Let the experts tell you what the New Wave is
The epoch-making author's film: the beginning and end of the French New Wave films>
Source: Author : Jean-Pierre. Jean Cora
“There is one thing we cannot emphasize enough: the 'New Wave' is neither a movement, a school, nor a group. It is just a certain amount, created by the press. The purpose of the collective name is to group the more than fifty newcomers who have emerged in the industry in the past two years into one category. In the past, there were only three or four newcomers each year.”
——Francois. Truffaut, "Osservatore Fran?aise", October 19, 1961
"...However, this is indeed a good time. Now that this trick is over, the producers certainly hope to attract young people to become white. Made a 'New Wave' film.
——Michel Deville's "Main Features", Issue 58, February 1964
1958 is both French history and French cinema. A turning point in history.
From May to September 1958, the political situation was turbulent, and the Fourth French Revolution and the National Bank were about to disappear. ① Refers to France after the end of World War II and before de Gaulle was elected president. ——Translator... There is a kind father who will personally save the French from the quagmire of the Algerian war and from the shame and humiliation.
At the same time, the movie. There were signs of renewal, which caused repercussions in the literary salons. Later, major newspapers and periodicals dubbed this new trend the "New Wave".
New France wants new films. The slogan came into being. Of course, neither France nor French movies had changed as much as was promoted at the time... It doesn't matter, after all, 1958 was a turning year.
The "New Wave". The term has always been popular, and people still talk about "New Wave" films and the "New Wave" period, either with hostility or nostalgia for a producer with limited talents but great imagination. , and even held a "Next Wave Day" one day in 1966 to release and screen Pierre de Longac's "The Gun Hunt", although this film soon became unpopular with the "New Wave". It's the movies.
However, the emergence of the "New Wave" has a much broader background. To understand its origins, it should be traced to this issue of "Express" published on October 3, 1957. One day, a close-up of a young girl's face was printed on the cover of a weekly magazine, with the title "The New Wave is Coming" and a quote from Charles Beguy (1873-1914): French poet and political commentator. He presided over justice in the sensational Dreyfus case and defended Dreyfus. His works include the play "Joan of Arc" and the long poem "Eve". After 1905, he published the book "My Motherland". Promote chauvinism. - Translator)'s motto: "We are the center and the heart, and the central axis passes through us. We must judge the times with our actions." At that time, an extensive nationwide consultation activity was being carried out, and the General Secretary raised 21 questions. From October 10 to December 12, the "Express" weekly published The "National Report on Youth Issues" summarized from the answers and analysis articles aroused a strong response. At that time, the term "New Wave" was always associated with the "Express", even from June 26 to December 1958. On the 11th, the cover of each issue of "Express" was printed with the subtitle: "New Wave Journal" for half a year... At that time, the term "New Wave" had not yet been mentioned. The term appears in newspapers, most likely Fran?oise Giraud (1916); French female writer, one of the founders of "Express". Later, she served as vice-president of the Radical Socialist Party and worked in Giscard d'Estaing. He holds an important position in the Ministry of Women. His works include "New Wave", "Portrait of Youth", "If I'm Lying", "Power Comedy", etc. - Translator) and the movie started to make fun. A few months later.
In an issue published on October 30, 1958, this "Express" published a letter signed by the director of the film "We Are All Murderers" (filmed in 1952, directed by Kayat. - Translator) A notice titled "Would you like to contribute to Kayat's film?" "The content of the notice is: "After reading the 'New Wave', I decided to make a film with this theme. I am in front of the screen, and you are behind the scenes. I am confident, and you hope that someone will speak for you... Waiting to hear back, sorry Report to Mr. André Kayat, 81 Avenue Elysée, Paris, "Express" magazine. Sure enough, the newspaper received some replies and published them in the Express on November 20, 1958. Many of the replies highlighted the Algerian war and were eager to see it represented on screen. (In a survey conducted in the spring of 1957, one question asked: "What is the number one national problem for the French?" Among the answers of the "New Wave" youth, Algeria ranked first (20 percent 8), followed by "finding a stable government" (24%). These two issues were also at the center of French political life during the following four years, and only a few so-called "New Wave" films were devoted to them. Reaction. ——Original note) This matter is not discussed below. If Andre. If Kayat's film is indeed made, the "New Wave" as the world knows it will not be what it is today...
Later, history reserved a specific meaning for the term "New Wave". The first person to use the term "new wave" in this sense was probably Pierre. Biar. He published an investigative report in the February 1958 issue of "Cinema" titled "Youth Academy of French Film". He listed a list of young directors. The list was so complex that it would be hilarious twenty years later. (Directors born after 1918 are all considered "youth": Verneuil, Bordelli and Récamé are actually listed with Louis Malle, while directors like Alain Resnais who "made short films" and " Rivette, Truffaut, and Chabrol of the "Cahiers school" are still not on the list), Bial finally asserted. "It's really puzzling why this 'new wave' is still following its predecessors obediently."
However, it was not until the spring of 1959 that around the Keena Film Festival and the Ranapur It was at the gathering of young directors that the "New Wave" of films really became famous and has been popular ever since.
Flashback
You can follow two parallel roads to find the roots of the "New Wave".
First, when the wave has passed and the future has become clear, some famous seniors demand recognition of their place in the "new wave". Film historians recognize Agnès. Varda (in 1954 he filmed "The Village on the Cape") or Alexander. Astruc (who filmed "The Encounter" in 1955) played a pioneering role, and perhaps also acknowledged the pioneering role of Jean-Pierre Pierre. Melville was a pioneer, and he also boasted of it: "The 'New Wave' was an invention of journalists... What the new directors were doing was something I planned to do in 1937. Unfortunately, it wasn't until It was only after I made "The Silence of the Ocean" in 1947 that I realized my long-cherished wish."
Another approach is equally noteworthy, that is, to look back at the years before the "New Wave" with peers. How French cinema changes over the course of the month, and how people feel about these changes.
Mention must also be made of the weekly Express. In those years, this weekly magazine reflected the changing thoughts of young people in a timely and sensitive manner. On January 30, 1958, the cover of "Express" published the leading actor of the film "Elevator to the Gallows" Maurice Rees. A still from Ronnet, and a reference to Louis. An inscription by Druck: "From now on, it will not just be well-behaved children playing with memories." In the same year, on March 13, Denis. Wen Sang's writings analyze Edward. Molinaro's film "Back to the Wall": "For many years, the films produced by any French studio have looked like old goods and rough, but this film is different. A young generation of directors The old guys who work hard to impress are being driven away from the camera. They want to do it themselves, following the example of Clouzot or Baker, and shoot a lot of films.
What shrewdness and memory these young men have! It's even a bit excessive..."
On November 6 of this year, Fran?ois Ledelier talked about the scene when he was filming "The Lovers" not long ago; "...Only when a cameraman The team can only exert such great energy when they feel in the director a firm belief in the new film and a strong will to at least not copy the same old formulas of current films. In short, such a large group of people (nearly thirty people) had to adapt to the material conditions of making a short film. ...It’s up to the audience to judge how effective it is, though. This approach suggests that something is changing in French cinema. Chabrol also adopted this approach, and his crew was about the same size. ”
A week later, on the same page, Danny Windsor divided the camps even more confidently: “For the benefit of the company, the best profit-making film concocted according to the production prescription is "Doom" "The End" ("The End" was filmed in 1958, directed by Udang Raha, starring Brigitte Ba Feng. Translator), the worst would be a film like "Maxim", and with At the same time, parallel cinema was being born because some people already felt that the innovation in cinema lay not in widescreen with anamorphic lenses, not in color, or in any technical advances, but came from 'within'; most of these people Youth... Yes, this kind of departure from the traditional path was probably inspired by the quality award established in December 1955. "(The French Ministry of Culture sets up this award to encourage creative directors. - Translator)
At the end of 1958, the French changed their governments (which they were accustomed to), also changed their presidents, and even Even the Communist Party of China also changed its name, and more than half of the people voted in favor (79.25% of the votes approved de Gaulle's new constitution, and only 15% abstained); and, they were told; French films must also change!
Overview
The "New Wave" came out during the 1958-1959 film year, and its symbol is: Claude Chabrol. The first two films were released on commercial networks ("Beautiful Serge" on February 2, 1959, and "Cousins" on March 11, 1959), Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" and Alain Resnais's "Hiroshima Mon Amour" (for introductions to these four films, please refer to the French "New Wave" and "Left Bank School" published in the 1st and 2nd NI Issues of "Film Art Translation Series" in 1980. - Translator) was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1959. From 1961 onwards, some people claimed that the "New Wave" was in decline. It even wrote: "Now we can say that the 'New Wave' has ended..." We believe that the "New Wave" as a social and economic phenomenon has lasted for four years, which is probably good for its rise. It weakened on its own between 1958 and 1962.
If we limit ourselves to summarizing the facts and summarizing the phenomenon of the "New Wave" without comment, it should include two categories of cases on the one hand. , on the other hand, involves newspapers, news and reviews surrounding the film.
The first is film. During the above-mentioned four years, at least ninety-seven directors shot and launched their first feature films. This was enough to shock professionals and public opinion, and serious publications focused on raising the significance of the phenomenon and analyzing it, while newspapers with larger circulations only tried to preserve the "New Wave". "This suitable trademark was then generously stamped everywhere: from the film to the director, from the big star to the rising star in the film industry. The "new wave" has marketability, and everyone is engaged in the "new wave" for domestic sales and export. The film and The buzz surrounding the film's promotions was mixed together, and it soon became difficult to tell them apart. At that time, the war in Algeria was going on, and it became fashionable to "poison the air" with words and ink. So, people started to poison the air again around the "new wave". "Yes."
It is purely accidental that the "New Wave" occurred at the same time as the changes in French political situation. Even if the Fourth Republic continues, there will still be a "new wave".
As we will see below, this phenomenon is inevitable and, even in another political context, a series of specific reasons will promote the emergence of a "new wave". But the unrest in France (or perhaps the illusion of unrest) played a role in fueling the situation. New people, new forms, and new vocabulary are needed. Newspapers are naturally hungry for this turbulent situation. "Sales are booming" with news such as new financial giants, Charles de Gaulle's speech, long skirts, and the "New Wave." In order to appear knowledgeable, the "New Wave" was simply called N. V. "(The first letter of the French word "New Wave". - Translator)
The "New Wave" is a menacing and widespread phenomenon, and now the exam will be merged into the "New Wave"
We should look back at the ossification of films during the Fourth Republic. At that time, there were relatively few film creators, and many of them were already on the stage. Due to his age, talent renewal has been very limited since the Second World War. Specifically, Max Luer had died in 1958, and Jacques Baker and Jean Grémy were only a few months old. ．Renoir, Rene Clair, Abel Tons, Sacha Gutry, Marcel Parnell (The directors mentioned in this article are the masters of French cinema since the 1920s. - Translator) They are all old men, and their period from 1957 to 1959 was relatively minor, but the twelve most prolific directors in the past ten years have made their last films. They are Raymond Bernard. Er, André Bedomio, Marcel Bristano, Henri Diamant-Berger, Leonid Mogu , Jean Staley, Robert Venet... In order to ensure that French cinema can continue to survive in all aspects, it is inevitable and urgent to hand over the responsibility to people who have been waiting in secondary positions for about ten years. . All in all, it is imperative that someone with a professional background take over. Among the first emerging directors, Edward Molinaro was born in 1928. He worked as an assistant for Maurice Decay and Andre Bedomio, and later made documentaries. After working professionally for ten years, he cautiously tried to make a feature film ("Back Against the Wall" in May 1959). On March 10, he gave a speech at the Ranappur Forum, pointing out his position in the "new wave" and being quite self-aware. He said: "In my opinion, it seems that the so-called 'new wave' should be divided. The other two are young directors who have entered the film industry through formal channels, that is, integrated into the formal production system; on the other hand, they are a group of people who have finally won the trust of young producers or outsiders. I think, if there were no Truffaut or Chabrol, those of us who have come through the formal channels would still be the orthodox ‘officials’ in the film industry. Now that their movies are out there, I'm lucky enough that my next one won't be too lame. Of course, for ten years, I had no choice but to make films in that style. At that time, I had no other choice; next year, I will change the way I shoot. "
Edward Molinaro did not change the way he made movies. Once the "New Wave" craze subsided, he became the fifth largest and most famous film maker in the country." "Legendary Official", his film chronology lists twenty-four films (this count ends in 1978). In 1980, Molinaro made another film. "The Mad Woman" Part 2. 1 Translator), one of the longest film chronologies in the past twenty years -...
In the "New Wave", there were two or three dozen professional directors who started making feature films at the same time as Molinaro. People such as Pierre Granier-Defer, who served as assistant director to Jean-Paul Leshanova or Marcel Carnet; Nay, he worked as a scene recorder, editor, and assistant director to Nobel Carbonne; Jacques Delais, he served as Assistants to Jules and Dason. It seems that someone as unique as Claude Sauter, Jean Giroir or Louis Malle should be added to this list.
For all these people, getting involved in feature films is their destination after "their training is over". Although it has been hard work for many years, it is also necessary.
Some people are surprised when they find out that they have been given such a fashionable reputation. Michelle. De Vere expressed this sentiment a few years later: "I followed the traditional path step by step. This is what makes me different from the 'new wave'. At first, I worked as a trainee director, and then as a trainee director. The second assistant director, and also served as Degouan's first assistant director, and later became a technical consultant. After filming "Tonight Never Comes Again" (the film was shot in 1960. - Translator), someone said, Belonging to the 'New Wave', I was greatly surprised. When we wrote the script, Nina Comba?ez and I were convinced that we were working against the 'New Wave'." (See "Main Film", February 1964, p. Issue 58. ——Original note) Starting from short films
(Short films include documentaries, scientific and educational films, experimental films, etc. ——Translator)
They may not have a professional background, but they Undoubtedly the one everyone expects: A Cang. Resnais, George. Franjou, and Pierre. Custer, Henry. Fabiani, Robert. Mengoz, Jean. Doev, and others... In the late fifties, when film club activity was at its heyday, these people who were making short films were introduced and recognized. Famous films include "Paris" and "Blood of Beasts" (Georges Franju), "War" and "The Cursed Architect" (Pierre Castel), "The Mortal Sin", "My Janet and My Companion", "House Crisis" (Jean Doevi)... Of course, there is also Alain. Resnais's "Van Gogh", "Gauguin", "Guernica", "Night and Fog" and "All the Memory of the World". This article does not intend to write about the Group of Thirty (the Group of Thirty refers to a group of people who shot documentaries headed by Alain Resnais. By December 1958, the number of members of this group had reached 123. - Translator ) history, it should only be emphasized that for ten years short films gave France's aspiring cinema both a place and a place to be reckoned with.
The short films made by these people have never been widely screened. Or maybe it was only used as an "additional film" for a commercial film to have the opportunity to be widely screened, but the audience responded with indifference and impatience. The film "Night and Fog" is the only exception. This film became famous between 1957 and 1958, and audiences from other provinces rushed to see Luciano. It was because they learned that Emile's Italian film "Bigamy" would be starring Alan. Lei Nai's "Night and Fog", the opportunity cannot be missed, the time will never come again!
Especially through the channels of cultural networks such as film clubs, newspapers and magazines, and film festivals, people have learned that in France, there is not only Delanova, but also Denis. Delabatellier (1921-1921), whose main works include "Taxi to Dubruck" --- translator) came to replace Delanova. People love Alan. Lei Nai has high hopes. He and other film directors were expected to make a left-leaning film. Because, it goes without saying, judging from several short films, Alan. Resnais and several other directors are leftists; while most directors in the Fourth Republic have "betrayed" the present and are hiding in anecdotes or costume films to make a living. It is through those short films that we can see the life of contemporary French people on the screen, see the housing crisis, see the miners' strike...
It is also in these short films that a new style gradually takes shape, and the film avoids The overly elaborate narrative style that Truffaut once railed against. These short films can be experimental, bold, and expose current ills. And it is precisely these characteristics that are sorely lacking in the 1957 "Successful" film.
Of course, it is not very certain that the best person in the thirty-eight-member group will switch to making feature films, even if Pierre. Castel once pointed the way with trepidation (among these people, Pierre Castel was the first to make a feature film. In 1957, he shot "Love in a Bag" - translator). However, new demands arose due to the advancement of audiences and the establishment of specialized cinemas in large cities. The state provided the initial impetus through funding in the form of advance revenue.
Since May 1957, major newspapers and periodicals have reported on Alan. The news that Resnais is about to shoot a large-scale documentary about the atomic bomb in France and Japan... (The term "large-scale documentary" was used in the original report, - original note)
A sudden rise
What is historical fact , what is a rendered legend is most difficult to discern here. The editors of "Cahiers du Cinema" have long planned to take action personally, and they have never been shy about it. Several of them have already established themselves in the so-called "profession" of film, where the lines are not so clear-cut. For example, Claude. Chabrol once served as a press specialist for Twentieth Century Fox (At that time, Chabrol was responsible for editing new titles for the French versions of American films. - Translator). Later, he also brought Jean-Luc. Godard and Paul. Zhigov introduced him (Zhigov wrote a script for Chabrol for a while, and later made a film called "Ebb", which was stillborn like many films in the "New Wave" period). Some people have tried to make documentaries, but with mixed success (for example, Jacques Rivette's "The Shepherd's Luck" and Francois Truffaut's "The Boy"). Inheritance, a successful marriage - these chance opportunities also provided them with the necessary funds to "plan" their first feature film. Before the film even came out, they started hyping it so much that the meaning of the term "New Wave" has since become tacitly narrowed. As a result, these fake amateurs appropriated the "New Wave" banner as their own. One film after another, they made some money and opened production companies (for example, Claude Chabrol started Ajim Production Company, which later became the production company of Philippe de Broca, Eli The first few feature films of C. Rohmer and Jacques Rivette provided full or partial financing). Soon, even the more conservative producers were sniffing out the ways to make money, the golden opportunity and the political climate (Claude Chabrol said: "We must not be fooled; the major newspapers and magazines were talking endlessly" Us, this is because they intend to impose a formula: de Gaulle = innovation. The generals came, the Communist Party changed, France was reborn, and the film was the same as in other fields. Under the shelter of Shuangshiwei, young people have a place to show their talents!",----Original note), so he also began to invest in low-cost films.
Within two years, almost all the editors of this yellow publication were behind the camera: Claude. Chabrol and Francois. Truffaut, and then Jean-Luc. Godard, Jacques. Doniol-Valcroz, Eric. Rohmer, Jacques. Rivette, Claude. De Gevlay. With their support, some relatives and friends also came, such as Philip. Debreux, Jean. Aurel, Francois. Morey, Leonard. Kegel or Jean-Louis. Richard.
Pierre. Custer was a different story. He did not entirely belong to the "New Wave" generation (in addition to twelve more famous short films, in 1957 he had already directed "Love in the Bag" starring Jean Mallet, which was still a local film at the time. (an authentic traditional film), but he has connections with all branches of the "New Wave": he completed his traditional "schooling" as Grémillon's assistant; he was also a member of the Group of Thirty, the much-anticipated In the end, he was a freelance journalist who made a living by selling articles. He wrote many articles for "Cahiers du Cinéma". As a result, the "Cahiers du Cinéma" faction shamelessly included him in their name. This is the same as Alan when they were filming "Hiroshima Love". Reinai's approach to classifying himself as one of his own was based on the same approach.
Between 1959 and 1960, it was all a mess, and there was no way to figure it out. This may be intentional or unintentional. Every producer wants his own "new wave" film, his own new director. In this uncontrollable whirlpool, there are actually dozens of debut films, but many of them have never been screened. At that time, among the criteria for selecting directors to be hired, expertness was the last one.
This ambiguous and chaotic situation was quickly associated with the term "New Wave".
People who flatter the "New Wave" movement are often leaders of the movement. They brag about their unconstrained style in Cahiers du Cinema or Art Weekly, brag about their chic style in their drama, brag about their style and A break from the rigid traditions of producers or unions... They feel complacent about being able to get off the ground with a small investment, and they have endless fantasies. During the Ranappur discussion, producer Henry. Dorschmeister also came to ride the wave. He wrote in Art Weekly: "Every producer is happy with the achievements of the young people of the 'New Wave', because it is they who have transformed movies from all kinds of They freed films from the minimum crew limits imposed by industry unions and set them directly on the streets, in real houses, in real houses and in nature. They liberated the film from layers of censorship. The views of this censorship organization on art, life, morality, how to influence young people, and how to maintain national dignity are really ridiculous. They have broken down the strict rules and regulations of the "old-timers" when making films. They have abandoned the practice of purely pursuing technical perfection."
They are proud of not knowing the business. Chabrol said: "In order to process the first shot of "Beautiful Serge", I had to ask which viewfinder of the camera I should focus on. I didn't even know where to look!" Chabrol It doesn't matter that the anecdote Rohr told in Ranappur was true or a joke. It shows after all that in 1959, laymen felt comfortable and even proud of calling themselves a layman. !
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