Wednesday, April 14, 2010
What's New About the New Wave?
French New wave auteurs like Godard envisioned their films as a radical re-visoning of the static filmmaking of the French studio system. What experimental ideas or techniques did you notice in Pierrot le Fou (could you explain in some detail)? How do these experiments change the way we enjoy a film? Are they engaged or annoying? Do they bring meaning to the film? Do they make fun of the whole idea of bringing meaning to film?
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There were a lot of experimental techniques used in Pierrot Le Fou, but several really jumped out at me, and those were, the whole “this is not a pipe” surrealism idea and the style of shots that were used. I found it very funny when Ferdinand and Marianne were riding in the stolen Ford Galaxie and Ferdinand says he is talking to the audience. I had never seen anything like that in a movie before, and it was truly a reminder that I was watching a movie, just like the director had hoped. The styles of shots in the movie were very unusual and radical, and two shots stand out in particular for me. The first shot is when Ferdinand and Marianne are dancing through the forest singing the song about her fate line. Godard uses a tracking shot here, and it really makes the scene special and entertaining. The second shot is at the very end of the movie when it shows Ferdinand blowing himself up, and it shows a faraway shot looking at the cliff where he met his death. The shot is unusual, and had to be taken from a helicopter, and adds to the effect of the explosion and shows how huge it really was. The experimental techniques Godard used in this movie made it special, and even though it was very unusual, was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.
ReplyDeletePierrot le Fou experiments with quite a few film techniques that definitely alter the viewing experience. In the dinner party scene the use of color filters, satirical conversations and juxtapostions are combined to create a different movie experience. first there is the use of color filters. Instead of black and white or color that mimics real life, tints of red, blue, green, etc are used. The tints are used as a sort of mood setter. This intensifies the already darker lighting that comes with a dinner/ cocktail party. On top of the varied colors thoughout the scene is satrical conversation. The film completely mocks everyday advertising and everyday conversations. there are umerous times in conversations between friends that one or the other is speaking of the new products theyve just tried. Pierrot le Fou doesnt just make fun of film, but also the consumerism of life. also there are juxaposition in the fiml that are just hilarous. the best would definitely have to be the half nude woman talking about the lack of modesty in todays world. Everything about this film is a mockery of life, which is a very different and light hearted that was not nearly as prevalent before.
ReplyDeletePierrot le Fou used different film techniques that I have never seen before in a film. The one that caught my attention the most was the cuts of the film and the way the music transformed the mood and scene from the jump cuts. The scene where Ferdinand was on the dock watching Marianne go off in a boat leaving him, and out of no where this man on the dock starts talking to him and rambling on about this music he is hearing. At this moment the music is playing loud and clear for the viewer to hear, but when the man asked Ferdinand if he could hear it also, the music stops, almost as if the viewers were Ferdinand in his situation. Other times when music overtook the scene was when Marianne and Ferdinand were walking and singing (about Marianne's fate hand) in the woods. The music plays on and off which sets the musical theme as Marianne sings to Ferdinand. I think the film technique of using the music to create the scene itself and set a mood is really interesting.
ReplyDeleteBecause most of the innovations have already been addressed, ill just focus in on one. I especially liked the impressive camera work in this film. Godard definitely seemed as if he was willing to experiment with different angles and techniques and it shows. In some scenes, the characters are only shown at the very bottom of the shot as they cross a landscape. What was also immediately noticeable were the length and complexity of some shots. In one, Ferdinand and Marianne romp through the forest for what seems like 30 seconds, literally jumping off trees and singing, all in one shot. The fact that Godard was able to capture the entirety of this scene in one shot itself is impressive. Next, in one of the most interesting shots of the film, Ferdinand goes bowling. The camera tracks the ball and Ferdinand bowls and stays on it as it is sent back to the protagonist who had sat down. The length and cleverness of this shot was only amplified by the fact that Godard had Ferdinand change his position in real time and outside of the scope of the camera. These shots only add to the absurd and whimsy nature of the film and represent a groundbreaking step in cinematography.
ReplyDeletePostmodernism is an essential part of Godard’s Pierrot Le Fou. The entire film is a postmodernist experiment. One of the moments where postmodernist influences shine through most clearly is when both protagonists turn around and speak directly to the camera. This is a very important element of postmodernist film. The characters within the film are acknowledging that they are in a film. They are reminding the audience that they are acting and are not real. This is a reflection on the medium itself. The art itself is reminding you that it is only art. This is a key element of postmodernism. Postmodernist theory maintains that art can only reveal things about itself and cannot explain any deeper universal truths about society or the world at large. The postmodernist influences are also clearly demonstrated by the party scene. This scene mocks traditional culture. In particular, the color filters employed in this scene betray the postmodernist influence. They move the film further from reality and closer to a “reality” that is to be mocked. The dialogue during this scene further adds to the mockery. The characters recite advertisements for products in a dull, robotic way. In a way that is characteristic of this type of film they critique the materialist society around them. The casual mockery that is created is also a quality of the postmodernist movement because it shows that the film is lacking seriousness and that art should not truly be taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteFrench New Wave to me is a technique of film directing that is unexpected and usually does not make since to the audience at first. The directors get his done by using a specific editing technique called Jump Cut. Jump Cuts join mismatched cuts and put them in a sequence that has nearly no continuity and often leaves you scratching your head. One of my favorite scenes in Pierrot le Fou was in the beginning of the film when Ferdinand and his wife went to a party and the director jump between each conversation people were having. Each scene had different people and a different color light shining on the people. The conversations were sporadic and mostly absurdly random. Jump cuts are almost never used in Hollywood movies because they are more predictable and less confusing. Jump cuts are something that I personally am not a huge fan of because like i ahve have said it is pretty confusing the first time you watch the film but it is certainly something new about "French New Wave".
ReplyDeleteThe French New Wave movement brought about many changes and new techniques to the film industry. As can be seen in Pierrot le Fou, the classic method of making the viewer believe the film is real was disregarded and Godard made it blatantly obvious that the film was nothing more than a movie, not reality. For example, after Ferdinand and his ex-girlfriend steal the car, they make an obvious reference to the audience. This action reinforces the film is nothing more than something to entertain people and present new ideas. In my opinion, the French New Wave concept of making a film nothing more than a film has many merits; this concept "levels" the film and takes away that somewhat contrived image of many films, its nothing more than a movie. It may take away from the meaning of the film, but overall it creates a more realistic and relaxed viewing experience. To some extent it even mocks the idea of bringing significant meaning to a film, instead a New Wave film reinforces the entertainment and abnormal / unrealistic values that film can achieve.
ReplyDeletePierrot le Fou is essentially a montage of every defining characteristic of French New Wave cinema. These include unconventional editing (lots of jump cuts), concept-driven dialogue, breaking the fourth wall (or otherwise acknowledging the existence of an audience), and on-location filming, to name a few. The film jumps around from scene to scene, providing little context for its dramatic shifts in setting, which was and still is very odd for a major film. The dialogue is highly unconventional as well, as in several scenes characters are seen spouting more one-liners and random thoughts than regular conversation. The best example of this odd scripting is the party scene, where all the partygoers speak as if they are delivering sales pitches. In several pars of the film, the characters acknowledge the audience’s existence, most notably when Ferdinand and Marianne are in the car talking to each other and he makes reference to the viewers. This is very strange for a movie, especially in the middle of two characters’ conversation. Where most cases of breaking the fourth wall function as narration, the characters in this film actually treat the audience as if they are present in the movie. The film was also shot in various locations in France due to its low budget, giving it an authentic, natural feel, and providing a very wide array of landscapes to shoot against, from city streets to beaches to empty fields. I think that from an intellectual standpoint, these techniques are incredibly engaging, but for the casual viewer who doesn’t know what to expect, they may be too strange to get past in order to enjoy the film. They are critical in conveying the director’s vision for the film, especially in this case, as Pierrot le Fou deals so much with ideas. Though at times it does seem like they are making a joke out of forcing meaning into cinema, Jean-Luc Godard definitely uses this to convey his own ideas as well.
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