The French New Wave History and Influences

Overview Group of French film critics who became filmmakers themselves Group of French film critics who became filmmakers themselves Disdained formulaic French films of the 1940s and 1950s Disdained formulaic French films of the 1940s and 1950s Forged a new cinema that broke all the rules ( ) Forged a new cinema that broke all the rules ( ) Developed a style that continues to influence films today Developed a style that continues to influence films today

Cahiers du Cinema French film magazine, edited by Andre Bazin French film magazine, edited by Andre Bazin Most of the New Wave filmmakers began as critics, writing for Cahiers du Cinema Most of the New Wave filmmakers began as critics, writing for Cahiers du Cinema Francois Truffaut (400 Blows) Francois Truffaut (400 Blows) Jean-Luc Godard (Breathless) Jean-Luc Godard (Breathless) Jacques Rivette (Paris Belongs to Us) Jacques Rivette (Paris Belongs to Us) Claude Chabrol (Le Beau Serge) Claude Chabrol (Le Beau Serge) Eric Rohmer (Sign of Leo) Eric Rohmer (Sign of Leo)

Jean-Luc Godard Eric Rohmer Andre Bazin Francois Truffaut Claude Chabrol Jacques Rivette Agnes Varda

Socio-cultural Context: France, 1950s and 60s Europe still recovering from World War II Europe still recovering from World War II Still rebuilding infrastructure Still rebuilding infrastructure Financially insecure Financially insecure French film industry fell back on traditional narrative forms French film industry fell back on traditional narrative forms Cahiers critics inspired by other artistic and intellectual movements, such as Italian Neo- Realism and French Existentialism to rebel against these traditions Cahiers critics inspired by other artistic and intellectual movements, such as Italian Neo- Realism and French Existentialism to rebel against these traditions

Thematic Conventions of the French New Wave Influence of Italian Neo-Realism Set among the poor and working class Set among the poor and working class Long takes (very few edits) Long takes (very few edits) Location shooting in poor neighborhoods and in the countryside Location shooting in poor neighborhoods and in the countryside Amateur actors, often featuring children Amateur actors, often featuring children Mundane scenes of everyday activities Mundane scenes of everyday activities Defeat, poverty, desperation Defeat, poverty, desperation

French New Wave films deal with the ordinary and the commonplace French New Wave films deal with the ordinary and the commonplace Most favor Parisian streets and cafes for their mise-en- scene Most favor Parisian streets and cafes for their mise-en- scene Characters are often down- and-out Characters are often down- and-out Children often featured Children often featured More Conventions of the French New Wave

Influence of Existentialism “Existence precedes essence” “Existence precedes essence” Your existence as a thinking, feeling individual is more important than the essence of what society has labelled you through social roles and stereotypes Your existence as a thinking, feeling individual is more important than the essence of what society has labelled you through social roles and stereotypes Individuals define their own values and life paths Individuals define their own values and life paths Jean Paul Sartre

French New Wave protagonists… French New Wave protagonists… Are rebels, loners, and outcasts Are rebels, loners, and outcasts Have tenuous family ties Have tenuous family ties Behave spontaneously Behave spontaneously Act “immorally” Act “immorally” Are anti-authoritarian Are anti-authoritarian

More Than Just Subject Matter Deliberately conscious of making films that commented on the making of films Deliberately conscious of making films that commented on the making of films Films constantly remind viewers that they are watching a film Films constantly remind viewers that they are watching a film Films use technical and stylistic innovations to refashion an audience’s sense of what it means to go to the cinema Films use technical and stylistic innovations to refashion an audience’s sense of what it means to go to the cinema

Visual Conventions of the French New Wave These films deliberately break long-held editing conventions, notably... These films deliberately break long-held editing conventions, notably... Jump cuts as opposed to shot/reverse shot Jump cuts as opposed to shot/reverse shot Disregard of the 180 degree rule Disregard of the 180 degree rule Insertion of extraneous, non-diegetic clips Insertion of extraneous, non-diegetic clips Long takes Long takes Real-time Real-time

Amateurs and Improvisers Frequent use of non-professionals Frequent use of non-professionals Spectators on set often wander into the shot Spectators on set often wander into the shot Actors encouraged to improvise lines Actors encouraged to improvise lines Lines of dialogue overlap and sometimes become unintelligible Lines of dialogue overlap and sometimes become unintelligible Attempt to get at an authentic picture of life as it is lived Attempt to get at an authentic picture of life as it is lived

Grounded in Popular Culture Characters reference popular entertainers of their time period Characters reference popular entertainers of their time period Jeal-Paul Belmondo as Humphrey Bogart in A Bout de Souffle Jeal-Paul Belmondo as Humphrey Bogart in A Bout de Souffle Homages to Hollywood auteurs, such as Hitchcock Homages to Hollywood auteurs, such as Hitchcock Jazz music, popular in Paris at the time, featured often in film scores Jazz music, popular in Paris at the time, featured often in film scores Miles Davis Alfred Hitchcock Belmondo as Bogart

Lasting Impact New Wave brutal storytelling in Mike Nichol’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) New Wave brutal storytelling in Mike Nichol’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) New Wave cinematic grammar in Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde (1967) New Wave cinematic grammar in Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde (1967) “New Hollywood” directors all claim inspiration from French New Wave: Altman, Coppola, De Palma, Polanksi, and Scorsese “New Hollywood” directors all claim inspiration from French New Wave: Altman, Coppola, De Palma, Polanksi, and Scorsese