Kim woods

Film Journal: Breathless

1. How would you describe the camera style (shots and movement) of Breathless?

The director of the movie is definitely a "new wave" of experimental directors as seen in his shots and movement of camera. Godard's unschooled quality of filmmaking is evident in his camera shots that involve handheld movements. Michel Poiccard, the main character, unceremoniously kills a police officer and drives away in a stolen car. It is evident that they do not use tools to control the camera movement because the camera is visible shaky in this scene. In another scene where he is shot in the middle of the street, the camera movement displays the use of several angle shots, which bring out the real emotion of the self-proclaimed ‘American gangster’.

2. Describe the Editing style of the film. What are some examples of traditional and non-traditional style?

Goddard uses a kinesthetic technique in the process of editing the film. This style involves jagged cutting of scenes in the film in order to prune out the uninteresting stuff in the movie and expedite the action. For example, it shows Michel’s irregular and unexpected actions as he commits one misdemeanor after the other. Even so, this creates too much rambling without a specific message in the plot. Conversely, ‘establishing shots’ are an example of a continuity editing style shown in the film. The camera focuses on a single character at a go, and this helps in knowing their traits.

3. The film is full of literary and artistic references from very high and very low sources (Movies, Painting, poetry, novels, music, philosophy, and popular culture). See if you can recognize and identify some of them.

The film absorbs popular culture, for instance, the youth disorder of the late 1960s, into its content. It copies from such films as “Bonnie and Clyde”, which had such badly behaved characters who characterize how it feels to be in love. Michael and Patricia engage in meaningless and lazy conversation in her apartment show the immaturity of the two lovers, which is evident in popular culture. In Breathless, Michael seems to steal the identity of Bonnie as a criminal in several scenes.

4. After seeing in the film, what are you feeling about the principal characters, Michel and Patricia? Do you like them or care about them. How do you think Godard wants you to feel about them?

The film still represents contemporary cultural trends and traditions as seen in the behavior of the principal characters. The director, Jean-Luc Godard mystifies the principal characters and makes it hard for the audience to relate with them because of their morally wrong character. In several scenes, Michael has criminal intentions while Patricia is similarly ignorant of her actions and has a carefree attitude to the extent she does not care who she dates.

5. Describe some of things about the film that impressed you or surprised you the most?

A surprising concept in the film is the way that its self-absorbed young characters are preoccupied with their lifestyles and unaware to their actions in the larger society. In addition, Patricia seems bewildered with Michael’s persona. On the other hand, the use of next to no lighting was impressive in the film because it adds life to the film. The cameras needed modification to shoot under low light levels, and it is impressive that the director could achieve this during that period.