Godard on DVD and Blu-ray

[domino harvey]

Well I'll be damned

[accatone]

No problem - the MacCabe bio sucks anyway…

[kinjitsu]

I'm certain the Bukowski is the more amusing of the two.

[accatone]

Are you sure? I liked Bukowski when i was 14 years old - he was up there on the upper book shelfs of my parents house - i think this was the most interesting thing about him… didn't/don't get it/him - sorry

[kinjitsu]

Doubtless, my humor evades you, too.

Anyhow, see page 329, MacCabe.

[accatone]

" … for Jean-Luc (aka Jon-Luc) to be happy there must be something crooked [escroquerie] in the deal"

…sounds like fun, right?

[justeleblanc]

Luc Moullet didn't make his first feature film until 1966, so it's doubtful.

There goes that theory. I thought it was a good one, too!

[Oedipax]

This has been around for a while, but I really love this fan-made trailer for Hail Mary set to the Strokes' "Hard to Explain." Seeing so many of the film's amazing shots in such a short amount of time really packs a visual wallop.

There's a nice one by the same person for La Chinoise as well.

[Petty Bourgeoisie]

Got my copy of Optimum's Helas Pour Moi via Amazon UK. The transfer was excellent to my eyes. Clean, sharp and evocative of the darker tones Godard used in the film (nighttime, early morning rainfall, etc.). As any later Godard film, I'll have to watch again to even begin to comprehend the plot. However, the first viewing certainly made a strong impact. Extras are nil but this these have never been a big ticket item for me (especially commentarys).

On another Godard note - Does anybody own the Cofrett double of Nouvelle Vogue and Passion? I've heard conflicting information about english subs and transfer quality.

[accatone]

If you are talking about the Cahiers edition - both films have engl. subs! HELAS POUR MOI does indeed look good - received it two weeks ago and was positivly impressed because Godard himself thought it was a "failure". Great photography (i liked the "juggle" zoom shot very much).

Btw, on the Alexander Kluge box set (in an interview) Godard points out that BAND A PARTE and MADE IN USA are the films he shouldn't have made. Kluges question was about the shortest film he (Godard) ever made, and the latter was the answer (shortest = like (better) not existing).

Has anybody read the DVD review of the HISTOIRE(S) in the July/August issue of the Cahiers? Interesting? (Sorry - i can't stand ecahiers - reading longer texts on screen makes me feel sick and … )

[ptmd]

On another Godard note - Does anybody own the Cofrett double of Nouvelle Vogue and Passion? I've heard conflicting information about english subs and transfer quality.

The transfers are good although Nouvelle Vague is somewhat controversially presented in a 1.33:1 ratio. Both films have excellent English subtitles. That said, I am pretty certain that both of these films will be included in the forthcoming Lions Gate Godard box set, so I would wait to purchase it if I were you.

[domino harvey]

The transfers are good although Nouvelle Vague is somewhat controversially presented in a 1.33:1 ratio.

incorrect, Nouvelle Vague is presented in matted widescreen, preserving it's theatrical aspect but questionably going against Godard's intended ratio. Both films have amazing transfers and English subs though and I heartily recommend the set.

[justeleblanc]

Nouvelle Vague is somewhat controversially presented in a 1.33:1 ratio. Both films have excellent English subtitles. That said, I am pretty certain that both of these films will be included in the forthcoming Lions Gate Godard box set, so I would wait to purchase it if I were you.

Guess again, Nouvelle Vague will not be in the box (according to a friend at Lionsgate).

[Via_Chicago]

Ah, pwned twice in a week. For shame.

[domino harvey]

he's talking about the forthcoming R1 Lionsgate Godard box

[Petty Bourgeoisie]

HELAS POUR MOI does indeed look good - received it two weeks ago and was positivly impressed because Godard himself thought it was a "failure". Great photography (i liked the "juggle" zoom shot very much).

Definitely agree with confusion over Godard's statement. I hope he produces a few more "failures" in the next couple years.

[accatone]

I am open for that…but must admit that ELOGE and NOTRE MUSIQUE suits me even better…nevertheless, NOUVELLE VAGUE and HELAS strike me because of there beautiful photography…i am repeating myself…uurgghhh …but concerning content i think ELOGE is way more straight forward.

GIMME SO MORE FAILURES, indeed!!!!

[Petty Bourgeoisie]

he's talking about the forthcoming R1 Lionsgate Godard box

Not having heard of this, I went to the Lionsgate website to check it out. I couldn't find any mention of a Godard box set. On Amazon they have a Wellspring box set containing Breathless, Le Petit Soldat, Les Carabiniers and Notre Musique . Release date is 18 Sep 07. Is this what you are all referring to?

[ptmd]

Not having heard of this, I went to the Lionsgate website to check it out. I couldn't find any mention of a Godard box set. On Amazon they have a Wellspring box set containing Breathless, Le Petit Soldat, Les Carabiniers and Notre Musique . Release date is 18 Sep 07. Is this what you are all referring to?

The box set is discussed here.

Apparently, it will only include 4 films. It seems strange that it wouldn't include Nouvelle Vague, though, as that should be a Canal+ title.

[David Ehrenstein]

I gather he found Helas Pour Moi a failure because he didn't get along with Depardieu -- who essentailly walked off the picture leaving Godard to put together what he had. Being Godard he can do that. But it wasn't at all like Nouvelle Vague in which Delon was completely cooperative -- fully aware of the fact that Godard was Godard and not Visconti or Jacques Deray.

[accatone]

GODIEU, i know. He even compared the two "great french" actors in an interview (can't give the source at the moment, sorry) and said that even with Delons right wing political attitude you can at least have a serious "hand shake" agreement - which was kind of impossible with Depardieus super star attitude.

[Oedipax]

But it wasn't at all like Nouvelle Vague in which Delon was completely cooperative -- fully aware of the fact that Godard was Godard and not Visconti or Jacques Deray.

There's a funny anecdote somewhere - maybe MacCabe's bio, maybe in For Ever Godard? - about one dispute Delon had with Godard, over the kind of car his character would drive. I think Delon objected to its manufacturer for some reason or other. Delon went back to his trailer (or what passed for one given the budget), and eventually glanced outside to see Godard ordering a horse standing beside the car: "Alain Delon, get in the car. Alain Delon, get in the car..." He went outside and did the scene without any further objections.

[evillights]

Btw, on the Alexander Kluge box set (in an interview) Godard points out that BAND A PARTE and MADE IN USA are the films he shouldn't have made. Kluges question was about the shortest film he (Godard) ever made, and the latter was the answer (shortest = like (better) not existing).

Can you parse "(shortest = like (better) not existing)"? I'm not following you here...

Has anybody read the DVD review of the HISTOIRE(S) in the July/August issue of the Cahiers? Interesting? (Sorry - i can't stand ecahiers - reading longer texts on screen makes me feel sick and … )

I've read it. It's not really a review; instead consists of eight essays (each by a different writer, with Frodon getting dibs on 4B, natch) by eight different staff critics, each tackling one episode. All of them are good (Frodon's is especially beautiful, Burdeau's is very solid too), and the one on "La Monnaie de l'absolu" — I forget who wrote it, maybe Neyrat? — is exceptional. Once again the Cahiers make every English-language film magazine look soft-boiled and pathetic by comparison. The Juliette Binoche dossier in the same issue was really interesting, too — her paintings of Haneke, Hou, and so on were very nice.

Incidentally a new hors-série issue went on sale today devoted entirely to Bergman and Antonioni; the next regular (September) issue comes out on the 5th.

And Burdeau is currently blogging Venice; each day his posts go up in French, English, and Italian.

craig.

[accatone]

(always keep in mind the dialectical way of Kluges questions! He is not interested in a "simple" answer/fact but trying to start a dialog to enlight something more… His famous TV Interviews, btw, run under the title FACTS und (and) FAKES" - his dialectical education (Frankfurter Schule in particular) is always obvious.)

Kluge: "What is the shortest film you ever made?"

Godard: "The shortest film is supposed to be the one that shouldn't be there - because its so bad, it should better not exist! In this case its for example BANDE A PARTE and MADE IN USA."*

Then they start talking about ALLEMAGNE 90 NEUF ZERO and both agree that this is a very good film - that should/could never ever be any shorter/as opposed to MADE IN USA for example which should better not existe.

So the ultimate short film is, in this case - 00:00h running time - non existing!

After that they talk about an illustration that shows a (blind!) man driving a car with his son next to him who is giving orderns in terms of direction etc…

*i am in the office at the moment so i am quoting from memory.

[evillights]

(always keep in mind the dialectical way of Kluges questions! He is not interested in a "simple" answer/fact but trying to start a dialog to enlight something more… His famous TV Interviews, btw, run under the title FACTS und (and) FAKES" - his dialectical education (Frankfurter Schule in particular) is always obvious.)

Kluge: "What is the shortest film you ever made?"

Godard: "The shortest film is supposed to be the one that shouldn't be there - because its so bad, it should better not exist! In this case its for example BANDE A PARTE and MADE IN USA."*

I'm familiar with Kluge's approach. And I saw a sampling of the 'FACTS und FAKES' stuff when he came to Princeton a few months ago... also had the chance to speak with him for a couple minutes. (We talked about Godard, — and the importance of 1.33/1.37 framing!)

I think my confusion here is because "should better not exist" doesn't make sense in English... if I'm guessing right, what you mean to say is "it's better for them not to exist (at all)." (sie söllten besser nicht existieren oder etwas - nicht?)

'Allemagne année 90 neuf zéro' is a masterpiece... They should teach it in schools... "...les salauds".

craig.