DVD Corner

Godard And Gorin: Five Films 1968-1971 Blu-ray Review

“Godard and Gorin: Five Films 1968-1971” will have limited appeal.

Renowned director Jean-Luc Godard is perhaps most well known for being a major part of the French New Wave movement with films like “Breathless” and “Weekend.” In the late 60’s and early 70’s, however, Godard teamed up with critic/journalist Jean-Pierre Gorin for a number of experimental and political films. These feature films are intellectual, poetical, extremely political in nature, arty to the max, and are films that are part of the “revolutionary filmmaking” as it was known. Thanks to Arrow Academy, 5 of these obscure and hard to find films (“Wind From The East,” “Struggles In Italy,” “A Film Like Any Other,” “British Sounds” and “Vladimir And Rosa”) have now been collected in a new box set together.

For those wondering what these films are all about, I should preface my descriptions by saying that these “films” are not traditional narrative works nor are they exactly accessible. They’re part documentaries at time, they’re scripted at other times, and they’re cinematic experimentations at other points. Make of that as you will. Anyway “Wind From The East” (AKA “Le vent d’est”) is the hardest to summarize (and perhaps the hardest to watch) as it’s about communism, western culture, cinema, and more. “Struggles In Italy” (AKA “Lotte in Italia” is about an alleged revolutionary Italian woman who isn’t really revolutionary. Other subject matters are also explored here such as the class system. “A Film Like Any Other” (AKA “Un film comme les autres”) is about the events that transpired in May 1968 and focuses on car factory workers and student protestors chatting together. “British Sounds” (AKA “See You At Mao”) is comprised of a collection of imagery (such as a nude woman and a auto factory assembly line) that examines the everything from sight and sound to class system. Lastly, there’s “Vladimir And Rosa” (AKA “Vladimir Et Rosa”) which is another largely political piece about everything from the Chicago 8 trial to protests.

While historians, intellectuals, Godard enthusiasts, and art film lovers will find much to admire about these 5 films, most people will likely have a difficult time absorbing these art films. While they are undoubtedly curious time capsules and unique works by a cinematic artist in Godard, it’s tough to actually watch these frequently pretentious, rambling, and some might say egotistical films. Whether you’re watching people anonymously talk on a grassy field in “A Film Like Any Other” or staring at an auto factory assembly line for far too long, these films can really test your patience. Other viewers may feel completely lost by the subject matters (especially if they are unaware of the politics of the time period these films were made in). Basically, these films are not for everyone (to say the least).

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.37:1 1080p. How does it look? The obscure films have been given crisp transfers that will surely please fans of the films.

Audio Tracks: Uncompressed Mono. How do they sound? They’re Mono tracks to be sure, but they do the job.

Extras: * A thick booklet containing film credits, an essay by Michael Witt, 3 pieces by Jean-Luc Godard, an interview with Godard, and odds and ends about “Un film comme les autres” * DVD copies of each film. * “A Conversation With JLG”- A 2 hour plus 2010 interview with Jean-Luc Godard that also includes clips from his films. * “Michael Witt On Godard, Gorin and the Dziga Vertov Group”- A 9 part extra in which film historian Michael Witt dives into the group’s films as well as plenty of information about politics, Godard and Gorin, and the time period. * A “Schick After Shave” commercial by Godard.

July 10, 2018 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | A Film Like Any Other, Arrow Academy, British Sounds, Godard And Gorin: Five Films 1968-1971 Blu-ray Review, Jean-Luc Godard, Struggles In Italy, Vladimir and Rosa, Wind From The East