MovieChat Forums > Jules et Jim (1962) Discussion > Influence in modern films?

Influence in modern films?

posted 14 years ago by Nikaroo
5 replies | jump to latest

I'm doing a presentation at university about Truffaut's films and La Nouvelle Vague. I was wondering if anyone knew of any recent French films that have been obviously influenced by his style of films.

Entre les murs and La haine stick out a bit for me with the improvised dialogue/realism etc, but can anyone think of any other films?

If you can help thanks so much!

Pete: Fellas, don't drink that coffee! You'd never guess. There was a fish... in the percolator!

[–] filmluvr81 14 years ago

if it's JUST Truffaut's films I am not sure...but The Dreamers takes a lot from French New Wave I believe...

[–] flask 10 years ago

Stylistically in terms of cinematography and editing, one can discern the undeniable influence of François Truffaut's "Jules et Jim" upon Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain" (2001). It is odd that few IMDB posters have discussed the influence of Truffaut's "Jules et Jim" on Jeunet. The two films are remarkably similar in [cinematic] tone.

[–] aliza_tvito 10 years ago

I think the only similarity there is a voice of narrator. The feel-good and overly-entertaining "Amelie" can't be compared with "Jules and Jim" in any respect.

Listen to your enemy, for God is talking

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] flask 10 years ago

I think the only similarity there is a voice of narrator. The feel-good and overly-entertaining "Amelie" can't be compared with "Jules and Jim" in any respect.

I didn't mean emotional tone of the plot. Obviously, the plot of Amélie is cheery while Jules et Jim is grim. I meant cinematic "tone" in terms of the visual style, direction, editing, and cinematography: The energetic mise-en-scène of the film. As film critic Roger Ebert wrote in his review of Jules et Jim:

There is joy in the film-making that feels fresh today and felt audacious at the time. In the energy pulsing from the screen you can see the style and sensibility [...]

Now, Jean-Pierre Jeunet stated in several interviews that Amélie is his stylistic remake of Jules et Jim. For this reason, Jeunet's film has an early scene where Amélie happily watches Jules et Jim at the cinema. It is one of many overt hints by Jeunet to the audience about his directorial intentions. He, like Truffaut, is pursuing that sense of "joy in film-making."

The British Film Institute's Sight & Sound magazine published a lengthy essay comparing the two films: The cinematography, the editing, the directorial approach, etc., are intentionally similar. Amélie is Jeune's personal ode to French New Wave; in particular, for his own inspirational love of Truffaut's Jules et Jim.

As Roger Ebert further noted, Jules et Jim was "the most influential and arguably the best of those first astonishing films that broke with the past" and ushered in French New Wave. In a sense, Jules et Jim was the battle-cry for French New Wave. Watch the first ten minutes of Jules et Jim and then watch the first ten minutes of Amélie. Cinematically, the tonal similarities are undeniable.

There are many, many other reviewers/critics who address this subject:

http://sarcastig.blogspot.com/2007/09/top-50-5-jules-et-jim.html
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-jules-and-jim-1961
http://2013infilm.tumblr.com/post/46420859181/film-jules-et-jim-direct or-francois-truffaut
http://www.movieinsider.com/archive/4429/#.Uo6oz975M2c