This weeks screening was on Jean-Luc Godard’s One plus one (1968). The film itself is hard one to catorgorize but I shall deal with that aspect later on. The film aims to show the process of how a song is made, it takes an entire thought and manufactoring process and mediates it. It is shot in the style of a documentory which is typical of Godard and the French New wave film makers. The Rolling Stones’ are the featured band so the whole thing would have been all quite cosmopolitian. It is not the easiest thing to watch although we were told there were two different edit; one more commercially viable and the other the directors own complete aesthetic. I am not aware which one I was watching as I found it very difficult to watch. The constant cut aways to other scenes reflecting what was occuring in the main linear narrative; I imagine the semiotics were there but they completely eluded me in some cases.
Godard is typical of his situation really. He moved to Paris from his Swiss comfort and thus was exposed to an array of new excitement. I think this is an important affect that he is able to put in his films; often the subject matter is alien or the protagonist is a foreigner. He is with the audience as a spectator looking in, through the eyes of a voyeur. I say Vvoyeur as most of his films are shot with th Bill Nichols-esque type of realism:
- Expository
- Observational
- Interactive
- reflexive
The films take a quite naturalistic documentary format. I believe Godard plays into Cashiers aesthetic somewhat, “The director’s role (new Wave) was to manipulate conventions and formulas to place their personal and artistic stamp on film.” This could be translated to read as viewing the world through Godard tinged glasses. The aesthetic is a familiar one yet somehow the affect is one of an alien nature. What I find odd is that, even with the Italien neo-realists, one could create realism; surely an oxymoronic statement.
Godard was a result of the culture he was quickly educated in. he started as a film critic and thus was able to look back on past masterpieces to create his own work. He was also educated in a way that all his references were of merit. He was learning around the time of the “art et esaai” revival it would seem that Paris was “a somewhat unorthadox standpiont.” I feel this to be reflected in his work. If i was asked about the relevance of Godard’s work I would answer, it had its place. He was a creation of the culture he adorded and the avant-garde work he produced stands today as it helpped shape the films/aesthetics of todays cinema. His most recent film would probably account for his lack of touch although if one gave a modern audience one plus one they might think it too post modern. His films are very difficult but have both political and artistic benefit/merit. He plays with hot issues such as the black panther movement. Godard was at the forefront for a time yet culture will always react and thus change even against itself.
rolloaiscott 