Introduce me to Jean Luc Godard!

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

What films would you recommend someone who knows nothing about him? Which should i see first? Which ones should I not miss?

― buyabiznatch (buyabiznatch), Monday, 3 October 2005 23:42 (twenty years ago)

Nevermind the Cannon. See Weekend. If you can handle that, you can handle all the rest.

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Monday, 3 October 2005 23:47 (twenty years ago)

M. Buyabiznatch, je vous presente mon cher ami, Jean Luc Godard.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 3 October 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

I'd recommend seeing his films in chronological order (as best you can) so you can see the progression of his 60's/70's radicalism (culminating in Weekend, before the beginning of his second, and more baffling, period). Of course, the most accessible entryway into the world of Godard is Alphaville, so you may want to see that one early on (even if it won't give you the most accurate perspective on Godard's work). Either way, you must must must start with Breathless. There's no question. See that one first.

― Anthony (Anthony F), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 01:36 (twenty years ago)

don't see weekend first, it'll put you off him for life. try breathless, then band of outsiders, then the other canonical '60s films - THEN weekend, if you're still awake.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 02:40 (twenty years ago)

Contempt.

― ryan (ryan), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 03:08 (twenty years ago)

I dislike Contempt.

After Breathless I'd suggest Masculin Feminin.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

What Anthony said, which also means see My Life To Live/Vivre Se Vie before Masculin Feminin.

One thing you'll notice going the chronological route is that Godard was constantly revisiting themes through the 60s, resulting in practically each early film having a later companion piece (ie Breathless--> Peirrot Le Fou, Le Petit Soldat-->Alphaville & Peirrot, My Life To Live-->Masculin Feminin)

― Marxism Goes Better With Coke (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 14:16 (twenty years ago)

Everyone will think I'm a dolt or a philistine or worse for saying this, but if you want to see Godard at his best, I'd start with Mean Streets or the first 40 minutes of Pulp Fiction. I've seen a lot of Godard over the years, and the only two films of his I ever really connected with were My Life to Live and Band of Outsiders--and a second viewing of My Life to Live was a mistake. I liked some of the more elegiac narration in Histoire(s) du cinéma, but so much of the time, I've sat there feeling that it would have been much, much better to see all those '60s films when they first came out--that whatever turned people around so dramatically at the time had been so absorbed into the work of other filmmakers that I wasn't feeling the full effect.

― Phil Dellio (j.j. hunsecker), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

Phil, you forgot Bonnie & Clyde ;-)

― Marxism Goes Better With Coke (Charles McCain), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 21:13 (twenty years ago)

The only Godard that I've enjoyed has been Weekend, which was a lot of fun.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 21:24 (twenty years ago)

Weekend is the best of his I've seen so far, but not a good place to start.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 22:12 (twenty years ago)

Yes, Bonnie and Clyde definitely--I guess as Godard-influenced as almost anything you could name. I'm trying to think of specific films that owe a lot to him and I'm drawing a blank, but that's a function of my work-frazzled brain--I know the list is lengthy, and I know some of my favourite films would be on there. When I was at the University of Toronto in the early '80s, around the time that Every Man for Himself was out, he came to Innis College as a guest speaker. I remember him as being very soft-spoken, and also that he said something drolly funny having to do with Spielberg. He's someone where I wish I liked his films more than I do, and I think I understand why he's viewed as such a heroic figure by so many people.

― Phil Dellio (j.j. hunsecker), Tuesday, 4 October 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

I thought Masculin-Feminin was brilliant and accessible, if you like the style. It's somewhat unconventional (though one of the best 'love' stories I recall seeing on-screen) in the camera's proximity - everyone's shot so tight, rarely more than a couple on-screen, there are zero establishing shots, very cinema-verite (I'd love to see the film Godard shot with Albert Maysles right before M-F).

Bonus points for having an amazing soundtrack (I doubt Chantal Goya's tracks from the film are available on CD). Check out the Rialto Pictures trailer (www.rialtopictures.com) - unrepresentative of the film itself but with one of Goya's songs.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Wednesday, 5 October 2005 00:57 (twenty years ago)

I'd say watching Breathless, Contempt, and Weekend would give you a decent overall introduction.

― Jack L., Wednesday, 5 October 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

My Life to Live or Band of Outsiders

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 6 October 2005 00:36 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

contempt, probably. definitive godard flick.

― nutrasweet glider, Wednesday, 9 November 2005 01:34 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I love Contempt, but I'd say it's probably the least "definitive" Godard I've seen. I'd start with Breathless/À Bout de Souffle, which is probably the most easy to love, most iconic (referenced in lots of other movies), and historically maybe the most important. I've enjoyed most of his sixties films, especially A Woman is a Woman, My LIfe to LIve, Peirrot le Fou, Two or Three Things I Know About Her, Masculine Feminine and Week-end. The last couple also have their moments.

― Jeff LeVine (Jeff LeVine), Wednesday, 9 November 2005 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

three years pass...

Based on Band of Outsiders and the one recent Godard film I've seen I'd say this guy is a tiresome asshole. Is there a film that could convince me otherwise?

― the kid is crying because did sharks died? (Hurting 2), Sunday, 26 July 2009 13:17 (sixteen years ago)

A Woman Is A Woman maybe? Or Masculin Feminin Both chatty but charming. Judging from you're "tiresome asshole" comment, you should avoid the newer stuff (by that I mean post-, oh say, '67 or so) like the plague.

― The Wild Shirtless Lyrics of Mark Farner (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 27 July 2009 21:30 (sixteen years ago)

Embrace his assholish tiresomeness and take in Weekend.

― sir-mounter (Eric H.), Monday, 27 July 2009 21:33 (sixteen years ago)

Weekend or Sympathy for the Devil

― free jazz and mumia (sarahel), Monday, 27 July 2009 21:37 (sixteen years ago)

Pierrot Le Fou, A Woman Is A Woman seconded. Anna Karina's face in full colour is incentive enough for me to watch any amount of tiresom assmilinery.

― ❊❁❄❆❇❃✴❈plaxico❈✴❃❇❆❄❁❊ (I know, right?), Monday, 27 July 2009 21:40 (sixteen years ago)

the new Criterion of 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her has nice supps and the film is a bit more intellectually uncertain AND heartfelt(?) than the Maoist stuff that followed hard upon.

― Indiana Morbs and the Curse of the Ivy League Chorister (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 4 August 2009 23:39 (sixteen years ago)

swap out "uncertain" for "inquisitive"

― Indiana Morbs and the Curse of the Ivy League Chorister (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 4 August 2009 23:39 (sixteen years ago)

I think Contempt is the only Godard I've really enjoyed but I haven't seen much. I've seen Breathless a couple times and I don't think it's anything great. Maybe for its time, but not now.

― sandwiches, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:49 (sixteen years ago)

Breathless is possibly my favorite movie and is only really challenged by Band of Outsiders.

― BIG HOOS's wacky crack variety hour (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:53 (sixteen years ago)

the absurdist political stuff like Weekend and Sympathy for the Devil, and Alphaville are the Godard films I really like. His films like Band of Outsiders - I think are just okay, and the latter stuff that's more heavy on the agitprop aren't as interesting.

― free jazz and mumia (sarahel), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 22:59 (sixteen years ago)

I really really really wanted to like Alphaville but it just didn't do it for me for some reason. Then again I watched a b- print of a torrent on my computer monitor vs. all the other Godards I've seen on screen or in Criterion prints. idk

― BIG HOOS's wacky crack variety hour (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 23:56 (sixteen years ago)

I didn't like Alphaville as much as I wanted to.

― free jazz and mumia (sarahel), Wednesday, 5 August 2009 23:57 (sixteen years ago)

one month passes...

I just came back from a screening of Week End and liked it better than the first time around. forgot about the fish thing, and actually much of the sex in general.

interestingly enough I watched Pierrot le fou yesterday, which was also quite good - I may even like it better than Week End.

― power, corruption & plies (dyao), Sunday, 4 October 2009 13:03 (sixteen years ago)

That's coz it's great. Like, really great.

Alphaville is (if you're sarahel, look away now!) one of the 10 best movies I've ever seen. Please watch it.

― kell surprise (country matters), Sunday, 4 October 2009 18:53 (sixteen years ago)

I said I really liked it, just not as much as I wanted to/thought I would. I probably should watch it again.

― somewhere a poll is missing its wacky write-in vote (sarahel), Sunday, 4 October 2009 20:19 (sixteen years ago)

i've forgotten the fish thing. is it related to the rape scene?

christ, im working on a thing about haneke. art-house audiences really, really hate themselves, don't they?

― history mayne, Sunday, 4 October 2009 20:24 (sixteen years ago)

Sarah, I also meant the whole 'one of the best 10/20' thing I have going which you keep calling me on :P

― kell surprise (country matters), Sunday, 4 October 2009 20:29 (sixteen years ago)

oh yeah! ha! thanks for reminding me?

― somewhere a poll is missing its wacky write-in vote (sarahel), Sunday, 4 October 2009 20:30 (sixteen years ago)

rape scene = the passing hitchhiker going down into the ditch? the fish scene happens near the end, with the cannibals, and I just kept on thinking that somewhere, there's probably a woman who makes her boyfriend wear a trout mask replica when he's going down on her.

― power, corruption & plies (dyao), Monday, 5 October 2009 02:08 (sixteen years ago)

the one line that stuck with me w/r/t all the shocking! in your face! deviance! was the line that went something like "we need new horrors to erase/overcome the horrors of living as bourgeoisie" - JLG anticipating 40 years of pop culture

― power, corruption & plies (dyao), Monday, 5 October 2009 02:09 (sixteen years ago)

or just anticipating Haneke.

I was skimming a book on JLG and it reminded me how nutty his role in King Lear is.

― A Patch on Blazing Saddles (Dr Morbius), Monday, 5 October 2009 02:36 (sixteen years ago)

"Are you making a play for my daughter"?

― Ward Fowler, Monday, 5 October 2009 14:15 (sixteen years ago)

I've been rescreening (at a slow pace) Godard's classic era films in reverse order. Pierrot is next in line. I wasn't so hot on Weekend the first time around, but man o man I just love it now. Kinda like a more misanthropic version of one of Bunuel's late 60s-early 70s ensemble films. I've long enjoyed that interview w/Raoul Coutard on the Weekend dvd where he admits that most of the outrageous stuff in the film was put there to piss off the producers, whose relationship w/Godard soured during preproduction. "What a rotten film. All we meet are crazy people."

I've also warmed up to Made In The USA, although it's more Karina's triumph than JLG's. La chinoise is a nice artifact, plus Juliet Berto:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3012/2292272375_43700b2ced.jpg

― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 00:36 (sixteen years ago)

I saw Made in USA recently and it is kinda uneven; it really strikes me as a very transitional film

― somewhere a poll is missing its wacky write-in vote (sarahel), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 00:39 (sixteen years ago)

Berto has a nice scene in 2 or 3 Things

― A Patch on Blazing Saddles (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 00:44 (sixteen years ago)

IIRC, that was her first movie.

― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 02:46 (sixteen years ago)

five years pass...

I watched a couple of Godard movies over the week - "Passion" from 1982 which I enjoyed despite some baffling choices on his part (sound out of sync and other wilful weirdness). I finally got around to seeing "Band Of Outsiders" which I really liked too. It has an odd mix of hopeful adolescent energy and good ol French fatalism/despair to it.

― tayto fan (Michael B), Friday, 13 February 2015 00:41 (ten years ago)

(sound out of sync and other wilful weirdness)

Normal for JLG.

I will finally catch Goodbye to Language this weekend.

― xyzzzz__, Friday, 13 February 2015 09:42 (ten years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.