You can pick up hundreds of DVD's for a buck each - it doesn't matter. Its never about quantity, its about quality. A-Z is my way of going through my collection, from A-Z, and justifying why I own the films...
#18 - Bande à part
Why did I buy it?
Keen to understand my French New-Wave, I decided to purchase Bande à part as it was, additionally, the name of Tarantino's production company - so it must be pretty good to have his stamp of approval. Additionally, Bande à part seems to garner much love from the critics in Sight and Sound.
Keen to understand my French New-Wave, I decided to purchase Bande à part as it was, additionally, the name of Tarantino's production company - so it must be pretty good to have his stamp of approval. Additionally, Bande à part seems to garner much love from the critics in Sight and Sound.
Why do I still own it?
I watched it a few years ago and can vividly remember the dance (the picture selected above is from that very dance). Upon re-watching the clip, I was transfixed - the voiceover commenting whilst the music cuts away whilst all you can hear behind the narration are the feet tapping the ground in unison, before the music begins again and the narration continues. I still cannot be Mr. French New Wave - I have yet to see any Truffaut and, of Godard's back catalogue, I have only seen Bande à part and À bout de souffle - aka Band of Outsiders and Breathless. Whatever the case, there really is something hypnotic about the air of cool these films seem to emit - the cigarettes dangling from the mouth, the casual and smooth dances and the deep, male voiceovers - memorable and, inevitably perhaps, it began a revolution...
Remember - you can always email The Simon and Jo Film Show directly using this email: simonandjoshow@gmail.com
A great DVD to own. You can't go wrong with early Godard, but after 1970 it all becomes watch at your own risk. However, I'd so go back farther than the Frenc New Wave and catch up with Meville. If you think Godard is hip, wait to you catch Melville.
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