Welcome to my world of film and art. Please enjoy my film articles and use them to study about film and add them to your movie watching list to enjoy. You will find articles on film history, different genres of film and a few film related articles on the arts.
Although there was never a formally organized movement, these filmmakers of the late 1950's and 1960's were linked by their rejection of the literary period pieces being made in France written by novelists which was the stats quo.
The film makers believed that the director was the author of his movies. Each filmmaker left characteristics of individual style from film to film.
Just like today, these were independent film makers and they usually had a low budget. For instance, they would use grocery carts for their moving scenes and home made props for different effects of light and sound. They were intelligent and innovative. They used the hand-held cameras and this free style to their advantage.
Although they were breaking the rules, this group knew the rules to begin with. They had studied Alfred Hitchock, John Ford, and legendary French director, Jean Renoir (Godard and Truffaut considered him a master film maker.) He was from the 1930's known for "The Grand Illusion and "Rules of the Game". Truffaut would ask himself, "What would Renoir Do?"
Francois Truffaut was one of the pioneers of the French New Wave. His ground breaking films were "Jules and Jim" and "The 400 Blows".
Truffaut was friends with Jean Luc Godard another pioneer of this time period.
Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker who shows the study and application of French New Wave techniques. He openly speaks of Godard and the influence he has had on the movie industry and in his own movies. It can be said that "Pulp Fiction" was made in tribute to Godard films. Tarantino even named his production company "A Band Apart" after the Godard Film of a similar name.
Above photo are actors Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg in the movie "Breathless" the following poster.
The New Wave exploded in 1959 with the release of 3 films - Truffaut's (400 Blows), Alain Renais' (Hiroshima), and (Beathless) by Godard. (photo above is Godard with umbrella).
Roger Ebert said, " When you begin to get into his universe, when you've seen a lot of Godard, you find yourself liking him more and more. One day something clicks, and Godard comes together. And then, perhaps, you decide that is he is not the greatest living director his is certainly the most audacious, the most experimental, the one who understands best how movies work. (from his review on "Pierrot Le Fou")
Renais was of an older generation however his style and influence on the New Wave was apparent in (Hiroshima) which won the International Critics Award at Cannes Film Festival 1959. Truffaut was also awarded the Best Director for (400 Blows).
Their Style. . .
New Wave film makers often used hand held cameras and New Wave saw the invention of the "jump cut." This is when a scene is cut forward in time, whether by a split second or many seconds. Godard used the "jump cut" often. For example, in "Breathless" when a character shoots someone all the viewer sees is a gun being pointed, then there is a character falling over.
"Elevator to The Gallows" was directed by Louis Malle and featured Jeanne Moreau, who was very famous at the time. I recommend this film!
Louis Marie Malle, (30 October 1932 - 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He was well known both in French cinema and Hollywood producing films in both French and English languages.
He won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1957 but they presented the award at the ceremony to the film's co-director Jacques Cousteau. He was nominated later in his career multiple times for Academy Awards. He won the"Golden Lion" multiple times.
His most famous films include the crime film "Ascenseur pour l'echafaud (1958), the World War II drama Lucien (1974) a romantic crime film "Atlantic City" (1980), the comedy drama "My Dinner with Andre" (1981) and the autobiographical film "Au revoir les enfants (1987).
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The New Wave exploded in 1959 with the release of 3 films - Truffaut's (400 Blows), Alain Renais' (Hiroshima), and (Beathless) by Godard. (photo above is Godard with umbrella).
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