Jean-Luc Godard

[Fistful of Steel]

Anyone a fan of his films? A Marxist interpretation of all his movies are available and easily read into, often showcasing the decadence of the modern bourgeoise and the lengths they go to escape boredom, and their actions often serve as a metaphor for the self-destructive nature of capitalist society. (I'm not really sure what I mean by the self-destructive nature of capitalist society, but it does have a tendency to turn upon itself viciously) Thoughts/opinions on his work?

[TC]

Personally i love him.

Some of his movies are non-political, but you realize that he was an open and vocal Maoist so a Marxist interpretation of many of his more political films isn't just one interpretation its the most obvious deliberate one.

[Body Count]

Great director, easily one of the best of all time.

You should all check out "Tout va bien" with Jane Fonda....it was made during a period when he had completely abandoned all commercialism in his films.

[tambourine_man]

yeah, i used to really like godard. my favorite is probably 'pierrot le fou' or maybe 'week-end'.
the situationist critique (http://www.bopsecrets.org/SI/10.godard.htm) of godard makes a lot of sense though. then again, i can't really say that i care so much for it since i still listen to the rolling stones and stuff...
but, in the end, we should remember....godard was a maoist...in an ultra-revolutionary france! and, you know what they wrote on the wall: "godard: the biggest of the pro-chinese assholes!" or something like that.

[BattleOfTheCowshed]

Where can I find Marxist interpretations of Godard online? I can't seem to find any on-line, help would be appreciated. Also, was he really a Maoist? I thought he critiqued Maoism and was some kind of Left Communist? Maybe not, maybe the critique I read of 'Le Chinoise' was wrong, who knows. Links would be appreciated though!

[Monty Cantsin]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29 2006, 06:31 AM
I read of 'Le Chinoise' was wrong, who knows. Links would be appreciated though!
In that film he did critique the Maoist of France, but a year latter he was one of them.

[JimFar]

MIM (Maoist International Movement) gives their takes on Godard here (http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/movies/review.php?f=long/godardmaoist.txt) and here (http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/movies/godard.html).

[berlitz23]

Godard is my favorite director, politics are never far from the surface of his films, however I find myself preferring his cinematic period over revolutionary, as it spanned from Breathless to Weekend. I have seen all his movies through those periods and planning on seeing La Choinise, Tout Va Bien and more he truly is an innovative and audacious filmmaker.

[Bilan]

Originally posted by [email protected] 01, 2006 02:32 am
MIM (Maoist International Movement) gives their takes on Godard here (http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/movies/review.php?f=long/godardmaoist.txt) and here (http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/movies/godard.html).

Godard like many others of his day thought he might be living through a period in which socialist
revolution would come about in the imperialist countries supported by a majority of French for
example. Had it been true that French workers were exploited, Godard's approach to them would
have been mostly correct by Maoist standards. Godard was wrong about that one point while
being right about most of the others.

Yawn.

[Le People]

Godard's Les Carabiners (The Riflemen) is probably one of my favorite anti-war films. He is easily one of my favorite directors anyways.

[KC]

go see A Bout De Souffle (Breathless). His best, and one of the most influential films he's ever made.