Ordinarily, I spend Saturdays devoted to works of anime and science-fiction, but this week I thought the time right to announce an idea that’s been slowly germinating among a handful of us Wonders writers in the wake of Sam’s summary dismissal of Film Socialisme, the latest film by French New Wave maestro Jean-Luc Godard, as well as the majority of his filmography in general. Though for the most part we couldn’t share less in common, James Uhler and I are united in our enthusiastic support of the director’s entire career, from his more mainstream works in the 60’s with Jean-Pierre Belmundo, Brigette Bardot and the ravishing Anna Karina; to his progressively more abstract and Marxist movies like Week-End and the efforts of the Dziga Vertov group; to his classical, yet experimental films of the 80’s and beyond, especially modern essentials like Histoire(s) du Cinema. We’re not the only ones, either– fellow anime-devotee and Lucas die-hard Stephen Russell-Gebbett is also a confirmed Godardaholic, enough to make various images from Film Socialisme banners for his website, while everyone’s favorite MovieMan, Joel Bocko, has often proclaimed his love of the director’s early period, and curiosity in all that came afterward.
Now, with so many members of the film-critic community and blogosphere turning on the notorious filmmaker like overgrown fanboys throwing zombie-like riots in a comic-book convention, the time couldn’t be better to launch a full-fledged effort to cover the whole of his cinematic output, from his most celebrated features to the obscurest of shorts. Though I’m certain that we’ll be able to cover the majority, if not the whole, of his oeuvre between myself, James and the rest of the Wonders members of Team Godard (we ought to be printing up t-shirts), I’m putting out an open call to anyone out there who would like to participate in this project. The more hands the merrier, even if we wind up with several takes on the same films (especially so, even). We won’t rest until we get every one of his films catalogued with a review, be it essay-length or capsule. For those interested, here’s a handy-dandy list of his works by decade, courtesy of the always reliable folks at wikipedia.
Anybody who wishes to participate, just let us know and we’ll mark you for contact info (which I think is a prerequisite to comment). We’ll coordinate a group mail for all interested, and get to work on this like a diabetic whistle– toot-sweet.
Click on names for archives
Writers/Founders
This is truly remarkable and ESSENTIAL.
I’d gone on a Godard marathon myself some years ago (31 days, 31 films: http://theseventhart.info/tag/for-ever-godard/). Sadly, I don’t think I can make it this time. Ed the awesome Howard has an astounding archive himself.
All the best, Bob and James!
I beg you spare us such metaphors as “like overgrown fanboys throwing zombie-like riots in a comic-book convention”. A “zombie-like riot” is decidedly an oxymoron, the two likes sound like (sic) a metaphor in a metaphor, and I believe a riot would occur ‘at’ not ‘in’ a convention. Or is it – in supplication to GODard – ‘Navajo English’? [Though Obama’s ‘Mission Geronimo’ was the bigger insult.] As for “comic-book fan-boys”, surely the shoe is on the other foot…
Troll Score: 6/10. Would of been 7 or 7.5 but you failed to use your trademark “Hubris” and your comment here is really calling for its use. Don’t worry though, you’ll have other opportunities when the Godard proceedings begin.
I do wish I could join in the celebration, and like Tony I do find that metaphor rather condescending. Still, I applaud you for your tenacity and hope you can bring together your legions. I would hope to think that the previous thread was more comprehensive than a “summary dismissal,” and that a number of others (Bobby J., Allan, Dennis, Maurizio, Tony, Jon and some others) ably conveyed what has long been problematic with Godard’s work. Of course others like the remarkable Ed Howard, Movie Man, Stephen, Drew, JAFB, Anu (not to mention Jamie and yourself) have held up the Godard flag impressively.
While I remained alienated by Godard’s cinema I virtually embrace the whole of French cinema, and welcome discussion of the work of such luminaries as Bresson, Renoir, Gance, Ophuls, Rohmer, Truffaut, Rivette, Autant-Lara, Chabrol, Denis, Demy, Melville, Assayas, Audiard, Clement, Clair, Cocteau, Resnais, Vigo, Despletchin, Epstein, Duvuvier, Eustache, Feuillade, Franju, Feyder, Guitry, Gremillon, Malle, Marker, Ozon, Tati, Techine, Pagnol, Tourneur, Varda and others at some point in time.
Interesting that Joel has been moved into the pro Godard camp. Like me (and Allan I think) he seems to have more appreciation for the Weekend and before stuff than what came after. While I am no Godard cheerleader, I do find a handful of those early works to be worthy of high praise.
you also (like a few others in the thread) don’t like FILME SOCIALISM on the strange grounds of not actually seeing it.
It seems almost every time I meet someone who says they think a movie is really bad, odds are they haven’t actually seen it.
being an extreme cinema fan Bob, I understand. Comes with the territory.
I have never said anything bad about Filme Socialism. Any negative comments I write towards latter Godard are always about post Weekend films I have seen. Find where I criticize Socialism specifically. When Sam blasted that movie in particular, I was sympathizing with my similar sentiment from other Godard works which I have viewed after 1980.
What troll score should I give you?
Is it post-Weekend (1967) or post-1980 you object to? Either way I can’t imagine it’s more then 4 out of 40-some films.
I wouldn’t inject myself into these now extremely tired discussions if it was only 4 of 40 films lol. I don’t object to latter Godard (as an artist he should follow whatever impulses he chooses), I just don’t find them particularly interesting.
Sam, you can join in. this needn’t necessarily be a ‘celebration’, just a marathon of his films over a specific period of time at this site. Perhaps you can pick a feature of his that you’ve never seen and write a review, or watch and review a film of his that you’ve have seen and like, and do a review.
Oh, and damnit, get Dennis to do one!
I meant to add that you can do a review, that might be critical, or in the negative. Hopefully a few others have seen it, and can chime in then below it!
Aye, Jamie I hear ya there. Thanks for the invite, and I will certainly see what I can up with, whether it’s a positive piece on one of the Godards I do like, or a less fattering one on one of the films I rejected.
Is this Bob?
I don’t mind people not liking something I like but if I can think how to shed light on what I think makes Godard an excellent film-maker then I’ll be happy to do so. Maybe I will try to get Godard to make a short film entitled “Letter to Sam”.
I appreciate the last line here – a pun of Godardian brilliance/terribleness. I may as well throw in my old Godard tribute video here : http://checkingonmysausages.blogspot.com/2010/09/in-praise-of-godard-short-film.html
Godard’s letter to Sam would begin “dear Castro…”
I don’t mind contributing my pieces on Une Femme Mariée, Numero Deux or Sauve qui peut… as they didn’t feature in any countdown.
Sure. All are welcome. “Sauve qui peut” is one I think Jamie and I will be writing up as well (I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen at Film Forum, which was a good break because I can’t even find it for a decent price in R2), but multiple takes on the films, especially lesser seen ones, is a great thing to have.
How many other pieces do you have written up that didn’t feature in the countdowns, Fish?
There’s Vivre sa Vie, I think, anmd Deux ou Trois Choses que je sais d’elle. But I think the others were covered in the countdown. Maybe Weekend wasn’t as I don’t think it made the 1960s top 50.
That many new Godard pieces from you would be cool, Fish, and much appreciated. But I was also speaking in general about all the other written, but hitherto unposted pieces.
The Godards that qualify for the book are the only ones I have pieces on.,
A Bout de Souffle; Vivre sa Vie; Le Mépris; Une Femme Mariée; Pierrot le Fou; Deux ou Trois Choses que je sais d’elle; Week-End; Numéro Deux; Sauve qui peut…
Of these A Bout de Souffle, Le Mépris, Pierrot le Fou have been posted.
I don’t rate Masculin Feminin, Bande à Part, La Chinoise and Alphaville quite as highly as some do.
All the new ones sound good.
But I think we’re still at a misunderstanding. Other than the Godards, how many other movies would you say you’ve written up for the book, but haven’t posted due to their lower rankings? I assume some of these have probably found their way on the site in the Obscuro or Contemporary series, but I’m curious.
The book has just under 1,600 entries and I reckon I have posted around 600 on the site. The rest are either TV works that didn’t qualify for countdowns, films not quite good enough or those discovered after the countdowns were posted, some even after the 3,000 was posted. Films are being added all the time, though dependent on their alphabetical position. Nothing in A-B can now be added as those have gone through to Jamie for formatting. Then when I send C-F to him those letters are locked down. Then G-K, L-M, N-R, S-T and U-Z. But that process will take around 18 months I reckon.
Superb idea!!!
Bob,
I suppose it should be “Tous les Godard(s)”. It depends on what the ‘tous’ refers to of course but, whether it’s his films or the different sides of Godard, it would be ‘tous’.
I think it depends more on my shit understanding of French.
Haha! Well, that’s why subtitles were invented (remembers Film Socialisme)…
Sounds like a much-needed project, Bob. I’m hoping to learn, by being urged by the accounts to visit or revisit Godard films, if there is some kind of cogent lyricism to his filmic dryness which we clearly see lifting rock and animation to serious heights. As part of my upcoming summertime excursions—posing a film with massive dilemma content alongside a film the edginess of which is more casual and socially playable— I’m going to try to account for the strong impact of Breathless, in an orbit with Billy Wilder’s The Apartment.
I just obtained and watched BRITISH SOUNDS (1969/70). Wow. I call ‘dibs’ on this one certainly.
I figured you’d be the best bet for the DV/Tranaitional periods. I call the 1980’s, though.
that’s great, though maybe some of the areas we don’t hit as hard we can offer capsule reviews where applicable, or just save them for the threads. because, for example, I like much of his 80’s work that I’ve seen (EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF might be my personal favorite film of his I’ve seen), and I’ll be seeing more for this countdown and revisiting others.
Sounds like a good idea. It’s become unfortunately very fashionable to knock Godard these days, to dismiss him as irrelevant or damn him with the faint praise of saying his early work was good. I think his whole career is fascinating, and he’s done more than almost any other filmmaker to push at the boundaries of cinema. Even his relatively minor works can yield some amazing images and ideas.
I’ve written a lot about Godard in the past, mostly the post-60s films, but I’ll be happy to participate if I can, maybe by writing up one or two films I haven’t covered already.
The more input we can get on his post-60’s stuff the better, especially if it’s in his DV/transitional phases. Even if you’ve already written something before on a film, fresh shorter pieces or capsule reviews would be appreciated.