Seriously, I must've seen dozens of French New Wave films from all the main directors, but so far none of them stayed for so long with me as "Les Bonne Femmes".
I only saw it ONCE in an old VHS tape and it was a completely surreal experience.
I don't really like Chabrol's career in its entirety, but this is quite possibly one of the 3 best Nouvelle Vague films ever made, in my opinion.
Help me out with a list of must-see French New Wave films and directors? I'd be much obliged for anyone's recommendations, as well as any comments on the typical themes and/or styles of so-called FNW. I'm kind of new to the genre, but an eager student.
I think I can begin the list myself:
1. Hiroshima Mon Amour - Alain Resnais : I've heard this is the arguable beginning of FNW, is that true?
three of my favorites are
masculin feminin, godard
elevator to the gallows, malle
and
shoot the piano player, truffaut
hope you enjoy.
[deleted]
excellent list!
You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday.
Les Liaisons Dangereuses- Vadim
Les Quatre Cents Coup- Truffaut
Alphaville- Godard
I can't watch films like Alphaville or Vivre sa Vie anymore without anna katrina blue-balling me. ;)
shareMy favourites are Les 400 coups by Truffaut
Clèo de 5 á 7 by Varda
A Bout de Souffle by Godard
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition
To define the "French New Wave" isn't that easy, as many authors are considered either part of the movement or members of a parallel one/precursors/contemporaries etc..
Anyway, as far as Chabrol is concerned, I would also recommend "Les Godelureaux", where Bernadette plays another haywire of a character. For every author I would recommend the most "New Wavish" titles (meaning more alternative, unique and experimental). Some of Chabrol's best thrillers ("Le Boucher", "The Unfaithful Wife", "Juste avant la nuit") are also considered Nouvelle Vague, but they're more like Hitchcock/Lang homages and, although dissimilar from French mystery movies from the previous era, aren't quite as revolutionary to be really called New Wave as far as I'm concerned. I think the definition should realy apply to "Les Bonnes Femmes", "Les god.", "Le Beau Serge" (now officially considered the film that kick-started the movement) and "Les Cousins". I really like the first two, the other two not so much.
As for the other gentlemen, here we go: (I have to remove the accents, sorry)
GODARD
Pierrot le Fou
A bout de souffle
Bande a part
Le Mepris
Masculin Feminin
Made in U.S.A.
Une femme est une femme
Alphaville is quite different. It's another installment of Lemmy Caution's adventures (although, grantedly, the most authorial one) and is more like a sci-fi story with and Orwellian touch. Like I said, I'm going to list only the titles I consider more "New Wavish", not all the titles that are worth checking in the resumes of the directors most associated with the movement. It would take too much time.
RIVETTE
Paris Nous Appartient
L'Amour Fou
Out 1
Duelle- Une Quarantine
Noroit
Celine et Julie vont en bateau
Rivette (who started the New Wave according to Truffaut) and Godard are arguably the most radical and extreme ones. These titles certainly make a case for Rivette as one of the most New Wavish authors, although he's also a master of literary adaptations. "La Religieuse", "La Belle Noiseuse" and "Don't Touch the Axe" are masterpieces of a different kind.
TRUFFAUT
Les 400 coups
Tirez sur le pianiste
Jules et Jim
Fahrenheit 451
These are the most innovative, although not necessarily my faves in his glorious resume.
RESNAIS
Hiroshima, Mon Amour
Last Year in Marienbad
Muriel ou le temps d'un retour
Some consider him Nouvelle Vague, others see him as part of a twin movement. For me "Marienbad" is the greatest child of the French New Wave and "Hiroshima" isn't far behind.
EUSTACHE
La maman et la putain
His legacy is mostly associated to this movie, but wow.. just wow.
VARDA
La pointe-courte
Cleo de 5 a 7
Now, she doesn't want to be considered Nouvelle Vague, but a precursor. But, as far as I'm concerned, "La pointe-courte" and not "Le Beau Serge" is the first New Wave film and it also aged much better.
There's also Demy: "Lola" is probably his most New Wavish title, although it's so poorly acted that I never really got into it. Some consider Melville part of the movement, others see him more pertinently as a godfather figure to it. There's also Franju, but his work as a director of shorts also point at him as a precursor. And he's different anyway: more like a master of the fantastic element.
And finally, there's Rohmer: he's one of my faves, but I'm not sure if his style cam really be ascribed to the purest Nouvelle Vague. Anyway, I love "Ma Nuit chez Maud" et "Le Signe du Lion" from his early period.
Some consider the King of Banality, Claude Lelouch, a New Wave author. I don't.
I think this is one of the best Chabrols. I agree that his resume is of uneven quality (although I believe it's quite natural when you do 55 movies), but his good movies are really good IMO.
Bernadette Lafont and the tragic actress Clotilde Joano really shine in this. Nobody could play these rather slutty/vulgar roles as well as Bernadette. And Clotilde is so delicate, touching, poetic. Why did they leave us (in Clotilde's case so early)?
I think the only thing I would have cut from the movie is the redundant subplot where Ginette tries to become a singer, but I suppose Chabrol had to give his girlfriend something to do. Poor Audran. She's never been a good actress, but in these early movies, she's so clumsy that she almost inspires tenderness. Her total lack of comedic timing in the night club sequence is unbelievable. Pathetic. And her tearful breakdown in front on the mirror? I've rarely seen another actress who's as hopeless at crying as she is. Or at laughing anyway. Or at playing drunk. It's a long list.