Jean-Luc Godard Dead at 91

[RainbowTown]

That's quite a scattergun of opinions. I'm not surprised he was lukewarm towards Hitchcock, nor that he liked Truffaut and loved Tarkovsky, but I'm a little surprised that he liked Fellini. I've never got on with Fellini's self-conscious artifice. Not very Bergmanesque imo. I know Persona has a lot of artifice to it, but it's in the service of making a serious point.

I am an absolute Bergman nut and equally love the films of Fellini, too. I think the difference between the two is that Bergman approach to filmmaking is that of craftsman and Fellini's that of a showman. Bergman is far more cerebral and spiritual, and Fellini more joyous and life affirming. Both compliment one another wonderfully I think, and I totally get why they were admirers of one another.

I've watched some of Tarkovsky's movies and though sometimes hard going for me, they really are quite beautiful visually. At times breathtaking and pretty ethereal.

 

[ska invita]

I am an absolute Bergman nut and equally love the films of Fellini, too. I think the difference between the two is that Bergman approach to filmmaking is that of craftsman and Fellini's that of a showman. Bergman is far more cerebral and spiritual, and Fellini more joyous and life affirming. Both compliment one another wonderfully I think, and I totally get why they were admirers of one another.

I've watched some of Tarkovsky's movies and though sometimes hard going for me, they really are quite beautiful visually. At times breathtaking and pretty ethereal.

totally agree
and Godard?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I'm a huge Bergman fan. Fellini bores me. I think I'm just a miserable fucker. Misery likes company.

 

[SysOut]

Humble bragging

Is that a misunderstanding of

JLG would like this thread: one about anyone but himself.

??

I meant the humour of seeing a thread becoming a thread about any other continental directors except him.
"Citizen Kane", by Orson Welles, was praised, for a time, as the greaterst film ever made. That's absurd, of course. And Welles could see that.
And it goes back to the question of - great film or great director etc.

In my memory, JLG was never referred to a "great" director - controversial, fun, raising issues etc. yes.

There is also the matter of whether a director is also the author as well..

 

[littlebabyjesus]

totally agree
and Godard?

I've only seen about three Godard films, I think. Stylish and enjoyable but kind of unmemorable. They don't have the kind of power to them that, say, Truffaut's 400 Blows has. I've only seen that film once and it's stuck right with me. Godard's films not so much.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Is that a misunderstanding of

No, sorry, I was going off on a tangent re Bergman etc declaring the greatest ever.

 

[belboid]

There is also the matter of whether a director is also the author as well..

A question that would never have been asked if not for Godard and his comrades at Cahiers.

I may watch Vivre Sa Vie again tonight. I haven’t seen it in years and it’s his absolute masterpiece (maybe).

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Last time I thought about Godard was about a month ago, when I showed pictures of him to a friend as an example of how it is possible to remain stylish when you're going bald without shaving all your hair off.

/shallow

 

[RainbowTown]

totally agree
and Godard?

Breathless, Weekend and Contempt I really enjoyed, especially the first. I've watched a few of his other movies and I'm left with mixed feelings really. Technically, he is a brilliant filmmaker, innovative and challenging. However, I find his discourse into the political, radical and polemic to be, on occasions, tiresome and arduous. Not always, of course, but on occasions. I suppose he's a director I admire rather than love. Though his influence upon subsequent filmmakers can't be underestimated. A real curate's egg I suppose.

 

[furluxor]

I loved Godard as a teenager but it was sort of de rigueur in my friendship group. He was arty and had lots of style.

Years later, I could still see the 'arty and lots of style' quality in his movies but realised that they do absolutely nothing for me on a psychological level. His men are too cool for school and his women are whimsical. It's all very fashion but without (at least discernable to me) a naked, honest or real moment per film. But then, that's only from where I'm standing. Different strokes

 

[ska invita]

His men are too cool for school and his women are whimsical. It's all very fashion but without (at least discernable to me) a naked, honest or real moment per film.

exactly my impression too

 

[DJWrongspeed]

Weekend and Contempt were great films, but for me Breathless remains my favourite. Belmondo and Seberg and 60's Paris captured in all it's black and white glory. RIP.

My thought as well, it felt so contemporary when I first saw it, brought real people to the cinema.

 

[Reno]

I don’t pay attention to superlatives, what’s less easy to dismiss is that there are filmmakers like Godard who had a huge influence on cinema. The whole of the New Hollywood of the late 60s and 70s would probably be unthinkable without him.

 

[Idris2002]

I see from separate sources that he was struggling financially, and died by euthanasia.

And that's why I'm completely opposed to so-called "assisted dying."

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I don’t pay attention to superlatives, what’s less easy to dismiss is that there are filmmakers like Godard who had a huge influence on cinema. The whole of the New Hollywood of the late 60s and 70s would probably be unthinkable without him.

Not an entirely good thing. It means Easy Rider got made.

/Possibly one for the unpopular opinions thread.

 

[ska invita]

Not an entirely good thing. It means Easy Rider got made.

/Possibly one for the unpopular opinions thread.

whats wrong with Easy RIder?

 

[Reno]

Not an entirely good thing. It means Easy Rider got made.

/Possibly one for the unpopular opinions thread.

Neither would Bonnie and Clyde, which unlike Easy Rider was the movie to kick off New Hollywood to be directly influenced by Godard. So many great films would not have existed without Godard but it’s not compulsory to love every single one of them. I wouldn’t dismiss all of rock music either because U2 and The Eagles.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Fair point. I was being facetious really.

 

[Idris2002]

Easy Rider is best thought of as a good bad movie, like the Cassandra Crossing or Kelly's Heroes.

 

[Idris2002]

In terms of the influence he had look at the 1970 Le Carré adaptation, The Looking glass war. There are sequences that are definitely "Godard for normal people."

 

[Sweet FA]

From an fb group:

AJ Barratt took this picture of him below for the NME. He posted the following this morning on FB "And so, farewell Jean-Luc Godard, legend of cinema, and pioneer of French New Wave film. I took this photograph in 1985, when he was in London to promote the film Hail Mary. The PR said he was a little grumpy, as he’d sprained his ankle the day before, and spoke little English. On my way in I’d noticed the office foyer was fairly picturesque, and asked if he’d mind standing in the stairwell. This was translated, and although slightly put out, he limped through the door. On observing the globe light fitting, he turned around, grinned, and said, ‘Aagh, La Lune!’. I later found out that one of the films themes was...’Marie coming to terms with Gods plan through mediations that are sometimes angry and usually punctuated by elemental images of the sun, moon, clouds, flowers and water’. Serendipity."

 

[Idris2002]

 

[petee]

I watched Breathless again recently, or tried to, I couldn't finish it.