Among the cult directors of the twentieth century there are many, as it is customary to say, top names. One of them is Jean-Luc Godard, a famous Franco-Swiss film director. What did he take off? What is famous for? What are his most significant paintings? We will talk about all this in our article.
Biography
It is impossible to get acquainted with the works of the master and to imbue their spirit without understanding what kind of person he is. Briefly tell about Jean-Luc Godard and the most important events in his life.
The future film director was born in Paris in December 1930. His father was a Frenchman, had his own clinic, worked as a doctor. Mother came from a family of Swiss bankers. As a child, Jean-Luc managed to live first in Paris (the first four years), then in Switzerland (up to sixteen years), and then return back to France. In 1946 he entered the Lyceum of Buffon, he became interested in cinema and literature. He failed the exam at the prestigious lyceum and returned to his parents in Switzerland. In 1949 he entered the Sorbonne, studied anthropology.
From about the age of sixteen to seventeen, Jean-Luc began to be interested in cinema. He studied relevant literature and tried to engage in literary activity himself, went to cinema clubs, and since 1951 began to write articles about cinema.
Godard - film director
In the cinema, Godard, whose filmography currently has more than seventy films, made his debut at 24, removing the short film Operation Concrete. The first full-length film from the novice director came out six years later.
Godard is the creator of a new wave - a special direction in the cinema, which can be traced already in his earliest works. Its peculiarity lies in the rejection of the shooting style that was usual at that time, which has already exhausted itself, and in the unpredictability of the narrative. It is noteworthy that it was former film critics or journalists (as, in fact, Godard himself) who began working as film directors who chose this direction for themselves. Jean-Luc was the first. Many others followed.
His films tell, as a rule, about the socio-psychological problems of society, about totalitarianism, technocracy, relations with art, and propaganda. A full list of Godard's directorial works can be easily found on the Internet. We will talk about some of his most ambitious and significant works.
"In the last breath"
This film was the debut picture of a novice director. He occupies a special place in the filmography of Godard, since it was from him that the counting of the tapes of the "new wave" began.
The picture was released in 1960. The leading role in it was played by the cult actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. The plot is simple: a young criminal named Michelle, leaving the chase, kills a policeman. He is hiding with his girlfriend, journalist Patricia. She knows what the lover is doing and helps him, although she cannot completely get rid of the idea that it is illegal. The couple is engaged in theft of cars and dreams of leaving for Italy, but the police are hanging on their tail.
They shot the tape a year earlier. The whole process took only a month. There was practically no money for the picture, often the improvised means and what they managed to find were used. So, for the dynamic movement of the camera, for example, they adapted an ordinary wheelchair. They tried to save on everything that was possible: they used a hand-held camera, did not connect artificial light, being content with natural light. The script was written “on the knee” - just before the start of the working day. They improvised a lot during the filming, which is why the tape creates an atmosphere of complete spontaneity and unpredictability.
If we talk about the features of this picture, then this is a sharp change of scenes (achieved by cropping frames at the beginning and at the end during installation), as well as the fact that the actors often specifically look specifically at the camera, thereby reminding the viewer that in front of him is just movie.
The film’s montage on many famous directors of that time, including Soviet ones, made a lasting impression. So, Tarkovsky noted that everything was done in violation of all the classical laws of installation.
Weekend
The 1967 film, based on the novel by the famous writer Julio Cortazar "Southern Highway". Like the work considered above, it is a vivid example of the direction of the "new wave", and therefore it is very significant in the work of Godard.
The genre of this hundred-minute picture is a parable and a black comedy. Its plot is as follows: the couple want to kill her father-in-law in order to take possession of his property. At the same time, the husband expects to remove his wife in order to remain the sole heir. The wife has the same plans for her accomplice. They disguise their whole undertaking as a weekend in the lap of nature.
However, getting to the destination turned out to be not an easy task, since the couple end up in a multi-kilometer traffic jam, in which a lot of amazing things happen. How it all ended, and whether anyone survived, you can find out by looking at this beautiful picture, which is included in the filmography of Godard. In favor of watching speaks the fact that in 1968 the film was a participant in the main screening of the Berlin Film Festival.
As in his previous works, in the “Weekend” Godard continues to amaze and delight (or annoy) the audience with his sharp and unexpected transitions from one episode to another. In this picture, he removed his muse Mireille Dark.
Musical picture
The film "Aria" (1987) does not belong exclusively to Godard. This is the so-called film collection - a musical picture consisting of ten different short stories, each of which was shot by a certain director. All of them are united by one common theme. In this case, it is an interpretation of ten famous arias from various operas (the film is conceived as a gift-congratulation on the three hundredth anniversary of opera).
Jean-Luc Godard was responsible for the short story “Armida” from the opera of the same name by Lully. Like the others, it is very small - this is a short fragment for several minutes (the entire tape lasts an hour and a half). Its plot is built around the life and life of recognized masters of bodybuilding. Cinonewell is made in the style of nude. In the filmography of Godard, this film occupies a special place, since only eminent and successful directors were invited to work on it.
"King Lear"
Godard also worked with classical subjects, though he presented them in his own way to society .. As a result, the movie King Lear (1987) was released. "Phantasmagoria and tragedy" - so film critics defined the genre of this tape. It's funny that, starting his career, Quentin Tarantino repeatedly mentioned that he starred in this Godard tape. Later, having already become famous, he admitted that he did this solely to attract agents. Jean-Luc Godard himself appeared in this work.
The plot of the picture will very surprise those who expect to see familiar characters, which are written by William Shakespeare. Do not forget that we are dealing with the "new wave" and its "founding father." The film takes place after the tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. She destroyed absolutely everything. True, then almost everything returned. In addition to culture. It is being restored bit by bit.
William Shakespeare’s legacy is entrusted to bring to life his own descendant, William Shakespeare, Jr. He travels from Denmark through Switzerland, where at the hotel he meets gangster don Learo and his daughter Cordelia, who communicate only in Shakespearean texts. Shakespeare Jr. walks on their heels and outlines ... There is no point in retelling the whole picture, it just needs to be seen.
The film "New Wave"
The year 1990 brought another film into the treasury of Godard, named after the direction that he himself created. In this one and a half hour drama, which tells about the relationship between high society and employees, the eminent director starred Alain Delon. The film contains quotes from the "Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri, a lot of nature scenes and frontal plans.
The plot revolves around a rich countess who accidentally knocked down a man traveling hitchhiking. She brings him to her house, located on the lake, arranges for work, in every possible way will do good and makes her a lover. However, the two are completely different. She is passionate and passionate, he is quiet and timid. Because the new beloved lady quickly bored. She drowns him in a lake and finds a replacement for him - an energetic and active man. Gradually, he replaces her in all matters, "steals" her life. How the film ended, you can find out by watching it.
"Socialism"
This film by Jean-Luc Godard was released in 2010. The picture consists of three parts. In the first, the action takes place on an ocean liner, where there are passengers with different faiths, nationalities and outlooks on life. In the second part, journalists talk with members of the same family on issues of freedom, equality and fraternity. The third tells about the six most important places for world history. Of the famous world-famous actors, Godard managed to attract Patti Smith to this picture.
Filmography
As mentioned above, the full list of works by Jean-Luc Godard is very extensive. It is impossible to list this whole list here.
Among the works of Godard it is necessary to note “Bridges of Sarajevo” (2014), “Catastrophe” (2008), “Ten minutes older. Cello ”(2002),“ Mozart - Forever ”(1996),“ Germany 90 Nine Zero ”(1991),“ Praise be to you, Maria ”(1984),“ Here and There ”(1976),“ Fun Science ”(1969 )
This is information about the filmography of Godard, a cult French film director.