MovieChat Forums > À bout de souffle (1961) Discussion > Game changer

Game changer

posted 10 years ago by weirdmonkeydude
5 replies | jump to latest

Yes, this film was hugely influential upon a generation of raising filmmakers in the 60s, but that does not mean its good. The use of the jump cuts mutilates the plot, so that by the time you catch up with what was happening, you're lost in what's happening now, leaving you uncaring about anything the film has to say, and bored. In fact, in the godfather film of jump cuts, the death scene is horribly drawn out, and represents the ultimate example of the bad acting seen throughout the film. Should it be recognized for the tremendous impact it had upon films? Yes. Is it a good film? Absolutely not.

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

What made you think "plot" is of any real or particular importance in Breathless? It's the very "mutilation" that's the point here.

But, yeah, generally I also tend to think that while JLG had interesting ideas and novelty approaches in spades, he was rarely capable of moulding these ideas and concepts into actually satisfying, compelling films. The main reason for that seems to be his ineptitude at creating mood and establishing tone.

facts are stupid things - Ronald Reagan

[–] weirdmonkeydude 10 years ago

I do believe that there was suppose to be a plot, even if the story is not what makes the film to be of any importance. The way I heard it was that JLG originally had somewhere around a 10hr long original cut. However, he found everything to be of extreme importance, and couldn't "kill his babies". This resulted in him boiling it down to what he felt was absolutely necessary to keep the entire story intact. So, essentially, jump cuts are the result of JLG being a sub-par director, not a visionary one.

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

... even if the story is not what makes the film to be of any importance.

There's a semblance of a gangster/crime plot, but I find the most interesting thing about the film to be its technical innovations.🐭

[–] weirdmonkeydude 10 years ago

Which I understand. Of course the technical innovations are the most interesting part. That's because everything else about the film is terrible.

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

I'm certainly not inferring that they're great.🐭