Compelling and controversial : a sure shot recipe for success.

Le Mépris (1963) directed by Jean Luc Godard

Jean Luc Godard described his film as a story of a misunderstanding between a man and a woman.Le Mepris shows succinctly how true love can vanish when one lover becomes contemptible.Paul Javal is in a fix as to how he should assure his wife that he loves her a lot.Camile has no basis for her contempt which she directs against her innocent husband.The creative process has become an obstacle to their relationship.It is precisely due to this involvement that Camille is showing contempt for her husband.Le Mepris is the most revealing film about the edifying influence the cinema has on its creators.The film brilliantly captures the moods and emotions that go in making a film. Fritz Lang,in his role as a director brings the film closer to reality.He makes the film look more authentic.This has been Godard's tribute to the great master.Le Mepris audaciously discusses genuine European aesthetics v/s crass commercialization à la Hollywood.Prokosh is more interested in his wealth than art.Everyone knows that the conflict between Paul and Prokosh is inevitable.Prokosh's death symbolizes the zero in life. Le Mepris was constantly dogged by controversies and on one occasion even Godard was held in contempt by the film's producer George de Baroncelli.

Famous for all the wrong reasons. A good look at Creteil from the eyes of an odd

La dernière femme (1976) de Marco Ferreri

After having attended a film festival in Creteil (a posh suburb of Paris), I accidentally got a chance to watch "La derniere femme" on big screen. This invigorating experience took me in a not so distant past to a nice place called Creteil circa 1976. I was much too thrilled to have known Creteil through the vision of a maverick filmmaker Marco Ferreri for which he teamed with his regular partner Rafael Azcona. La dernière femme is a film which will easily please people of varied tastes. It can be liked by feminists,admirers of actors Depardieu and Ornella Muti and supporters of a highly unconventional filmmaker Marco Ferreri. The essential charm of this film lies in Creteil and its high rise buildings.Some of them are occupied by the likes of Depardieu and Muti.There is Michel Piccoli too who lends credible support to the narrative pattern. During my viewing of this film I did not mind at all watching a small
kid act alongside Depardieu and Muti.I doubt as to how this can be true of other viewers who might find such a move harmful for young minds. Watch it to explore other films by Marco Ferreri.

Responsibilities of an artist shown through Rivette's singular cinematographic vision.

La Belle Noiseuse (1991) directed by Jacques Rivette

Edouard Frenhofer-a renowned painter left his supreme creation "La Belle Noiseuse" unfinished for ten years.His wife Liz modeled for it.He receives Porbus-an art agent and a young ambitious painter Nicolas in his château in the south of France.Porbus convinces him to complete the painting with a fresh model Marianne.This leads to an emotional turmoil between Frenhofer,Liz and Marianne.Jacques Rivette has created films which are fascinating examples of human emotions.As an avant-garde filmmaker,he relies heavily on literary texts.The film is a loose adaptation of Honore de Balzac's short story "The Unknown Masterpiece".La Belle Noiseuse is an honest film about creativity and its implications on our daily lives.It is true that Rivette took 4 hours of screen time in order to get to the bottom of his protagonists' emotional turmoil yet the wait is worth it as it is too small a price to pay.La Belle Noiseuse demands active participation on audience's part as Rivette makes us examine all aspects of creative art.Frenhofer,through his art attempts to make us comprehend basic human weakness felt by an artist.He dropped the idea of La Belle Noiseuse as he was scared and had not set foot in his atelier for a long time.The four-hour La Belle noiseuse was also released in 1993 in a two-hour version,entitled Divertimento as France 3 felt that a shorter version would be easy for everyone to grasp.The 4 hour film will certainly prove to be a nerve wrecking cinematic encounter for laid-back viewers who are not used to Rivette's protracted style of film-making.

Leos Carax : master of visual poetry.

Les Amants du Pont-Neuf (1991) directed by Leos Carax

Leos Carax is not a conventional cineaste.His films are a fascinating confirmation of his splendid strength of mind.Les Amants du Pont Neuf was declared mythical by the media even before it had been shot.The film is one of the most beautiful,tender,touching love stories to have emerged from the realm of French cinema.The film also shows the plight of homeless people in a positive light.It has tackled this burning issue in practically documentary fashion.Carax has created a love story in difficult,tough,unusual circumstances.Pont-Neuf denotes evasion for outsiders like Alex,Hans and Michele as it helps them to stay away from daily triteness.It is a dwelling which allows them to live their lives fully:Michele as a painter,Alex as a fire eater.