Robert bresson 19011999 stands apart from all other directors. Acting, on the other hand, no matter how naturalistic, actively deforms or invents by putting an. A great deal of todays popular cinema, he said, is so big, loud, kinetic and, in many cases, grotesque. His films are not easy to find on the big screen, which is why this complete retrospective at the film center of the art institute, running through may 9, is a landmark. When characters stare at the camera in the films of alfred hitchcock, the look is almost always associated with the threat of death through the eyes of a victim. The french filmmaker robert bresson at the venice film festival in 1966. He has a distinctive style, but there is considerable disagreement concerning what, exactly, is the nature of that style. Her new approach was influenced, a little improbably, by french minimalist robert bresson of a man escaped and diary of a. Bresson made only thirteen feature films, but is often cited as a major film influence globally.
Jun 19, 2014 filmmakers, how much attention do you pay to a single body part, to a gesture. Bresson left us with a concise number of important films, as well as a rather simple and beautiful book of aphorisms ostensibly about the act of shooting a film, but perhaps about more than just that. A documentary about germanys early techno scene and culture duration. Born in chanteloup, seineetmarne, henri cartier bresson developed a strong fascination with painting early on, and particularly with surrealism. Bressons work celebrated at film center interviews roger. It looks like we dont have any akas for this title yet. A passion for film, james quantds casebook robert bresson, and ian camerons the films of robert bresson out of print but easily and cheaply attainable. Nonetheless, jeanluc godard has said that robert bresson is french cinema, as dostoevsky is the russian novel and mozart is german music. A quest into the filmstyle of one of the greatest masters of the cinema. Robert bresson 101 the films of robert bresson are daunting, no doubt. The french filmmaker only made thirteen feature films in a career spanning four decades, but his ascetic style has proven timeless.
Andrei tarkovsky, paul schrader, louis malle, dominique sanda, robert. The hands of bresson sundry observations on the art of. His standing as one of cinemas patron saints marks his work as genuinely intimidating. He studied cinema with paul strand in new york in 1935. A visual essay on the tactile world of robert bresson created for the criterion collection. Festival and college film society screenings aside, bresson was a virtual nonentity here, even during the foreign film boom of the 1950s and 60s. Henri cartier bresson may be considered the father of modern photojournalism, but he was not solely a photographer. Robert bresson s film can be interpreted in several ways. But this 1959 epic has seldom been equalled as a philosophical treatise on the subject. Robert bresson a work of archival criticism that forgoes the language of rigour for. When lu chuans city of life and death won the top prize at the san sebastian film festival two years ago, it was a testament not only to the emotional resonance and technical mastery of his widescreen blackandwhite epic, which dramatizes the infamous 1937 nanjing massacre at the height of the second sinojapanese war, but a tacit acknowledgment of the films daring revisionist ambitions. Looking back from her 2014 vantage point, campion is phlegmatic about her. Recalling the work of robert bresson, hadewijch is an uncompromising film with an.
Video essayist kogonada artfully isolates the hands at work in the films of french auteur robert bresson. Bressons first film in color, une femme douce a gentle woman, is based on the dostoevsky short story a gentle creature. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. Reviewed in the united kingdom on february 14, 2014. Robert bresson celebrity profile check out the latest robert bresson photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. For one thing, one can give it a religious interpretation. Known for his ascetic approach, bresson contributed notably to the art of cinema. Hoberman wrote in village voice, to not get bresson is to not get the idea of motion picturesits to have missed that train the lumiere brothers filmed arriving at lyon station 110 years ago. Secondly, it can be seen as an allegory of gay life. Hands of bresson 2014 letterboxd your life in film. Often described as a painter of films, french director robert bresson was one of cinemas greatest anomalies. The moral cinema of bresson, rohmer, and the dardennes. Robert bresson a work of archival criticism that forgoes the language of rigour for that of rapture.
The uks bestknown film critic, mark kermode offers up 50 personal viewing. The cannes international film festival is the most talkedabout film festival of the year, where directors from around the world showcase their newest work, from the most challenging art cinema to the big. Rethinking transcendental style university of california press. Robert bresson is a rare genius of the cinema, little known to the public, although serious movie lovers discover him sooner or later. The story focuses on the unknowable inner world of. He directed only films over the course of 40 years, but these films were in a category all their own, minimalist works that tended towards radical and sometimes controversial reinterpretations of such classical sources as diderot, dostoyevsky, and tolstoy. His performance was great, but the book was interpreted all wrong.
Cinema was as complete an imitation as possible of the. One immediately recognizes the handiwork of kogonada in this beautifully crafted video essay he created for the criterion collection. In 1932, after spending a year in the ivory coast, he discovered the leica his camera of choice thereafter and began a lifelong passion for photography. Robert bresson great director profile senses of cinema. Reader, keith, robert bresson, manchester university press, 2000. Hands of bresson edited by kogonada a meditative supercut illustrating how in the films of french new wave master robert bresson, every gesture has a meaning, no matter how small. Robert bresson biography, movie highlights and photos. The film follows a father and daughter as they try to save the life of their robotic family member. Tarkovsky on his favorite film directors excerpt from voyage in time by. Hfrance we are all still coming to terms with robert bresson, and the peculiar power and beauty of his films.
He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as capturing a decisive moment. Scorsese wondered if young filmmakers today could accept bressons challenge. This elegantly beautiful supercut on the tactile world of robert bresson by kogonada for criterion shows the great french directors notoriously precise skill is applied even at the slightest hand gesture. The director of frankie and keep the lights on opens up about how the emotional and sexual candor of chantal akermans feature debut has inspired his own deeply personal approach to cinema. Apr 18, 2012 we are still coming to terms with robert bresson, and the peculiar power and beauty of his films, martin scorsese said in the 2010 book a passion for film, describing the often. Robert bressons films include au hasard balthazar, a man escaped, pickpocket, mouchette. Just click the edit page button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the akas submission guide.
Destinies making themselves in a work of hands by m. Hands of bresson 2014 0617 2014 us documentary 4m user score. Magnum photos is a photographic cooperative of great diversity and distinction owned by its photographer members. A work of archival criticism that forgoes the language of rigour for that of rapture. The prison can represent sin, and it is divine grace that allows the hero to escape sin, and experience salvation. Most people think that bresson, one of the few film makers who has never had to compromise for commercial purposes, is an intellectual who knows precisely why he wants what he wants.
In the world of today, whatever the domain, france can now shine only through exceptional works. Jan 26, 2008 interview conducted by some french peuples in which bresson discusses his filmmaking methods. Robert bresson, addressed to himself, in notes on the cinematographer, quartet pbacks, eng. Although there is much written about him, yet he seems still to be the least understood famous director. Today, the work is sometimes considered bresson s masterpiece. Ira sachs finds a model of artistic courage in je tu il elle. Bresson and the elliptical economies of a master filmmaker.
Interview conducted by some french peuples in which bresson discusses his filmmaking methods. Your film let people feel the soul and the heart there, but let it be made like a work of hands. The director is known for lingering shots on hands, perhaps something brought over from his past as a painter as hands are notoriously difficult to get right on the canvas. The prison represents the modern world, and its persecution. Interestingly, bresson opens the film with a shot of a hand writing down the. A koreanborn man finds himself stuck in columbus, indiana, where his architect father is in a coma. Several documentaries he shot between the 1930s and the 1970s bear witness to his affection for the cinema, a medium that he sees as an alternative to photography in the way it sees the world and captures its movement. Life itself, based on roger ebert s memoir and directed by steve james, will open in theaters and be available on demand on july 4, 2014. With powerful individual vision, magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities. All of his features will be shown in new 35mm prints. August 22, 1908 august 3, 2004 was a french humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35 mm film.
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