2 posts tagged “film”

The French New Wave [La Nouvelle Vague] gets talked about more than any other film movement in the history of film. Frankly, it sometimes seems a bit overhyped. Yet there is no doubt that it's influence on film is significant. What I find remarkable, though, is the staying power of not only the films like Breathess, The 400 Blows and Hiroshima mon amour [as well as many others] but the staying power of the major directors of the movement as well.
Six of them started making films in the late 1950's early 1960's and are still making films today. There is no other country [much less film movement] I can think of that has this many great filmmakers still making films after almost 60 years in the business.

The directors are:

Claude Chabrol
Born: 1930
First Feature Film: Le Beau Serge [1958] 
# of Films - Over 60
Best Film [opinion]: This Man Must Die [1969]
Most Recent Film - The Girl Cut in Two [2007]

Jean-Luc Godard
Born: 1930
First Feature Film: Breathless [1960] 
# of Films - Over 60
Best Film [opinion]: Week-End [1967]
Most Recent Film - Notre Musique [2004]

Alain Resnais
Born: 1922
First Feature Film: Hiroshima mon amour [1959] 
# of Films - About 20
Best Film [opinion]: Hiroshima mon amour [1959]
Most Recent Film - Private Fears in Public Places [2007]

Jacques Rivette
Born: 1928
First Film: Paris Belongs to Us [1960] 
# of Films - About 30
Best Film [opinion]: La belle noiseuse [1991]
Most Recent Film - The Duchess of Langeais [2007]

Eric Rohmer
Born: 1920
First Film: The Sign of Leo [1959] 
# of Films - Over 40
Best Film [opinion]: My Night at Mauds [1969]
Most Recent Film - Romance of Astree and Celadon [2007]

Agnes Varda
Born: 1928
First Film: LaPointe Courte [1956] 
# of Films - About 40
Best Film [opinion]: La Bonheur [1965]
Most Recent Film - Quelques veuves de Noirmourtier [2006]

I saw eight programs at Telluride this year.
I'm Not There - A film in which many actors portray Bob Dylan at various times in his career. Really original idea and a film that has an experimental concept but one that wears out its welcome after a while. The music is great and any Bob Dylan fan will want to see it.

Persepolis - Animated feature based on the best selling graphic novel about a young middle class Iranian girl growing up in post revolution Iran. Pretty good film if not a bit underwhelming.

Secret Sunshine - This Korean film has a lot to say about the human condition. A woman loses her husband and then later her son. She attempts to deal with the tragedy by becoming a born again Christian but it is merely a small band-aid for such a large wound. She must learn to deal with the tragedy and her life on her own terms. Very well acted and engaging if not tough to watch at times.

Blind Mountain - Young woman is kidnapped and forced to live as a wife in a peasant community in China. No hope for escape she tries again and again. The film's basic message is that everyone lives in a prison under the thumb of some authority somewhere. Especially in China where the corruption is so bad that even law abiding citizens cannot escape.

The Band's Visit - Really enjoyable Israeli film about an Egyptian marching band that ends up in the wrong town in the middle of nowhere. They stay the night and befriend some of the locals. At the center is a lonely woman who takes a liking to the band leader and later to one of the band members. The deadpan humor and funny situations are very much in the vain of Jim Jarmusch and Aki Kaurismaki.

 
Steep - A ski documentary about skiers who have pushed the envelope on skiing the steep and deep. Good but unremarkable.

A silent film:
People on Sunday

And then some Vitaphone short films from the late 20's early 30's hosted by Leonard Maltin