Rate Robert Bresson's Films




Please rate his films you've seen (out of 10, or 4-star system, or 'from best to worst'), post/add your comments, recommendations, etc. Thanks for your participation.

Filmography (features only):

L'argent (1983) 10/10
Le diable probablement (The Devil Probably, 1977)
Lancelot du Lac (Lancelot of the Lake, 1974) 8/10
Quatre nuits d'un rêveur (Four Nights of a Dreamer, 1971)
Une femme douce (A Gentle Woman, 1969) 8/10
Mouchette (1967) 9/10
Au hasard Balthazar (1966) 10/10
Procès de Jeanne d'Arc (The Trial of Joan of Arc, 1962) 8/10
Pickpocket (1959) 9/10
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (A Man Escaped, 1956) 8/10
Journal d'un curé de campagne (Diary of a Country Priest, 1951) 10/10
Les dames du Bois de Boulogne (The Ladies of the Bois de Boulogne, 1945) 8/10
Les anges du péché (Angels of the Streets, 1943)



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Hum.. not a fan..

Au hasard Balthazar (1966) 4/10
Pickpocket (1959) 6/10
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (A Man Escaped, 1956) 6/10

maybe, these 3 are the Best French Films Ever made (for some).. should i rate higher? I don't think so

1930-2010 http://www.imdb.com/user/ur2475289/lists

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maybe, these 3 are the Best French Films Ever made (for some).. should i rate higher? I don't think so
Well, to each their own. The good thing is that if this thread gets any more replies it'll be from hardcore Bresson fans who give each film an 11/10; so, hopefully, we'll have a variety of opinions .





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One fine day I'll try to see more, but Balthazar (not the donkey, the 'models') just about killed any desire to sit through something similar again ...


Une femme douce (A Gentle Woman, 1969) - 8/10
Mouchette (1967) - 8/10
Au hasard Balthazar (1966) - 7.5/10
Procès de Jeanne d'Arc (The Trial of Joan of Arc, 1962) - 8/10
Pickpocket (1959) - 9/10
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (A Man Escaped, 1956) - 8/10
Journal d'un curé de campagne (Diary of a Country Priest, 1951) - 7/10
Les dames du Bois de Boulogne (The Ladies of the Bois de Boulogne, 1945) - 7/10

Bonus (a short):
Les affaires publiques (Public Affairs, 1934, sh) - 7/10

vivaLuis

http://imdb.com/title/tt0053967/board/thread/97124879

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[deleted]

1-L'Argent 10/10
2-Lancelot of the Lake 10/10
3-Au Hasard Balthasar 10/10
4-Mouchette 10/10
5-The Devil Probably 10/10
6-Four Nights of a Dreamer 10/10
7-Trial of Joan of Arc 10/10
8-A Man Escaped10/10
9-Pickpocket 9/10
10-Diary of a Country Priest 9/10
11-Les dames du Bois de Boulogne 7/10

Les dames du Bois de Boulogne and Four Nights of a Dreamer are the only films of his that I have watched only once. The rest I've seen two or three times. I think his style is the most difficult to fully grasp. Even more so than likes of Godard, Akerma, Jarman and Zulawski. I think they need multiple viewings but after you get into them they become so amazing. Its not that its difficult to follow his films on first viewing its just that I appreciate his style more on multiple viewings whilst with some other directors I like their style less after a revisit.

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Thank you for your participation.

I think his style is the most difficult to fully grasp. Even more so than likes of Godard, Akerma, Jarman and Zulawski. I think they need multiple viewings but after you get into them they become so amazing. Its not that its difficult to follow his films on first viewing its just that I appreciate his style more on multiple viewings whilst with some other directors I like their style less after a revisit.
Well said.



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Ranked list
also available here: http://mubi.com/lists/6278

1. Au Hasard Balthazar
2. Procès de Jeanne d’Arc
3. Mouchette
4. Pickpocket
5. Quatre nuits d’un rêveur /Four Nights of a Dreamer
6. Une Femme Douce/A Gentle Woman
7. Diary of a Country Priest
8. Les affaires publiques
9. Les anges du péché
10. Les dames du Bois de Boulogne
11. Un condamné à mort s’est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut/A Man Escaped

12. Lancelot D’Lac
13. L’Argent/Money
14. Le Diable probablement/The Devil Probably

Note: one of my favorites. I like most of his films, except for his later works.

http://www.cinemabecomesher.com/
http://themovielovers.forumcircle.com/

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One of my fave directors. Out of four stars:

****
Au hasard Balthazar (1966)
Journal d'un curé de campagne (Diary of a Country Priest, 1951)
Quatre nuits d'un rêveur (Four Nights of a Dreamer, 1971)
Mouchette (1967)
L'argent (1983)
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (A Man Escaped, 1956)
Une femme douce (A Gentle Woman, 1969)
Pickpocket (1959)

***½
Procès de Jeanne d'Arc (The Trial of Joan of Arc, 1962)
Lancelot du Lac (Lancelot of the Lake, 1974)
Les dames du Bois de Boulogne (1945)
Le diable probablement (The Devil Probably, 1977)

**½
Les anges du péché (1943)

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I'm not the biggest fan, but I've also read his book "Notes on the Cinematographer".

L'argent (1983) -N/S
Le diable probablement (The Devil Probably, 1977)- N/S
Lancelot du Lac (Lancelot of the Lake, 1974) - N/S
Quatre nuits d'un rêveur (Four Nights of a Dreamer, 1971)- N/S
Une femme douce (A Gentle Woman, 1969)- N/S

Mouchette (1967) 8/10
--I agree with your assessment. I found this film very moving.

Au hasard Balthazar (1966) 4/10
I found it dull and the story extremely disjointed. Theoretically a donkey is the lead character, but the focus shifts to various humans.

Procès de Jeanne d'Arc (The Trial of Joan of Arc, 1962) 7/10
--A decent version Joan of Arc's final days.

Pickpocket (1959) 9/10
--I also really enjoyed this. It has Bresson's austere style, but also has an interesting story and main character.

Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (A Man Escaped, 1956) 9/10
--My favorite Bresson film. It was an exciting escape film without any of the BS. Beautifully made. I loved the use of music.

Journal d'un curé de campagne (Diary of a Country Priest, 1951) -N/S
Les dames du Bois de Boulogne (The Ladies of the Bois de Boulogne, 1945) -N/S
Les anges du péché (Angels of the Streets, 1943) -N/S

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[deleted]

I have come late to the party, but at long last I am finding my way. Robert Bresson is one of the directors I have discovered who stirs something intangible deep inside me. As some here have noted, perhaps he is not everyone's "cup of tea", but our different tastes make the world go round. I am looking forward to seeing all I can from him. So far . . .

I watched a documentary made in 2005 called "The Models of Pickpocket". The filmmmaker interviews the three main players of the film after tracking them down and there is a discussion of Bresson's use of non-professional actors in his films and his propensity for doing dozens of takes. I understand his philosphy although I don't completely agree with it. I can also understand why the "naturalness" he strives for seems almost too "natural" to some, an almost forced "naturalness".

Lancelot du lac (Lancelot of the Lake, 1974) 7/10

Mouchette (1967) 9/10

Au hasard Balthazar (Au Hasard Balthazar, 1966) 9/10

Pickpocket (1959) 8/10

Journal d'un cure de campagne (Diary of a Country Priest, 1951) 10/10

Les dames du Bois de Boulogne (1945) 8/10


"Can I ask a dumb question?"
"Better than anyone I know!"

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