Deconstruction and Reorganization-Godard's Game

Maeve 2022-01-12 08:01:37

I remember hearing this sentence from an interview with Quentin: "Melville and Leon may be the greatest refactoring masters of all time." When saying this, Quentin should not forget Godard 1964 Nian's work "Outside the Law" is also a movie that he has benefited a lot from.

Godard’s understanding of movies is undoubtedly undoubted. It’s just that people who are as knowledgeable and extensive as he has become a famous film critic or a self-contained director, and Godard seems to have always been proud of breaking the rules. And rarely create a style that is more acceptable to the public. "Outside the Law" should be regarded as an exception. Godard finally told a simple and wonderful story in the cloak of a gangster movie. It is simple because there are only 3 main characters in the film, Odile, Franz and Arthur. There are only 3 main places where the story takes place: the teacher, the cafe, and the villa where Odile lives. The plot development of the story is also a traditional three-stage style. : Initiation-planning-robbery. Everything is so concise and clear, but there are many interesting scenes between the three, and Godard's waltz-like scene management, there is a kind of relaxed beauty in simplicity. It is wonderful because even when the plot was suspended, Godard did not forget to use word games, film references, and various experimental shooting techniques to gag, and while testing the audience's knowledge, he also kept himself silent. In this way, there is no cold spot in 90 minutes, becoming Godard's most understandable work without losing his own unique style.

Another point of the film inspiring people is that it shows a brand new way of filming. Some people say that filming video to make a bartender, but I think Godard's filming of "Outside the Law" is like cooking. The stimulating feast of American film noir and vulgar fiction, sprinkled with sweet French literary condiments, accompanied by Michel Legrand’s mellow waltz, and Godard’s own poetic narration, these seem to be irrelevant and almost conventional. The clichés of the movie are rejuvenated under Godard's modulation, and they are integrated into a new and delicious taste. How can anyone who is obsessed with movies resist its temptation? "Pulp Fiction", which turned out 30 years later, is actually the same reason, so in addition to the tutu dance, Quentin also took a lot of lessons from Godard.

In short, "Outside the Law" allowed me to see another side of Godard. As long as he wants, he can tell a story like other directors like playing a game, but that's not his interest. Sometimes he might set himself on fire, but it was definitely not because he couldn't play with matches.

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Extended Reading
  • Shanie 2022-03-27 09:01:15

    "Did the whole world become a dream, or did the dream become the world?" This line sums up almost all the movies that reflect the French in the 1960s. The most shocking is the scene where Arthur and his uncle shot each other. Naked break with the previous generation. The end laughs to death, pushing the whole film's banter of movies and American gangster films to a climax. In addition, I finally saw the source of many film history/literary allusions (Quentin, Ximeng, Footless Bird, Feeding the Tiger...)

  • Janiya 2022-03-28 09:01:08

    I revisited it again, and I forgot to watch it and give it five stars. Thanks to the CC-like rich tidbits, I have a better understanding of the allusions that bring dialogue and voiceovers.

Band of Outsiders quotes

  • Odile: All that is new is, by that fact, automatically traditional.

  • English Teacher: Today no need to know how to ask for directions or a room with a bath; today we must know how to spell 'Thomas Hardy'.