(aka "Breathless" or "By a Tether")
France 1960
,
There was before Breathless, and there was after Breathless. With its lack of polish, surplus of attitude, crackling personalities of rising stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, and anything-goes crime narrative, Jean-Luc Godard's debut fashioned a simultaneous homage to and critique of the American film genres that influenced and rocked him as a film writer for Cahiers du cinema. Jazzy, free-form, and sexy, Breathless (A bout de souffle) helped launch the French new wave and ensured cinema would never be the same.
***
Paris, 1959: you are there. Michel, A charismatic young hot-head (Jean-Paul
Belmondo) has killed a cop in Marseilles and fled to the capital to hide out
with Patricia, his on-off American girlfriend (Jean Seberg). As the authorities
close in, Michel and Patricia’s relationship comes under increasing pressure…
But Breathless isn’t regarded as a cinematic landmark because of its plot, which
could most charitably described as flimsy. Debutant director Godard set out with
the express intention of making a movie “as if no-one had ever made one before,”
and he succeeded. Before Breathless, most pictures were just filmed scripts –
Godard wanted instead to make his film represent his view of the world: jagged,
fresh, unorthodox, unpredictable. He ended up inventing a new way of telling a
story through film – abrupt jump-cuts through time and space, improvisations, no
establishing shots, a reliance on natural light and settings – that broke many
cinematic rules and dared audiences to keep up, setting off a whole Nouvelle
Vague of European cinema. Forty years on, the Godard’s effect is visible in just
about every American or European film, but Godard’s innovations are now taken so
much for granted that when they’re foregrounded – as in the Danish dogme films –
we’re once again taken aback.
Most of Breathless still seems incredibly fresh, especially Coutard’s
try-anything camerawork – you can feel Godard’s excitement as he pushes back
boundary after boundary. But the script isn’t anything like as accomplished as
the direction: while Belmondo’s remains an irresistible beat-punk
characterisation, Seberg’s Patricia doesn’t come into anywhere near as sharp a
focus. This causes problems when, in the second half of the film, the emphasis
shifts away from him and onto her.
Excerpt from Neil Young's Film Lounge located HERE
Posters
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Theatrical Release: March 16th, 1960 - France
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DVD Comparison:
Criterion (2-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL vs. Fox/Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Optimum (UK) - Region 2 - PAL
PAL s
creen captures courtesy of Pablo Manzano and Pavel Borodin Thanks!(Criterion - Region 1- NTSC TOP LEFT vs. Kinowelt - Region 2- PAL TOP RIGHT)
(Fox/Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM LEFT vs. Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM RIGHT)
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Criterion Collection - Spine # 408 Region 1 - NTSC |
Kinowelt Region 2 - PAL |
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Fox / Lorber Region 0 - NTSC |
Optimum
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| Distribution |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 408 Region 1 - NTSC |
Kinowelt Region 2 - PAL |
Fox / Lorber Region 0 - NTSC |
Optimum
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| Runtime | 1:30:09 | 1:26:09 | 1:26:21 | 1:26:09 |
| Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.33 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.19 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | French (Dolby Digital 1.0) | French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) | French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) |
French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) |
| Subtitles | English, and none | German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish and none | English, and none | English, and none |
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Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: Disc 1 • Archival interviews with director Jean-Luc Godard, and actors Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, and Jean-Pierre Melville (total 27:00) • French theatrical trailer (2:01) Disc 2 • New video interviews with Coutard and assistant director Pierre Rissient (22:27), and another by filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker (10:31) • New video essays: filmmaker and critic Mark Rappaport's "Jean Seberg" (18:55) and critic Jonathan Rosenbaum's "Breathless as Film Criticism" (11:08) - read by Daniel Stewart • Chambre 12, Hotel de suede, (1:18:24) French documentary about the making of Breathless, with members of the cast and crew • Charlotte et son Jules, a 1959 short film homage to Jean Cocteau by Godard, starring Belmondo (12:41) • 82-page liner notes booklet featuring writings from Godard, film historian Dudley Andrew, Francois Truffaut's original film treatment, and Godard's scenario
DVD Release Date: October 23rd, 2007Custom Case (see image below) Chapters 1 8 |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Photo Gallery
DVD
Release Date: July 24th, 2001 Chapters ?
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Release Information: Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: November 20, 2001 Chapters
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Release Information: .
Aspect Ratio: DVD
Release Date: October 9th, 2000 Chapters 9 |
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There is a Gaumont-Columbia Tristar Home Vidéo DVD of "Breathless" with no subtitles. You can see a comparison to the Fox/Lorber on Chiaroscuro HERE |
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ADDITION: Criterion -
October 07':
This dual-layered
Criterion DVD is pictureboxed transferred
(see our full description of 'pictureboxing'
in our
Kind Hearts and Coronets review).
It is coded for Region 1 in the NTSC standard. The transfer is
progressive and in the original 1.33 aspect ratio. The audio is original
French mono and there are optional English subtitles for the feature and
all the extras.
It comes in a custom - very artistic - 4-tiered digipak case with colored
inserts with black and white photos of the film on the outside. It comes
with the hefty booklet included (see image below).
Criterion's image eclipses its nearest rival - the Kinowelt - which now appears slightly contrast boosted. The Criterion has the appearance of being sharper with some minor black level boosting which brings up detail. The image is smooth, very clean and contrast is excellent although slightly subdued. It's hard not to rate the Criterion which boasts a 'high-definition digital transfer, approved by director of photography Raoul Coutard '. The original mono is clear and consistent and is supported by excellent optional English subtitles.
Disc one offers 27 minutes worth of combined,
excerpted, archival interviews with director Jean-Luc Godard, and actors
Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, as well as Jean-Pierre Melville
recorded for French television between 1960 and 1964. Absolutely cool
stuff. There is also a 2 minute French trailer on the feature disc.
Dual-layered disc two is stacked and has some
wonderful supplements - Newly recorded video interviews with Coutard and
assistant director on Breathless Pierre Rissient (22:27). In their
interviews, Coutard, who shot 14 films for Godard, and Rissient recall
practical and personal details from Goddard's first feature film. There
is another with filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker (10:31) where he explores
Godard's statement 'Breathless is a documentary about Jean-Paul
Belmondo and Jean Seberg'. Ten minutes with some history on a
meeting with the two filmmakers and a potential project. Critic Mark Rappaport's "Jean Seberg"
(18:55) centers on her brief publicized stint in Hollywood and how
Godard chose Seberg from many auditioned actresses to star in Breathless
- her most renowned role. Rappaport explores details behind her iconic
face and the character of Patricia Franchini. I quite enjoyed Daniel
Stewart as he reads Jonathan Rosenbaum's excellent "Breathless as
Film Criticism" with images and scenes of the film as a background
(11:08). From Studio Canal - Chambre 12, Hotel de suede is an 80
minute French documentary made in 1993 by Claude Ventura over the course
of nine days about the making of Breathless, with members of the cast
and crew and others including Belmondo, Chabrol, editor Cecile Decugis,
Coutard and Rissient. I wasn't as keen on this but I should watch it
again sometime as I was deeply into the extras at the time of watching -
a bit tired. Charlotte et son Jules, a 1959 short film
homage to Jean Cocteau by Godard, starring Belmondo and Anna Collete
(12:41). Finally we get an extensive book (not booklet) with 82 pages of
black and white photos from the film and writings from Godard, film
historian Dudley Andrew, Francois Truffaut's original film treatment,
and Godard's scenario. WOW. You didn't require my review to purchase this as it was a
no-brainer for most film fans - but I can whole-heartedly endorse your
decision. The picture-boxing might be the only thing holding it back from 'DVD
of the Year' status. As whole, complete and professional as any
Criterion package I can recall - the price is right for Pre-order. |
Recommended Reading in French Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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The Films in My Life |
French Cinema: A Student's Guide by Philip Powrie, Keith Reader |
Agnes Varda by Alison Smith | Godard on Godard : Critical Writings by Jean-Luc Godard | The Art of Cinema by Jean Cocteau |
French New Wave
by Jean Douchet, Robert Bonnono, Cedric Anger, Robert Bononno |
French Cinema: From Its Beginnings to the Present by Remi Fournier Lanzoni |
Check out more in "The Library"
Criterion package
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DVD Menus
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Screen Captures
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(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Kinowelt - Region 2 - PAL 2nd vs. Fox/Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC - 3rd vs. Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
NOTE: Notice some PAL-NTSC 'ghosting' on the Fox Lorber
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Two extras screen grabs from the Criterion
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Report Card:
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Image: |
Criterion |
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| Extras: | Criterion |
| Menu: | Criterion |
| DVD Box Covers |
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| Distribution |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 408 Region 1 - NTSC |
Kinowelt Region 2 - PAL |
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Breathless DVD Review .