Jacques Rivette

[justeleblanc]

Who here was able to make it to the December screenings? Were the bathroom breaks in between the different episodes?

[jguitar]

Each episode is around 90 minutes long, so yes, there are breaks in between. Furthermore, the episodes are set up as relatively self-contained units. In Vancouver, they did it a couple of different ways: one screening broke it up into 4 episodes one day, 4 the next. The second screening had two episodes one day and 6 the next. There were small breaks in between the first and second and third and fourth episodes, for instance, and a long dinner break in between the second and third episodes. Of course, there's always the chance of a sadistic programmer screening the entire thing without a break, but I would imagine something along the lines of what I've described will happen.

[justeleblanc]

Good to know. I was planning on calling the theater and asking if they had any Luis Bunuel dinner seats available, but it looks like I wont need to.

[Ted Todorov]

Yes there were generous breaks between episodes, including dinner breaks & food boxes from Amy's bread which you could pre-order. There is also a diner across the street (The Cup) which I didn't try.

All that said, considering Out 1 was made for TV in the first place, this is something that SCREAMS for a DVD release. 12.5 hours over two days was overwhelming.

[justeleblanc]

I'm assuming I can also bring home-made sandwiches in as well? Or do they do bag checks?

[Ted Todorov]

They do bag checks, but you can take your checked in bag out during a break and take out your sandwich.

[justeleblanc]

They do bag checks, but you can take your checked in bag out during a break and take out your sandwich.

Not so terrible.

[Barmy]

Ironically, MoMI is screening Out 1 the same weekend Anthology is showing Satantango. I'm going to Out 1 (again).

[justeleblanc]

Does anyone know if L'Amour Fou was ever released on any type of home video format in any country? Does anyone know if the 4 hour version of Va Savoir was ever released as well?

Secondly, the article in Senses of Cinema (typically a good starting point for exploring new directors) makes a statement that Rivette's films made in between Celine & Julie and Gang of Four are minor works. Judging from the comments on this site, that statement is probably a point of contention. I will eventually see all of his films at some point, but are there any made during that period that I should try to track down immediately?

[fred]

Does anyone know if L'Amour Fou was ever released on any type of home video format in any country?

I'm fairly certain not.

Does anyone know if the 4 hour version of Va Savoir was ever released as well?

It screened theatrically at one theatre in Paris for a week (?). There has long been a rumour that Cahiers du cinéma would put out both versions in their "Deux films de" line, but it has yet to materialize.

Secondly, the article in Senses of Cinema (typically a good starting point for exploring new directors) makes a statement that Rivette's films made in between Celine & Julie and Gang of Four are minor works. Judging from the comments on this site, that statement is probably a point of contention. I will eventually see all of his films at some point, but are there any made during that period that I should try to track down immediately?

This is preposterous. Duelle and Noroit are striking and totally unique works and Le Pont du Nord and Hurlevent are towering masterpieces. All four are certainly better than Gang of Four, and I would argue even than Céline and Julie.

New Yorkers (and others) may be interested to know that Alliance française is screening Le Pont du Nord on March 27th as part of this amazing series. Hopefully they'll show the glorious 35mm restoration rather than the ratty misformatted 16mm print that AMMI screened.

[justeleblanc]

Thanks fred! The article did seem curious, and almost misinformed.

Va Savoir would be interesting to see in the full version. It honestly didn't do much for me when I first saw it (though it was my first Rivette) but I remember there being a fair amount of holes.

Tis a shame about L'Amour Fou. Is it that Rivette never wanted it released on home video (similar to Out 1) or is it just a matter of availability?

[Ovader]

Cinematheque Ontario will have the JACQUES RIVETTE: BABEL AND THE VOID retrospect over their winter season.

[justeleblanc]

Cinematheque Ontario will have the JACQUES RIVETTE: BABEL AND THE VOID retrospect over their winter season.

I'm loving the Rivette love-fest at all these festivals!

By the way.... Out 1

[fred]

Thanks fred! The article did seem curious, and almost misinformed.

I haven't read it in ages and I'm disinclined to revisit it at the moment, but to be "fair", the films between Céline and Julie and Gang of Four were for many years all but impossible to see. Jonathan Rosenbaum, who has been Rivette's most visible champion in the English language, has been fairly dismissive of all the post-Duelle/Noroit films, and especially the ones prior to Gang of Four. Lacking vocal advocates it's no wonder the films have been consigned to oblivion for so long.

Tis a shame about L'Amour Fou. Is it that Rivette never wanted it released on home video (similar to Out 1) or is it just a matter of availability?

I don't think Rivette ever enjoined home video release of Out 1; it came out on VHS in France in the 90s.

I think overall it's more a question of longstanding abject commercial disinterest in Rivette's films (apart from Céline and Julie). Obviously that's beginning to change a (very) little. One enthusiastic viewer at the AMMI screening of L'Amour fou exclaimed during the q&a: "This man is a genius! Why aren't all his films available?" Indeed.

[justeleblanc]

I think overall it's more a question of longstanding abject commercial disinterest in Rivette's films (apart from Céline and Julie). Obviously that's beginning to change a (very) little. One enthusiastic viewer at the AMMI screening of L'Amour fou exclaimed during the q&a: "This man is a genius! Why aren't all his films available?" Indeed.

I guess you're right. Criterion would have lept at the opportunity to release one of his films had there been quality prints available -- regardless of whether or not it would sell. But of course, I guess quality prints don't exist if there's no demand for them. Though surely with this influx of Rivette festivals across the continent (and I'm guessing this doesn't happen too often), one can no longer say there is a commercial disinterest.

On another note, are the shorter versions of his films worth seeing once you've seen the longer versions? That's a vague statement, and of course they are probably worth seeing, but should they be a high priority?

[mikeohhh]

justeleblanc, L'amour Fouis coming to DC on 1/27!

[justeleblanc]

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit: I've calmed down. Looks like I'll be going to 4 of these films. Though I'm torn over Spectre. I'm seeing the full Out 1 in March, and I really don't want to see the shorter version before the long version. Unless someone convinces me otherwise, I'll pass on that one.

[domino harvey]

isn't Spectre a different beast made with mostly the same materials? seems it would enrich the longer version rather than act as detrimental.

[justeleblanc]

That was my thought as well, but it's a matter of which film I see first.

[Rich Malloy]

The Rivette Retrospective "A Differential Cinema" starts tomorrow at the Harvard Film Archive

Tomorrow: 6:30 p.m., "Paris Belongs to Us"; 9:15 p.m., "The Nun"
Saturday: 6:30 p.m., "The Nun"; 9 p.m., "Paris Belongs to Us"
Sunday: 2 and 7 p.m., "Céline and Julie Go Boating"
Monday: 7 p.m., "Out 1: Spectre"
Tuesday: 6:30 p.m., "Duelle"; 8:45 p.m., "Nor'west"

Jan. 15: 7 p.m., "Gang of Four"
Jan. 16: 7 p.m., "Love on the Ground"; 9:15 p.m., "Jacques Rivette: The Night Watchman"
Jan. 18: 7 p.m., "L'Amour fou"
Jan. 20: 7 p.m., "L'Amour fou"
Feb. 2: 7 p.m., "La Belle noiseuse"
Feb. 3: 7 p.m., "Joan the Maid"
Feb. 4: 7 p.m. "La Belle noiseuse"
Feb. 5: 7 p.m., "Joan the Maid"
Feb. 9: 8 p.m., "Up Down Fragile"
Feb. 10: 7 p.m., "Secret Defense"
Feb. 11: 7 p.m., "Up Down Fragile"
Feb. 12: 8 p.m., "Secret Defense"
Feb. 16: 8 p.m., "Va savoir"
Feb. 17: 7 p.m., "The Story of Marie and Julien"
Feb. 18: 7 p.m., "Va savoir"
Feb. 19: 8 p.m., "The Story of Marie and Julien"

[Barmy]

I would definitely see Spectre before the full Out 1. It will help familiarize you with the characters, obviously. I saw it before, and then again after, seeing Out 1, and found it to be of little use after I had seen the full version.

[justeleblanc]

I would definitely see Spectre before the full Out 1. It will help familiarize you with the characters, obviously. I saw it before, and then again after, seeing Out 1, and found it to be of little use after I had seen the full version.

I trust you but that seems strange. If the 13 hour version was the intended version, wouldn't seeing the shorter version ruin it for me? Doesn't Spectre become a lengthy preview, the kind that ruins the best parts of the movie? Don't I want to spend the 13 hours familiarizing myself with the characters as opposed to doing this a head of time? Isn't watching Spectre before Don't Touch Me similar to watching the European version of the Twin Peaks pilot (with the tacked-on ending) before watching the entire series?

I'm going to seriously think about it.

[domino harvey]

No, I can't imagine wanting to sit thru Spectre after sitting thru 12 hours and going "Oh man, he cut out THIS and THIS and THAT" the whole time, as opposed to seeing Out 1 after Spectre and going "Wow, that's new and that's new and that's new"

[Barmy]

Well, Spectre has a different ending, and omits two major plot developments that occur in the last hours of Out 1. So I wouldn't necessarily view it as a spoiler. Personally I found that seeing Spectre first helped me keep track of what was going on (some of the "action" is a bit oblique, and a number of characters just sort of hover in the background).

Edited: And I agree with Domino that it might be distracting to see the shorter version second.

[justeleblanc]

Hrm, both good points. This may actually be moot if I have to work during Spectre....