Weekly Journal - Breathless

Introduction

Breathless (A(`) bout de souffle) is a French film in 1960. This film is directed by Jean-Luc Godard. In this film, the theory of French New Wave has adapted to. French New wave was started in 1959 and ended in 1969. In 1951, Andre Bazin and Jacques Donial Valcroze was found Cashierd Du Cinema.  There was a group of writers who are Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard for this magazine.  However, there are two principles held at Cahiers du Cinema which are rejected montage aesthetics, favoring mise-en-scene and personal authorship. This principle means the film not only be a rational experience but also should include emotional and psychological experiences. The second principle means the film should be a medium personal artistic expression.

Theory Discussion

There are two criteria in French New Wave which are economic and aesthetics. The film of the French New Wave is an independent and low budget. In the aesthetic aspect, this kind of films rejects film traditions. The filmmakers prefer jump cuts, shooting in a natural location, use directs sound and natural lighting, handheld camera, shooting in long takes and improvised plot and dialogue. There are several techniques of filming had been used by filmmakers. For example, the filmmakers prefer shooting in natural locations. Furthermore, the filmmakers do not use additional light, they prefer to use natural lighting in order to create a sharp contrast between black and white. In addition, the filmmakers prefer handheld camera. Besides, there also have several techniques of editing. For example, the editors prefer to use jump cuts and discontinuity of shot. The editors also prefer shoots the long take scene. The filmmakers prefer to use direct sound.

Synopsis

This film, Breathless, is talking about the main character, Michel is a person who is cynicism. He stole a car in Marseille and shoot a policeman who has chase after him on the country road. After he ran from the policeman, he meets an American girl, Patricia. She is a student and journalist. She sells the New York Herald Tribune on the street of Paris. Michel tells Patricia will bring her to Italy but the truth is Michel needs to escape. Patricia tell Michel she is pregnant and the child is Michel. However, Michel does not show how happy he is. Patricia realizes that Michel is escaped from the police. She betrays Michel. She reports to the police but she also informs to Michel. Michel does not want to escape. Lastly, Michel is shot by the policeman.

Analysis

In French New Wave, the filmmakers like to break the rule of continuity editing but prefer to use discontinuity editing. This technique had reminded the audience they are watching a film. Furthermore, in this film, Breathless, had applied jump cuts techniques. For example, when Patricia was talking to Michel, she held a mirror. However, the next second had changed to another view. Patricia didn’t hold the mirror.

Next, the film also had applied the technique of location shooting. Location shooting is defined as shoot the scene in a natural location. For instance, Michel drove the car on the high way. The high way was being natural location.

Besides, direct sound and available light had been used in the film. Direct sound means the filmmakers didn’t correct or remixing the sound. For example, when Patricia and Michel were having a conversation, the audience can hear the alarm of the ambulance which passed by the apartment. Next, the filmmakers didn’t use additional lighting for the film. For instance, Michel chased after a person. He took the lift. In the lift was very dark but filmmakers didn’t use additional lighting for the scene.

While Patricia and Michel were walking on the street, the scene had been shot by a handheld camera. The camera did not have stabilized and the camera was shifted while shooting.

Long take technique had been used in the film. Long take means the filmmakers shoot a scene within a period. The last scene, after Michel was shot, he ran along on the street. The scene is considered as long take scene. Besides, the scene of Patricia and Michel were talking on the street is considered as long take. Furthermore, the scene of Patricia and Michel were quarreling also considered as long takes.

Conclusion

As a conclusion, after I have learnt about the theory of French New Wave, I realize that there have a lot of techniques used in the film. I have learnt about the principle of Cahiers du Cinema, the characteristics of French New Wave and so on. Besides, the scene that had shot can make me know what’s the mean of jump cuts, location shooting, direct sound and available light, handheld cameras, long takes and improvised plot and dialogue. The scenes can give me the ideas like how the filmmakers applied to the films.

Reference

Film Studies: Film Movements ( French New Wave). Vle.du.ac.in. Retrieved from http://vle.du.ac.in/mod/book/view.php?id=8579&chapterid=11475

Fairnie. French New Wave. Slideshare.net. Retrieved  from https://www.slideshare.net/sfa454545/french-new-wave