Jean-Luc Godard - Breathless

Many moons ago I used to write movie reviews and go to press conferences and all those exciting things. I was in the room with 95% of the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the cast of Antman, and more. When doing those movie reviews, I was given the opportunity to review a new BluRay set of Jean-Luc Godard movies that came out in 2016, and I leapt at the chance.

I have fond memories of my A-level Film Studies class, being told how Godard filmed almost ad-lib and composed the story in edits. How the iconic jump-cuts worked, and the super-hip style of the movies. I was mesmerised. It was like a whole new door of movies was opened to me, and I eagerly watched as many movies of his as I could. 

With his passing this week, I thought I'd republish the reviews of that boxed set as the site they were written for has long since gone, starting with the first Godard movie I saw - Breathless.

(Review from 2016)

On the 1st February 2016, STUDIOCANAL is releasing a new boxed set of films of the legendary director Jean-Luc Godard on blu-ray. When the lovely people at STUDIOCANAL offered to send an advanced review copy of the set, my thoughts flew back to my dim and distant youth - sat in my film studies class and being shown Breathless (À Bout De Souffle) for the first time, mesmerised by the freedom, the cool and the style.

The chance to see it again and review it? I couldn’t pass it up.

Breathless is simple, underground, and the very height of cool. Made in 1959, using new lightweight cameras, Godard went out into the streets of Paris to film without the baggage of a huge film crew, or even permission to film. Writing the script usually on the morning of each day’s filming, the movie is a true guerrilla film-maker’s dream. 

The story follows relative newcomer Jean Paul Belmondo as Michel Poiccard, a gangster and criminal who returns to Paris after shooting a cop. There he reunites with a beautiful young American, Patricia Franchini (played by the wonderful Jean Seberg), and he tries to convince her to run away with him to Italy. He just needs to get the money owed to him before the police track him down.

A simple plot that frames a love story that is so beautifully played with such natural ease, you cannot help but be mesmerised by the performances. 

Breathless is often heralded as the birth of the French New Wave, the “Nouvelle Vague” movement of the 60’s. Movies were created with little or no script, sometimes completely redubbed with new dialogue to make a plot in editing. The jump-cuts quickly feel natural and while an audience brought up with purely Hollywood movies will be shocked at the sudden cuts and odd continuity, the freedom this style brings infused cinema with a fresh breath of creativity and cool that remains just as smooth today.

The blu-ray has been lovingly restored, overseen by the film’s cinematographer, Raoul Coutard, and given a gorgeous enhancement that retains the grain of the original film. While it may not be the super-crisp picture you’re used to with modern movies, this looks just like the film was intended and how it would have looked when first shown. (Though there are some missing frames that could not be restored).

The disc also includes a host of extras, including an introduction to the film, a 50min documentary about Godard’s influence on American directors, an 80min documentary (Room 12: Hotel de suede) looking at the making of the film, as well as a feature on Godard and one on Jean Seberg. 

All I can say is it’s incredibly cool, and I’ve still got four discs to review! It may not be your average geekdom for this site, but it’s well worth checking out if you’re interested in film.

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 31: When did you first take part in #RPGaDay?

 

Quite an easy question for me today, as I first took part in #RPGaDay when it started nine years ago.

However, I'd like to take this opportunity in this final day's post in #RPGaDay2022 to thank everyone for getting involved this year, and in previous years. It's great to see so many people share cool stories and positivity about tabletop gaming. Thank you for your support.

Big thanks to those who translate the posts into other languages for me, it is greatly appreciated.

And especially big thanks to Anthony Boyd who created most of the questions this year.

Thank you all. 

Until next year!

Stay multi-classy!!

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 30: What should #RPGaDay do for its 10th Anniversary next year?

 

This is quite a big question really, and one that could have quite an impact on next year. As you know, this is the 9th #RPGaDay, so for its 10th Anniversary next year I felt we should do something cool. But what?

Different format? Charity fundraiser? An award a day? 

Suggestions will be logged, and we'll see what we can do to make next year's celebration of positivity even better.

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 29: WHO would you like to see take part in #RPGaDay?

 

We're down to the last few days of #RPGaDay2022, and we're asking a few questions about #RPGaDay itself. First up, who would you like to see take part in #RPGaDay?

Well, I'm really just happy that anyone takes part, but I'd love to see some of the bigger names in the industry join in to spread the word a bit further. Maybe next year we could convince Eric Campbell or Matt Mercer to get involved. That would be amazing.

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 28: Style Sunday

 

Day 28 of #RPGaDay2022 and it's Style Sunday, and it's all about your favourite cover art. That's tricky, because there's a lot of really cool cover art to choose from. One that really stood out for me when I was a kid and just discovering RPGs was the awesome cover for Star Frontiers. 

Really sold the game to me, and I couldn't wait to play it. 

The other game that I bought purely because of the cover was CJ Carella's WitchCraft.

That cover, along with the way that the book is smaller, digest sized, really sold it to me, and started me down a slippery slope buying all of Eden's games, and eventually writing some of them!

West End Games' Star Wars RPG was just perfect as well. Okay, so it wasn't original artwork, but it was everything I could have hoped for in an RPG, and that cover was wonderful. 

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 27: How has your character changed?

 

Day 27 of #RPGaDay2022 and it's the final part of the 'look at your character' posts, asking how has your character changed? I must admit, I have very little attention span at the moment, far too much going on in my head, so I'm just happy to be playing with friends, rather than thinking about something like narrative progression for my character. I'd be happy if they got better at doing what they do - I feel like Edrahil stumbles from being on the verge of death to the next encounter where they end up in a similar state.

He is, however, becoming more attuned to the world, rather than being an elitist and isolated Rivendell elf, and sees the denizens of Middle Earth as being a mixed bunch who are in serious danger of the rising shadow.

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 26: Why does your character do what they do?

 

Day 26 of #RPGaDay2022 continues looking at your current character and asks WHY does your character do what they do? 

Edrahil is an elf from Rivendell, and is aware of a rising darkness in Middle Earth. It is his duty to find the influence of the Shadow and put a stop to its spread.

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 25: Where has that character been?

 

Day 25 of #RPGaDay2022 continues looking at your current character, asking where has that character been?

Typically for The One Ring, he's been everywhere. He's been from Rivendell to Bree, south to barrows, further south to the forests, then across to the city divided by the river, upstream to Rivendell again, over the Misty Mountains, into Mirkwood, back to the inn, south to the forests teeming with bandits, and back to Rivendell, and now back to Bree and north to his impending doom.

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 24: When did you start playing this character?

Day 24 of #RPGaDay2022 continues asking questions about your current character, asking when you started playing them? 

Not sure. Must be about four months ago. We'd finished our bizarre and weird game of Heart, and I know our GM was particularly excited by the Rings of Power trailers, so suggested we play The One Ring. We did a few sessions as an intro, playing different characters who all ended up supposedly killed by the 'big bad' of our campaign, then started with our proper characters. 

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 23: What situation is your character currently in?

 

Day 23 of #RPGaDay2022 continues the theme of your current character, asking WHAT situation are they currently in? Well, Edrahil is constantly battling between being at full endurance, or completely unconscious and on the verge of death. Last week we were fighting orcs, so many orcs, that threatened to eat his rather luxurious white horse, and nobody messes with my horse. However, unlike John Wick, Edrahil and his companions were cut down, though the hobbit managed to do the most damage to the dozens of orcs. We were saved by some rangers, healed up, rested, and we're heading to the downs north of Bree to the place where all of our previous characters met their untimely end. So it's not looking good...

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 22: Who is your current character?

 

Day 22 of #RPGaDay2022 starts a week looking at your characters. Today's question asks WHO is your current character? 

I'm currently playing The One Ring, and my character is a High Elf of Rivendell called Edrahil - he's a bit of a snob, has a lovely white horse called Percival, and spends all of his time fighting, getting lost, and getting almost killed repeatedly. He's not great at things, but that may just be my dice rolling...

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 21: Setting Sunday!!

 

Day 21 of #RPGaDay2022 is another one of those odd Sundays, and this time it's SETTING SUNDAY! Share an intriguing detail from a game setting you enjoy. Here's an intriguing detail that only some people know - the Conspiracy X Kickstarter from ages ago that had some signed editions (I think that was the Extraterrestrials Sourcebook) I was sent a load of bookplates to sign that I posted to the publishers to add to those who'd backed a signed version.

What I didn't tell anyone was that 50% of those signed ones also have messages and clues about the conspiracy that can only be seen under UV light. Some of them listed members of the MJ-12 conspiracy, some other clues were in there as well... 

Did you get one of those? 

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 20: How long do your games last?

 

That's a weird one - How long do your games last? Session-wise, I'm getting old and tired. Gone are the eight hour sessions of my youth, not to mention that 90-hour marathon we tried to raise money for the local church roof. Though my current D&D sessions seem to be about 5-6 hours, we're happier with nice 2 1/2 hour sessions every week. 

If it's campaigns you're talking about, well most of those last about a year before we switch to a different game/setting. 

So that's my answer to Day Twenty of #RPGaDay2022!!!

#RPGaDay2022 - Day 19: Why has your favourite game stayed with you?

 

Day Nineteen of #RPGaDay2022 asks a slightly more complicated question - why has your favourite game stayed with you? As I mentioned a couple of days ago, my favourite game rotates between three, with some close runners knocking on the top 3 (yes, I'm looking at you Mage and Buffy).

WEG Star Wars as stayed with me because I've been a hardcore Star Wars nerd since I first saw the first movie in 1978 (yeah, I couldn't get to see it until 78). I started gaming and wanted that Star Wars feel, and while my first game (Traveller) was close, and Star Frontiers was closer, when WEG Star Wars came out it was the ultimate thing as far as I was concerned.

Ghostbusters was a similar case. Massive fan of the movie, bought the RPG and loved it - it inspired me to write RPGs, and is the reason I am where I am today. Still love it, and would love to do a new version with the same level of humour and excitement. 

Finally, Tales from the Loop was a revelation - minimal rules, set in the 80s, masses of atmosphere, what's not to love. It's the sort of game I aspire to.