Sorry! I did not remember Godard on his birthday
He is considered one of the top ten film directors in the world. He explored the frontiers of cinema throughout his creative life. He forced not only the other great film-makers, but also common people like us, to think about film-making. He created a peculiarly simple style of telling people about contemporary issues. He was Jean-Luc Godard (3rd December 1930 - 13th September 2022).I completely forgot to watch any of his films on his birthday this year. I had been astonished when I heard the news of his death last year. I didn't even know that he survived till September 2022, because he had become creatively silent for last many years.
So, today I have decided that I will write about the great French director, Jean-Luc Godard, the pioneer of French New Wave movement.
The significant characteristic of Godard's films is his innovative style of storytelling. He challenged traditional narrative structure. Godard experimented with fragmented storylines and ambiguous endings. This approach is evident in films like "Breathless" (1960) and "Contempt" (1963), This fragmented style demands active attention and engagement from the audience.
Godard's use of jump cuts is another distinctive element of his filmmaking style. Jump cuts involve the abrupt transition between shots that are visually jarring but create a rhythm within the film. This technique was groundbreaking in the sixties and seventies.
However, I must tell the fans of Akira Kurosawa and/or Satyajit Ray that Godard's films go in a totally different direction and Kurosawa-Ray fans may be initially disappointed by his films. Godard's greatness can be understood only after watching his film a number of times.
Members of ISC may start enjoying Godard's film by watching "Breathless".