OK, a bit about the first two:
Les 400 coups.
I love this film. It must have come like a breath of fresh air at the time. Obviously low budget, with hand held shots, the natural ease of the little boy's (Antoine) acting combined with the seemingly improvised nature of both the acting and the editing together aid in depicting the reality of life in Paris for the working class at the time. But for all its documentary-like ethos, it is still crafted art. It is still self-consciously cinema. There are cameos from New Wave directors and actors (Truffault himself, Jacques Demy, and Jeanne Moreau). They go to the cinema to see Rivette's
Paris Nous Appartient. There are references to the literature Truffault loved. There are jokes and witty digs from the director.
It's an enthralling celebration of youthful irresponsibility and freedom, juxtaposed against the institutional and societal constrictions - family, school, poverty, health, the apparatus of the state - that infringe upon childhood innocence and exploration.
A great place to start.
Jules et Jim
Another Truffault masterpiece. At first glance very different in feel. This one isn't contemporary, but historical. It's a costume drama, of all things! But still, the themes, the concerns, and the techniques of New Wave story telling are all there. There are little vignettes and episodes that are there seemingly just for their own charm, and Truffault continually plays with the art form. (In one scene he tells us that he knows we know it's a costume drama by having the characters try on dressing up costumes).
Full of iconic scenes and moments. Another favourite.
Some more recommendations:
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg -
Les parapluies de Cherbourg (1964) - IMDb
Alphaville -
Alphaville, une étrange aventure de Lemmy Caution (1965) - IMDb
Tirez Sur le Piantiste -
Shoot the Pianist (1960) - IMDb
Hiroshima Mon Amour -
Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) - IMDb
Orpheu Negro -
Black Orpheus (1959) - IMDb
