The French New Wave: La Nouvelle Vague
Please read the article on the French New Wave. Please watch and comment on the following clips/films regarding French cinema (due Monday). Feel free to use any of these ideas for your own short film projects.
The French have greatly influenced the invention and continuation of film and the film industry. From the Lumiere Brothers, George Melies, and the Pathe Frere company, French culture impacted the progression of the film industry. Compared to Hollywood films, French films are known for their slower pace, their character development, and, of course, the occasional bout of surrealism.
Some critics account that Modern Film theory was born in France. The film makers Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, and Andre Bazin, Robert Bresson made films that would be termed the French New Wave. The French New Wave influenced American cinema through the 1960's and beyond.
Godard: Breathless (1960)
Truffaut: The 400 Blows trailer (1959), 400 Blows - Scene.
Robert Bresson's Lancelot du Lac (1974) - the poster for this film is hanging in the Little Theatre. It is parodied in Monty Python & the Holy Grail.
Eric Rohmer: L'Amour l'apres-midi
Jacques Rivette - Out 1 (film introduction); Interview with Jacques Rivette
In the 1990's the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet thrilled audiences with their surreal and magical-realistic styles.
Delicatessen (1991)
The City of Lost Children
Amelie & A Very Long Engagement both starring Audrey Tautou
For those interested: Here's a clip of a very freaky animated sci-fi film by French animator and film maker: Rene Laloux (a personal favorite).
Fantastic Planet (1973) You can watch the entire film from the sidebar on Youtube.com if enthralled.
A Note About The Cannes Film Festival.
Every year Cannes holds a film festival--considered to be the best and well regarded throughout the world. The festival began in 1946, the first great international cultural event of the post-war period. The Festival started as a non-profit organization, and became "state-approved" in 1972.
It has taken place every year - with the exception of 1948 and 1950 - first in the month of September, then in May as of 1952. It began with a few dozen projections but today draws more than 10,000 buyers and sellers from around the world. The festival enables numerous countries to support their producers and film industry.
The French have greatly influenced the invention and continuation of film and the film industry. From the Lumiere Brothers, George Melies, and the Pathe Frere company, French culture impacted the progression of the film industry. Compared to Hollywood films, French films are known for their slower pace, their character development, and, of course, the occasional bout of surrealism.
Some critics account that Modern Film theory was born in France. The film makers Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, and Andre Bazin, Robert Bresson made films that would be termed the French New Wave. The French New Wave influenced American cinema through the 1960's and beyond.
Godard: Breathless (1960)
Truffaut: The 400 Blows trailer (1959), 400 Blows - Scene.
Robert Bresson's Lancelot du Lac (1974) - the poster for this film is hanging in the Little Theatre. It is parodied in Monty Python & the Holy Grail.
Eric Rohmer: L'Amour l'apres-midi
Jacques Rivette - Out 1 (film introduction); Interview with Jacques Rivette
In the 1990's the films of Jean-Pierre Jeunet thrilled audiences with their surreal and magical-realistic styles.
Delicatessen (1991)
The City of Lost Children
Amelie & A Very Long Engagement both starring Audrey Tautou
For those interested: Here's a clip of a very freaky animated sci-fi film by French animator and film maker: Rene Laloux (a personal favorite).
Fantastic Planet (1973) You can watch the entire film from the sidebar on Youtube.com if enthralled.
A Note About The Cannes Film Festival.
Every year Cannes holds a film festival--considered to be the best and well regarded throughout the world. The festival began in 1946, the first great international cultural event of the post-war period. The Festival started as a non-profit organization, and became "state-approved" in 1972.
It has taken place every year - with the exception of 1948 and 1950 - first in the month of September, then in May as of 1952. It began with a few dozen projections but today draws more than 10,000 buyers and sellers from around the world. The festival enables numerous countries to support their producers and film industry.
Comments
Also, the magical realism clips from the 90s were intriguing. They were definitely a bit strange. Delicatessen was especially odd, with the couple on the bouncing bed and all the knives being sharpened.
I guess I never really think about foreign cinema being any different than American cinema, but by watching these clips, I can definitely see how the French films differ from American films.