La Vie En Rose + Band of Outsiders ( Bande a part…Godard 1964 )

 Aaah…French cinema.. 

They certainly don’t do things by halves.

This weekend, on Saturday night,  I was lucky enough… to be invited to watch a 16mm print of Godard’s “Band of Outsiders” ( 1964 )

This was at artist, Peter Kingston’s house….which is more like a fun palace. Filled with quirky toys….spiral staircases and unexpected rooms…the giant kewpie doll was my favourite. 

There are views of twinkling luna park…so a person immediately regresses into a giggling five year old…as soon as they enter.  Though some of us were already giggling before we got there.  But that’s another story.

From time to time, Peter  invites about 20 people to watch classic films from the National Film & Sound Archive.  And I tagged along with Peter’s nephew, my pal Clary.

“Band of Outsiders” is an existentualist’s wet dream.  So hip and with such a sense of ease…who wouldn’t want to be part of “nouvelle vague” filmmaking?  No wonder Godard revolutionized cinema …with that excellent mix of philosophy, literature, stream-of-consciousness inner monologues and don’t give a damn attitude. 

There’s an appearance of effortlessness…that’s there in all great art.

Band of Outsiders makes a film like Pulp Fiction look very contrived.

Hell…it even makes crappy YouTube videos look forced and overly planned.

————————————————————

 LA VIE EN ROSE…is an ironic thought for the life of Edith Piaf. 

 Sure, I’m well aware it’s one of her most famous songs. I can even sing it.

 But “Bonjour Tristesse” would be a far more apt description of Piaf’s life.

This film, which opened the Sydney Film Festival, but which I missed…and now have finally seen…

has one of the longest death scenes since the demise of Puccini’s Camille.

I’m going to now reveal…that when I was 12 years old…and most guys were listening to heavy metal…and other head-banging stuff… I had secretly discovered Edith Piaf…in my parent’s collection…and got into it.

So my view on this film…is tinged by that.

It’s a 2hour 20 minute sentimental portrait of a French icon that packs in more emotional trauma than “Sybil” ….with an astonishing central performance by Marion Cotillard.

Subtle, it’s not.  More like…let’s make a movie concentrating about 90% on the bad things that happened to Edith Piaf.

 This film made me want to give Edith Piaf a hug.

 Now… I’m worried about… what a sad 12 year old I was.