Jean-Luc Godard

[Mr Sausage]

It was a Birthday salutation, guys. Let's just leave it alone before the thread gets split.

[accatone]

The Godard/Antisemite "discussion" is finding echos in Germany. Today an article in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine (not availabla onlilne) in regards to Le monde articles (Jean-Luc Douin, Alain Fleischer). Last week in an interview with Claude Lanzmann in Der Freitag (available here: http://www.freitag.de/kultur/0950-lanzmann-interview" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) where Lanzmann said: " Nach allem, was ich über ihn weiß, kann ich ihn nur für einen Antisemiten halten." To my knowledge the whole discussion started with Alain Fleischer quoting Godard: « Les attentats-suicides des Palestiniens pour parvenir à faire exister un Etat palestinien ressemblent en fin de compte à ce que firent les juifs en se laissant conduire comme des moutons et exterminer dans les chambres à gaz, se sacrifiant ainsi pour parvenir à faire exister l'Etat d'Israël. » ( http://bibliobs.nouvelobs.com/20091110/ ... isemitisme" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - was not able to find the direct link to Le monde, sorry.). Frankfurter Allgemeine says that this quote is not verified by Godord and that Fleischer is "only" quoting from memory… However, anybody here who noticed any similar other "echos" in their respective countries via the media?

[BrianInAtlanta]

Long review by J. Hoberman of Brody's book, although it comes off more like a Godard eulogy:
http://www.powells.com/review/2009_12_18.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jsteffe]

Apologies in advance for the pedantic rant that follows.

I finally picked up a copy of Le Gai savoir on DVD--I haven't seen the film before, in fact. I couldn't help but notice that the Fox Lorber edition translates the title as "The Joy of Learning." Someone should have told them that the title is borrowed from Nietzsche, so the English title should be rendered as The Gay Science, the standard English title for Nietzsche's book. Le Gai Savoir is actually the title of the book as it's translated in French. In fact, Nietzsche borrowed the title from a Provençal phrase gai saber, referring to the craft of the troubadour poet. So there's a very good reason why Walter Kaufmann chose to translate the title that way.

I checked Colin McCabe's book, and even he translates Godard's title as "Joyful Knowledge"--but I think the German word "Wissenschaft" is almost always translated as "science" in English. I haven't heard Adrian Martin's commentary on the Australian DVD--does he mention the Nietzsche connection at all?

At any rate, I'm looking forward to watching the film in a good transfer.

[Awesome Welles]

Thanks for the info JS, it's a shame that film got into the hands of people who didn't know what they were doing, when I come to watch it I'll keep that info in mind. I'm a little surprised by McCabe missing it, I thought he was usually pretty good on Godard.

Have you (or anyone else) read For Ever Godard by Michael Temple, it was recommended by my old lecturer, but she was a friend of Temple's and I guessed quite a fan of his personally so didn't know whether to go for it? It looked like a beautifully presented book by the tiny glance she gave me of it.

[cinemartin]

If my memory serves, it's actually a collection of numerous essays focusing on several aspects of Godard's work. Some of it is very interesting. I remember an interesting piece on Godard's trailers that's worth reading.

[accatone]

The book is very good in that it represents many differnt aspects to appreciate/discuss JLGs work. To my knowledge the most versatile book on the subject in english language (SON+IMAGE might be the other exception, at least to my knowledge). Its divided into 4 chapters (Work and Works; Form and Figure; Sound and Music; History and Memory) with several subchapters from various authors (Bellour and Daney to name just 2 among around 20 others). Plus, its available pretty cheap at the moment so obviously a blind buy!

[domino harvey]

For Ever Godard is discussed at length somewhere in this thread and yes, it's a must for anyone interested in late-period Godard

[tajmahal]

For Ever Godard is discussed at length somewhere in this thread and yes, it's a must for anyone interested in late-period Godard

What book/books would you recommend for Godard's earlier films, up until the end of the 60's?

[domino harvey]

I'm still going to say Brody's book but this will never be a popular opinion, so let me go with Morrey's Godard book in the French Film Directors series

[tajmahal]

I'm still going to say Brody's book but this will never be a popular opinion, so let me go with Morrey's Godard book in the French Film Directors series

Thanks for the recommendations. I've read some scathing reviews of Everything is Cinema, but I imagine it would be anything but boring, even if his assertions are contentious to some. At over 700 pages, it must, at the very least, offer a wealth of information. I might grab both, and read the Morrey book first.

Cheers!

[martin]

I haven't heard Adrian Martin's commentary on the Australian DVD--does he mention the Nietzsche connection at all?

Yes, here's what he says:

[Le gai savoir] comes sometimes with the very clumsy translation of 'The Gay Science', which is also how the book by Friedrich Nietzsche is translated. But the sense of it has not much to do with either gayness or science; it's more like 'Joyful Wisdom'.

[Ovader]

Just received an e-mail from Intermedio stating they are preparing a Godard essay film boxset of Le Gai savoir, Numero deux, Scenario du film 'Passion' and JLG/JLG: autoportrait de decembre plus a book in Castellano. No English subtitles.

[accatone]

These guys are releasing amazing JLGs…when i was in the Barca FNAC only some time ago i was almost (seriously) going nuts!!! I could have easily spend some hundred euros on their releases but thankfully the language barrier and the quite huge prices kept me away from buying DVDs (and saved me some great seafood dinners too…).

[Ovader]

There is no date given when the boxset is to be released but I may purchase the Dziga Vertov Group boxset from their site if there is no chance of getting an English subtitled release elsewhere.

[accatone]

It looks like they have a special "deal" with Gaumont being able to release all these titles. There are 2 german JLG boxsets that also come via Gaumont and fortunatly include the JLG/JLG: autoportrait de decembre in a very nice transfer. Hopefully there will be a 3 release including some of the "Intermedio" titles…

[martin]

According to Intermedio the aspect ratio for For Ever Mozart is 1.66:1? I would probably buy this box if only there was a decent (non-cropped) transfer of this particular film!

[jsteffe]

[Le gai savoir] comes sometimes with the very clumsy translation of 'The Gay Science', which is also how the book by Friedrich Nietzsche is translated. But the sense of it has not much to do with either gayness or science; it's more like 'Joyful Wisdom'.

Good. I saw that Kaja Silverman and Harun Farocki mentioned the connection in their book as well. The Nietzsche book is obviously where Godard got the idea for his title. It's too bad one can no longer use the adjective "gay" without automatically connoting homosexuality, at least as far as the book title is concerned. Eventually they'll have to change the standard title of the Nietzsche book in English.

[domino harvey]

According to Intermedio the aspect ratio for For Ever Mozart is 1.66:1? I would probably buy this box if only there was a decent (non-cropped) transfer of this particular film!

Better than the R1, which is 1.85 (I think?) and barely watchable

[Peacock]

Posting this in this thread as it's a Godard film..

Godard made a short homage to Rohmer which can be found further down the page. Unfortunately no english subs.

[justeleblanc]

I think the set might be worth it just for a better version of Keep Your Right Up. I'm also looking forward to their new transfer of Numero Deux.

[stephenp]

Screenings of Pierrot le fou and A bout de souffle in London later this month to coincide with publication of Bickerton's A Short History of Cahiers du Cinéma.

More details here:
http://versouk.wordpress.com/2010/03/15/4334/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Diotima1]

Hi! Couldn't anyone tell me whether intermedio released Soigne ta droite, For Ever Mozart, Soft and hard or not yet?

[evillights]

First installment (of ten) of two-hour interview (in French) with JLG re: Film Socialisme and more, filmed at his home on 27 April 2010 — one new installment being posted per day at Mediapart.fr until 19 May 2010.

http://cinemasparagus.blogspot.com/2010 ... odard.html

[evillights]

http://cinemasparagus.blogspot.com/2010 ... rview.html