French New Wave

[Anthony]

Trying to get a few of the classics from this period? Does anyone know anything about it? Longshot I know.

[Seik]

Don't know anything worthwhile about the French New Wave, other than I love what it inspired in Hollywood in the late 60s through the 70s. There would have been A TON of Hollywood movies we all love, that never would have been made, had it not been for the French New Wave.

I watched a few French New Wave films back when I was in filmschool. I can't for the life of me remember what they were called (foreign titles and all), but I enjoyed them. All I remember is, anything Jean Luc Godard did is worth seeing.

EDIT: Band Of Outsiders was one of Godard's movies I really enjoyed. Trying to think of the others and I can't. Doesn't matter though, most of his stuff is great, especially his earlier stuff. Or anything from the 60's pretty much. I wish I would have seen those French new wave films back in like, the late 50s or early 60s. They would have fucking blown my mind because they were so far removed from what Hollywood was doing at the time.

[YellerDog]

I would really like to start watching some Godard films. I'm into a lot of New Wave-inspired movies (most recently "Point Blank"), I'm thinking it would be good to go straight to the source.

[Anthony]

Thanks that was really helpful actually

[Mr-K]

Breathless is your go-to for this.

[Revoltor]

It's a genre-definer too.

[JetsToBrazil]

Breathless is your go-to for this.

Breathless is fantastic. Band of Outsiders is another great film from Godard.

[Seik]

I was going to post another film to watch called The Bicycle Thief, but I couldn't remember if it was actually French new wave or not. Well, turns out it's actually Italian Neo Realism. But I'm still posting it because I think it's worth watching.

But just now as I was typing this I was reminded of another French new wave film (I was listening to the slash film podcast and they were talking about shooting a 'day for night' scene). That reminded me, the film Day For Night, is an awesome French new wave film, although it was released in the early 70s near the end of that period. However, check it out. There were some classic American films in the early 70s doing the same things this film did though, so I don't know if that diminishes it's impact or not.

It was directed by this guy Francois Truffaut, who was probably as important to the movement as Godard. Those two, Godard and Truffaut, are probably my two favorite French new wave directors. I actually forgot how awesome the french new wave was, so thanks for making this thread. I wanna see what they have on DVD and rewatch a lot of this stuff.

[B-Ri]

french new wave at its best: breathless

french new wave at its oddest: Pierre Le Fou

[Space Shuttle]

Army of Shadows is the highlight of the movement. It has influenced The Godfather and Chinatown.
La Circle Rouge
Le Samourai
The 400 Blows
Day for Night
Stolen Kisses
Bed and Board
Le Doulos
Jules & Jim
Shoot the Piano Player

If you want to follow a specific director, Jean Pierre Melville was the best. He was greatly influenced by American noir from the 40s and 50s.