Having not seen any Godard...

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...where's the best place to start? What's absolutely essential?

― David-Graham Steans, Saturday, 24 January 2004 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Breathless is pretty good. At least I enjoyed it.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 24 January 2004 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

My Life to Live is my favorite. It's a good place to start since i started there and i love Godard. i'm no expert on him tho.

― ryan (ryan), Saturday, 24 January 2004 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know Godard as well as I should, but I'm guessing that anything pre-Contempt is the "safe territory" w/r/t introductions to Godard.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 24 January 2004 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd say see Band of Outsiders before Breathless, though both are great. The only other Godard I've seen so far is Woman is a Woman, which is pretty 'eh.'

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 24 January 2004 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Breathless is his first and a big homage to American film noir, it's a classic. My first Godard ever, the one that made me want to see everything he did was Pierrot Le Fou, which is whacky and great. Very entertaining. You can also watch the lighter Godard with A Woman Is A Woman. I woul dnot recommend to start with Contempt. It's one of his best, but not the most accesible at all... Start with his more fun ones, like, again: Breathless, Pierrot Le Fou, A Woman Is A Woman, band Of Outsiders. Then move on to My Life To Live, The Little Soldier, Contempt... I'd say skip anything he did in the 70s and onward...

― Barton Fink (bartonf), Sunday, 25 January 2004 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Eric H. is right--start with "Contempt". It's arguably the most accesible of his films, and is right at the start of his late '60's genius. After "Contempt" try "Masculine Feminine" (which i can't believe no one mentioned!), "My Life to Live", "Band of Outsiders", "A Woman is a Woman". Then jump into the true genius--"Pierrot le Fou", "La Chinois", "Two or Three Things I Know About Her", "Sympathy For the Devil". And after you've seen these, treat yourself to "Weekend", which is high on the list of my favorite films ever.

As for beyond the 1970's, the essay films are good, "Numero Deux" is a masterpiece, "Hail Mary" is amazing, but unfortunately, the rest is fairly unwatchable, at least in my opinion.

Notice I left "Breathless" of the list? Watch it last, which is what my girlfriend is doing. It's not representative of Godard IMHO, and will not properly prepare you for what his work is all about.

You're entering a whole new world of cinema by exploring Godard--enjoy it!

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Monday, 26 January 2004 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)

my favorite is "la passion"

― amateur!st (amateurist), Monday, 26 January 2004 11:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd say take a risk and start with Weekend. That pretty sums up his career, imho.

― dean! (deangulberry), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:04 (twenty-two years ago)

What do we think about introducing oneself to Godard through the seemingly more-accessible In Praise of Love?

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I would advise against it. I don't think it has the charm of his earlier films so its maybe only most representative of his later works. Definitely good, though.

― dean! (deangulberry), Monday, 26 January 2004 20:33 (twenty-two years ago)

dean, i agree 100% with Weekend. I didn't want to recommend it as a starting point because it's a pretty demanding film, but it's a good defining moment for the potential Godard viewer--if you don't appreciate the ideas explored in Weekend, you probably won't like the majority of Godard's oevre.

I was at a point in my life where I was about to give up on narrative cinema altogether (as a viewer), and Weekend turned me around. Of course, now that I think of it, that was exactly the OPPOSITE of Godard's intention...but i digress.

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Monday, 26 January 2004 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)

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