The French New Wave has influenced a great many filmmakers. Many directors have become inspired by the gritty, realistic, fighting style that the New Wave directors created. One of the most important aspects of the New Wave was the cinematography of the films. Hand-held cameras and quick jump editing were often used. It is this brand of style that has had repercussions into modern cinema.
One of the greatest examples of this style is showcased in the work of modern director Michel Gondry. While French himself, Gondry has worked in Hollywood for many years, working in diverse types of media, from music videos to feature films. What has remained consistent, however, is the innovative cinematography. Gondry uses hand held cameras to create a ‘home movie’ feel to his work. In his nouvelle-classic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Gondry used brilliant special effects (which, I believe, while not exactly characteristic of the New Wave, is characteristic to the innovation and creativity of the directors of the New Wave) and shot with a single camera to allow for improvisation, which was especially significant to the freedom associated with the directors of the New Wave. Furthermore, the article assigned in class stated “Women were given strong parts that did not conform to the archetypical roles seen in most Hollywood cinema,” something that is also relevant to Eternal Sunshine, whose lead character was Clementine, a fiercely independent woman.
While not a direct homage to the New Wave, Michel Gondry’s style and film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has brought the New Wave to modern eyes. The storyline of two extraordinary, if a bit eccentric people, with scenes of normal, and some might say bland interactions, combined with the choppy and personal style of filming creates a subtle reminder for all cine-philes of the finer points of the French New Wave.
No comments:
Post a Comment