovely weekend one and all!
|
| | |
If I could express how I feel about the end of the working week in a visual way I think it would be this scene from Jean Luc Godard's Bande à part.
The iconic Madison Dance sequence in this movie is pure heaven! You can watch the scene in all it's 2D black and white glory here!
If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it! It's the story of would-be criminals Franz and Arthur who meet the lovely Odile in an English language class. Odile tells them that there is a large amount of cash hidden in her aunt's house where she is staying and convinces the two boys to stage a robbery in order to get it. The sub-plot involves both Franz and Arthur vying for Odile's affections. There is a lot more to the story than that of course and it is utterly charming and pretty - but I'll let you discover that for yourselves should you choose to watch it!
Happy weekend one and all!
|
| | |
