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Director:
Jean-Luc Godard
Writer:
Alberto Moravia (novel)
Stars:
Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Michel Piccoli |
I picked this movie because I wanted to include a Goddard film in my list. After I had watched the film, and then checked out the reviews I have decided that Contempt was a poor choice for this list. The first thing I read was that this film was an attempt by Goddard to do a big budget and big star movie. Evidently he got all of this out of his system, and went on to view the movie as negative experience.
The film is about an unsuccessful playwright who is hired by a Sleazy American producer to work on a script of a movie for a great movie director (Fritz Lang playing himself). The playright is married to a sexy typist (Bridget Bardot) who becomes the target for the American Producer. The film is going to be based on the Odyssey, but the American producer has a Hercules- style ripoff in mind, while lang wants to make an art film.
Ebert claims that the movie can be interpreted on multiple levels. 1) a parallel to the Odyssey with the playright, Bardot as Penelope, and Palance as Poseiden. 2) Another way of viewing the film is the screenwriter as Godard, the woman as Bardot's character, and the producer as the two producers attached to this project.
The film overall is a critique of the film industry in general. Ebert claims that this is the subject of much of Godard's work. I rated this movie a solid three which for me means a good movie, but for the above reasons, I could not go higher. I am going to have to watch a few more of Godard's work. I believe i will rewatch Breathless, and also watch his King Lear.
Director:
Jean-Luc Godard
Writer:
Alberto Moravia (novel)
Stars:
Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Michel Piccoli |
I picked this movie because I wanted to include a Goddard film in my list. After I had watched the film, and then checked out the reviews I have decided that Contempt was a poor choice for this list. The first thing I read was that this film was an attempt by Goddard to do a big budget and big star movie. Evidently he got all of this out of his system, and went on to view the movie as negative experience.
The film is about an unsuccessful playwright who is hired by a Sleazy American producer to work on a script of a movie for a great movie director (Fritz Lang playing himself). The playright is married to a sexy typist (Bridget Bardot) who becomes the target for the American Producer. The film is going to be based on the Odyssey, but the American producer has a Hercules- style ripoff in mind, while lang wants to make an art film.
Ebert claims that the movie can be interpreted on multiple levels. 1) a parallel to the Odyssey with the playright, Bardot as Penelope, and Palance as Poseiden. 2) Another way of viewing the film is the screenwriter as Godard, the woman as Bardot's character, and the producer as the two producers attached to this project.
The film overall is a critique of the film industry in general. Ebert claims that this is the subject of much of Godard's work. I rated this movie a solid three which for me means a good movie, but for the above reasons, I could not go higher. I am going to have to watch a few more of Godard's work. I believe i will rewatch Breathless, and also watch his King Lear.