What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave?
French New Wave 1958-1960s
New Wave was a film movement from the 50s the movement was known for breaking the traditional filmmaking conventions. The term came from film critics who turned into the leading directors of the era. This was a rejection of classical Hollywood film making
What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French new wave films?
Directors had a Auteur on each of their films. Previously to this the movie was recognized by the stars or studio which made the film. In the new wave each director took control of their movie and put their own distinctive twist on it.
Selection of music was used that matches the tone of the movie and added emotion at vital moments
Directors had low budgets, however this is what made the movies so creative traditional movie rules were broken such as filming on location and natural light. This made film accessible for everyone to create
As they were filming on location this meant that they often used non professional actors and used people in the location this created a sense of realism.
Film was used a medium to express peoples emotions.
Which directors and films from the French new wave influenced Arthur Penn a he was making bonnie and Clyde? why do you think this was the case?
His main influences were Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. This was due to their style and knowledge of the new movement. I think the new movement and especially Jean-Luc Godard gave him the advice and inspiration to create something new
New Hollywood1960-1990
Bonnie and Clyde, Arthur Penn (American)
What is meant by the term New Hollywood (Link to decline of the Hollywood Studio System)
The term new Hollywood follows the decline of the the old Hollywood era. Tv had slowly become a stable in every American household, this led to the “habit” being broken by going to the cinema every week. The films also being made at this time didn’t resonate with the American people meaning that many “flops” happened for example Cleopatra. Young people also moved to enjoying Foreign films more, as the American studios were out of touch with the interests of the younger generation.
Name some films, directors and stars from this period.
Jean-Luc Godard-
He was a French Swiss film director who came to prominence with New Wave group in France during the late 1950s and the 60s.
Francois Truffaut-
Francois was a French filmmaker, actor and critic, people see him as a icon of the French new wave movement
What events were taking place in America around the period identified as the New Hollywood era of cinema?
Cold War 1991
The cold war was a period of geopolitical rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies.
Vietnam War 1955 – 1975
A conflict which pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam its principal ally, the united states.
The term New Hollywood is a movement in American film history from the mid-1960s to the 1980s.
Some of the films, directors and stars from this period are: – Jack Nicholson (Actor), Dennis Hopper (Actor, Director), Woody Allen (Actor, Director), Robert De Niro (Actor), George Lucas (Director), David Lynch (Director), ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ (1967), ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968), ‘Planet of The Apes’ (1968), ‘Midnight Cowboy’ (1969).
Some important cultural events that took place in America during the period of time in which the emergence of New Hollywood happened were: – The Flower Power Movement – The Vietnam War – The assassination of MLK Jr. – The assassination of JFK
The Influence of French New Wave on New Hollywood
French New Wave was a film movement in the late 1950s, which rejected the traditional conventions of Classical Hollywood film-making. The movement is seen as an embodiment of rejection and youthful rebellion and the people that are part of it are seen as innovators in the art of film. The directors who were making the films wanted the director to be seen as the main power behind the film, not the studio. This then leads to the idea of ‘auteur’ theory. The film makers within the period were working with low film budgets, due to the aftermath of WWII.
Some specific stylistic and structural elements present in French New Wave are:
– Handheld cameras: Handheld cameras were used by French filmmakers as they were cheaper to get a hold of than a bigger mounted camera, like the ones that would be used in Hollywood. This would give the films a documentary aesthetic.
–On location filming: French New Wave films typically filmed on natural locations, not big, constructed sets, due to their low budgets and financial constraints that the directors of these films had.
–Natural Lighting: French New Wave films most of the time used natural lighting, as they were filming on location and using handheld cameras. It also meant that the films had smaller crews and that the camera could swing around 360, as there is no film crew behind that would be filmed
–Deemphasized Plot: In French New Wave films, there are no clear plots and typically just follow around the events of the people within the film. If there is a plot within the film, the structure is usually messed around with, an idea presented by the director Goddard, ‘Every plot has a beginning, middle and end, its just the order in which it is told can be changed’.
–The Use of Non-Actors: French New Wave directors favoured not using trained actors but rather, mainly for smaller roles, used amateur actors and people that they just found out on the street, which certainly adds to this realism aesthetic that these films have. The directors also gave the actors a lot more freedom, allowing them to improvise their own lines and just allowing to them to carry out their own actions.
–Breaking the Fourth Wall: French New Wave directors used the technique of looking into the camera and breaking into the fourth wall to highlight to the audience that this a film they are watching. This may of made the audience feel quite disenfranchised towards the films.
Some directors and French New Wave techniques that influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde were:
–Fast paced music: Bonnie and Clyde uses fast paced music in the car chase scenes, which evokes this sense of humour in running away from the police, which presents this real clash of tones within the film, as one moment you’ve got this humorous car chase scene and the next you are being shown people getting shot and dying in quite a graphic way.
–Costume Elements: In the famous final scene of ‘Bonnie and Clyde’, Clyde wears a pair of glasses with one lense missing. This is a direct homage to Godard debut 1960 film, ‘Breathless’, in which the main character suffers an awful fate wearing a similar pair of sunglasses with a lense missing.
– Graphic Content: Bonnie and Clyde’s graphic content and scenes were too taboo for the American audience of the time, but they do have substance, and the, in some people’s opinions too grotesque, graphic content does take its influence from French New Wave films.
– Intense Close-ups and Jump Cuts: In the final sequence of Bonnie and Clyde, an abrupt ending which sees our two main protagonists getting brutally murdered, director Arthur Penn has the two main protagonists look at each other in a series of match cuts, which closer towards the characters face, which, in my opinion, shows to the audience the deep love and personal connection these two characters have. This technique is once again used in Goddard’s debut ‘Breathless’, in which he uses jump cuts to also show the intimacy between the two main characters.
New Hollywood Style
Penn and other New Hollywood directors approached narratives by placing an uncommon emphasis on irresolution, particularly at the moment of climax or in epilogues, when more conventional Hollywood movies busy themselves tying up loose ends. They also hindered on narrative linearity and momentum and scuttled their potential to generate suspense and excitement.
Discontinuity editing is when the audience visually notices a cut, because something about the cut calls attention to itself and it does not feel natural and seamless.
This period of time in film production is known as ‘The Rise of Auteurs’ because directors were influenced by this French New Wave ideology that directors should be the ‘stars’ of film production and that they should have their own distinct styles and far much more control over the creation and the elements of their films for them to stand out.
The lasting impact of the New Hollywood style on modern day films is that it has allowed directors to have a much greater role in creating their films rather than the studio having all the power and telling the directors what to make. It’s also allowed for more graphic content to be shown in films, as the ‘Hayes’ code, which forbid things such as nudity, sex and drugs to be shown in films, was replaced with the MPAA film rating system in 1968.
What is meant by the cinematic term French New Wave?
A film movement that began in 1958 and lasted into the late 1960s, known for its change in conventional filmmaking techniques. Many of the directors involved in this movement began as film critics for Cahiers Du Cinema, a French magazine that promoted new ideas through experimentation and innovation. It was a rejection of mainstream cinema and old Hollywood, a youthful movement driven by young people who were passionate about film overall. Preference for directors to be the artistic driving force and be credited rather then the studio and stars.
What specific stylistic and structural elements are present in French New Wave films?
French New Wave films often utilized natural light, used actors with less experience, improvisation, voice overs (non-diegetic) and real locations. This was a result of the low-budget nature of the films in addition to creating a strong feel of realism. For technique, handheld cameras contributed to the distinctive, more naturalistic style of these films as well as giving a doctumentryesque aesthetic. Jump cuts, often used by Jean-Luc Godard, became a distinct reflection of the movement, leading other filmmakers to challenge conventional filmmaking methods, and breaking through into mainstream cinema while working with low budgets and being restrained by the limited amount of money available to them. Democratisation style of cinema, allowing anyone to be a film-maker and create films.
Which directors and films from the French New Wave influenced Arthur Penn as he was making Bonnie and Clyde?
Directors François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard had a large impact on Arthur Penn throughout the making of Bonnie and Clyde. Originally, writers Robert Benton and David Newman initially approached them to direct the film, however they declined. Two of Truffaut’s films, Shoot the Pianist (1960) and Jules et Jim (1962), were particularly influential on Penn throughout production. French New Wave films were known for breaking traditional cinematic rules, Bonnie and Clyde echoed this by portraying two lovers who committed crimes consisting of robbery, burglary, and murder, stepping away from the usual depiction and representation of law-abiding American citizens. The turbulent nature of their relationship also reflected the movement’s shift from conventional storytelling. Bonnie and Clyde was a character study, historically based but far from historically accurate. Music was prominent in the scenes of their escapes in the van, this music was fast-paced banjo music (bluegrass music). It brings a comedic element to these dramatic scenes.
Identify 3 scenes from Bonnie and Clyde where stylistic links are created with French new wave cinema, explaining why this was the case
Location filming is often used in Bonnie and Clyde, embracing the French new wave style of filmmaking as it relies less on studios to create film but rather real places to create the set of the film.
Natural lighting is common in Bonnie and Clyde, as the normal sunlight is most prominent, this gives the film a more naturalistic look. This links to the French new wave as the natural light enhances the classic low-budget nature of the French new wave.
Jump cuts were seen as a trademark of the French new wave era, they were well used in Bonnie and Clyde especially before their deaths at the end of the film. The camera jumps from close-up shots of Bonnie and then to Clyde of them looking at each other and then to the police ready to shoot them, as well as some scenery shots leading into their separate deaths. By using jump cuts, it creates a tense atmosphere and dramatize their deaths.
