French New Wave Cinema: Impact of Godards Film Criticism on His Filmmaking Practice - Essay Example

French New Wave Cinema: Impact of Godard’s film criticism on his filmmaking practice Introduction: The New Wave This paper addresses a brief analytical description of the French New Wave Cinema and its impact on filmmaking techniques. The paper also takes an analytical stand on the works of Jean Luc Godard, one of the pioneers of New Wave film movement while quickly making an investigative research on his film criticism, expression of political ideologies and filmmaking practice. Before going any further, it is important to understand what the term “New Wave Cinema” is all about. It was in the late 1950s and early 1960s that a group of French filmmakers took a revolutionary step to redefine conventions and standards of classical Hollywood cinema. The group consisted of many renowned film directors who were once film critics for the magazine Cahiers du Cinéma, and later became the prominent pioneers of “La Nouvelle Vague” or the French New Wave Cinema. The members of this core group included a number of famous and revolutionary filmmakers François Truffaut, Jean Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer. In a progressive attempt to attack the classic literary style of French cinema, the New Wave filmmakers started developing a new notion of ‘authorship’ which accustomed the director of the film to leave his personal signature visible from film to film. The New Wave was not a formally organized movement, but it did bring some significant changes in filmmaking techniques that were bold and direct enough while inspiring the new Hollywood cinema. As Wikipedia describes, “The cinematic stylings of French New Wave brought a fresh look to cinema with improvised dialogue, rapid changes of scene, and shots that go beyond the common 360 axis.” Apart from the candid cinematic approach and directorial authorship style, the New Wave filmmaking technique involved budget issues and production value. Post-World War II, French cinema was engrossed in socio-economic problems and looking forward to low-budget filmmaking techniques while using the same production methods. In this attempt, the New wave directors adopted stylistic innovations expressing their artistic visions directly to the theatre and at the same time cutting down on the production cost. One of the pioneering filmmakers advocating this method was Jean Luc Godard (1930-), who is also one of the founding members of the French New Wave Cinema. Born in Paris in 1930 to a bourgeois family and grew up in Switzerland, Godard studied ethnology in Paris. He came to prominence as a film critic while writing in the influential magazine Cahiers du Cinéma where he attacked traditional filmmakers and welcomed cinematic works of innovative filmmakers. Having gathered efficient and in-depth knowledge on filmmaking, Godard decided to try his hands on filmmaking itself. His feature debut À Bout de soufflé (Breathless) released in 1959 that won him widespread acclaim as a new age film director with a radical and innovative approach to filmmaking. Considered to be the most extreme New Wave filmmaker, Godard expressed his political ideologies as well as articulated his knowledge of filmmaking through the medium of his films. His works apparently show how deeply he was involved in the history, ethics and politics of his time. Dudley Andrew quotes Godard’s view on the authorship of directors, “The cinema is not a craft. It is an art. It does not mean teamwork. One is always alone on the set as before the blank page. And to be alone…means to ask questions. And to make films means to answer them. Nothing could be more classically romantic.” (5) Godard and his filmmaking techniques: Before making his mark on filmmaking, Jean Luc Godard started his career as a film critic for the magazine Cahiers du Cinéma. In his attempt to reevaluate classical Hollywood cinema, Godard used to strongly criticize the existing conservative paradigm of French cinema, which was “glossy, formulaic and studio-bound” as stated by Nottingham in his article, and advocated the idea of taking up cinema as a significant instrument of knowledge. Godard’s work was reminiscent of his political engagement along with his consideration of producing meaningful cinema. Talking about the relationship between Godard’s political outlook and his films, Godard’s works always shed significant light on his views about, a) convention-challenging style of filmmaking and b) political ideologies particularly, existentialism and Marxist philosophy. The former is evident in À Bout de soufflé (Breathless), his debut in filmmaking, and the most renowned and internationally acclaimed film made in 1959. It became a landmark film in the French New Wave Cinema with its experimental techniques and artistic cinematography, often being described as a remarkable essay about filmmaking. At the same time, it is also important to note that due to social and political upheavals of the time, the New Wave directors were mutually connected and assisted each other in filmmaking. No wonder that the script of Breathless was a humble gift from Truffaut, his contemporary. Jonathan Dawson states appropriately on the relevance of Breathless saying that it “was instantly hailed as a truly revolutionary movie and the logical outcome of the French New Wave rejection of what they called ‘Le Cinema de Papa’ (Dad’s Cinema).” The film indeed resonates the characteristic cinematic stylistics of New Wave in general and the typical Godardian style in particular - including the constant use of jump cuts and sudden temporal compression even in the middle of a dialogue take. The New Wave directors took great advantage of new technology, which allowed them to shoot beyond studio to location-based filming. There were several new stylistics added to filmmaking by the New Wave directors, mentions Craig Phillips. Apart from jump cuts and shooting on actual locations rather than studios, filmmakers began adapting to shoot in natural lighting, direct sound recording and long takes. The dialogues were improvised and so was the plotting of the film. The success of Breathless reminds us of the current filmmaking tactics, which the New Wave directors adopted decades back. The most characteristic New Wave aspects present in the Breathless are the frequency of jump cuts, the luxurious Paris location shooting, cool jazz on the soundtrack, a noirish mood and a lovely literate romance, all adding up to create a brand new genre of cinema. Along with such cinematic innovations, the New Wave filmmakers revolutionized the notion of motion pictures by redefining the rules of filmmaking, editing, sound and camera work while challenging the common means of film production, distribution and exhibition. In short, this was the kind of generous effort made by the New Wave filmmakers in their attempt to create a paradigm shift by changing the conventional Hollywood formula to develop a whole new form of cinema. What the New Wave directors added to filmmaking tactics is a remarkable contribution that included innovation, experimentation and the humble effort of independent cinema. Godard’s Breathless is undoubtedly an incredible testimony to free and innovative style cinema. With its success, French cinema announced the definitive arrival of the Nouvelle Vague or New Wave, which continued to be articulated in Godard’s next projects too. The new cinematic style followed formal experimentation as well as rejection of script-based filmmaking, which is evident in Une femme mariée (A Married Woman) released in 1964. The film characterized the Godardian absence-of-plot style, illustrating a 24-hour period in the life of the protagonist. It is notable that most of his films were low-budget works reflecting on the contemporary societal values on one hand while questioning the conventions about style, meaning, image and sound tactics of filmmaking on the other. Films and political ideologies of Godard: While initiating unconventional filmmaking tactics as a New Wave director, Godard also continued to express his political viewpoints through the new genre of cinema. Godard was best known as an existentialist and a Marxist film director. Most of his opinions were revolved around the Marxist existentialism and Maoist ideologies. Godard’s left-leaning political viewpoints were apparent in his filmmaking too. Godard’s existentialism concepts of the dread of humanity can be observed thoroughly in all his movies starting from the Breathless. The characters in New Wave films generally featured a marginalized role playing with young anti-heroes without any family ties and regretful feelings of crime. Godard’s protagonist in Breathless also portrays such characterization with almost an anti-authoritarian manner. The protagonist Michel is an anti-hero in the likes of noir films with a petty criminal bent. As Karabel observes the rebellious, crude, reckless and arrogant thief defying the role of the classical Hollywood protagonist, he states that “Godard accomplishes the impossible with Breathless by simultaneously making Michel a dastardly yet sympathetic character whose fate at the end of the film is tragic and fitting all at the same time…He is morally ambiguous but that makes him cool…Michel Poiccard might not have much substance, but he has a lot of style.” Godard’s political nuances with the strong leftist tone continued in several of his later movies including Le Petit Soldat (The Little Soldier) released in 1960 and Un Film Comme les Autres released in 1969. The former was banned by the French government for its references to the war in Algeria, where the government was fighting a nationalist uprising. Godard made this film on this political backdrop that resulted in the ban. Godard’s encounter with Marxist ideologies happened seriously in Pierrot le Fou released in 1965 that continued the theme of alienation of bourgeois society. Besides, the movie directly addressed the Vietnam conflict. Wikipedia cites the scenes in the film where the issue is addressed, “…There are two scenes in Pierrot le Fou that tackle the issue. The first is a scene that takes place in the initial car ride between Ferdinand (Belmondo) and Marianne (Karina). Over the car radio, the two hear the message “garrison massacred by the Viet Cong who lost 115 men”. Marianne responds with an extended musing on the way the radio dehumanizes the Northern Vietnamese combatants.” The political upheavals of the contemporary France made Godard largely aware of the relevance of Marxist ideologies, which affected France and the international culture too. Godard’s Une femme mariée (A Married Woman) was also structured on Marxist ideologies advocating the Marxist concept of ‘commodity fetishism’. Godard was very conscious of the way he wanted to portray the various characteristically nuances of the human being. The issue of student crisis in France involved Maoist tinge of revolution, which Godard expressed through La Chinoise - one of the most prominent films vocalizing student participation in Maoism-inspired French politics. Godard’s leftwing politics is quite evident in the La Chinoise and Week End, both released in 1967. These critically acclaimed movies substantially reflect Godard’s growing involvement with Maoist politics as well as hostility towards American imperialism and commercialism. La Chinoise was focused on a group of students inspired by Maoist ideas set in contemporary France. It was about a teach-in household of a handful of students who discussed Maoist political thoughts in relation to France. Whereas Week End confronted the tragic flaws of bourgeoisie trend. The themes of Week End conform Godard’s political deposition encompassing the testaments of class struggle, body politics, environmentalism, commercialization, and the deconstruction of civilization. Week End was about a Parisian bourgeois couple on holiday. Godard provides here a reliable assessment of capitalism in contemporary France. The famous 7-minute long traffic jam scene of the film artistically portrays the sheer failure of capitalism to control the middle class mentality. Both of these films, La Chinoise and Week End represent Godard’s Marxist disposition in response to the social and political conflicts of contemporary France at its artistic best. The purpose behind making political films was student awareness and participation in national and international politics. Godard was considered to be a political practitioner of the art of cinema in an effort to revitalize the education system of France. His tryst with artistic experimentation cultivated the hope of collective participation of people in utilizing the experiments to resolve their own revolutions. Conclusion: French cinema has undergone revolutionary changes during the New wave movement. New Wave film techniques altered the conventions of studio-bound shooting with a more comprehensive and artistic substitute of location-based shooting with hand-held cameras that became a distinctive marker of New Wave images. Jean Luc Godard is much appreciated for his revolutionary experimentation with filmmaking techniques. Being the strong critic of traditionalist and conventional cinema in the magazine Cahiers du Cinéma, Godard knew exactly what is required to create the new kind of films. His profound knowledge of artistic filmmaking and political awareness has let him successfully eke out an acclaimed position in innovative and meaningful filmmaking. The new cultural, economic and technological changes in France motivated a whole new generation of writers, actors, directors and producers. “The term “New Wave” thus incorporates many dimensions and meanings involving generational, cultural, economic, and technological components and mechanisms. That French film, of all other national cinemas, saw the most dramatic revitalization during the late 1950s is an amazing phenomenon.” (Neupert 43) Godard’s Breathless told a simple story with a distinguishing free editing style, which is unconventional to the classic Hollywood filmmaking rules. In fact, Godard along with other New Wave filmmakers, did not try to totally change the classical conventions; rather they looked forward to seek new filmmaking techniques from the existing standards. Godard, in particular, favored the use of jump cut where two shots on the same subject are cut together with a noticeable jump on the screen. The kind of impact the New wave Cinema has drawn on filmmaking is well-considered to be the powerful change brought to meaningful and artistic cinema. As Andrew Dudley quotes Godard, “Breathless shows, with power, irony, and precision, what great cultural convulsions have taken place in our time.” (199) References: Breathless. Ed. Dudley Andrew. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1987. Dawson, Jonathan. “À Bout de soufflé (Breathless).” senses of cinema. February 2002. 11 May 2009 . “Jean Luc Godard.” Wikipedia. 6 May 2009. 11 May 2009 . Karabel, Adam. “Jean Luc Godard’s Breathless: Defining the French New Wave.” Associated Content. 20 September 2006. 11 May 2009 . Marie, Michel and R. J. Neupert. The French new wave: an artistic school. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2003. Neupert, R. J. A history of the French new wave cinema. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 2007. Nottingham, Stephen. “The French New wave.” CompuServe.com. June 1998. 11 May 2009 . Philips, Craig. “French New wave.” GreenCine. 2005. 11 May 2009 . Read More