Hélas pour moi

One of my all-time favourite films, IMHO one of Godard's most beautiful and reflective films. It is a contemporary existential allegory and elegeic in style. My recollection is that the pacing is languid and reflective. The emotional and spiritual crises are compelling and insightful, typical of Godard's obsessive observations of relationships. Depardieu and Masliah are wonderful. Uplifting experience. I saw it in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury in 94.

I've just watched it and this is by far the most complex and demanding Godard movie I've seen (I've seen about 15 of his movies now).

Colin Maccabe's introduction on the DVD helped in getting bits and pieces of what was going on. But five minutes in I realized I was again trapped in the idea of (desperately) wanting to find a narrative thread, which only lead to confusion and even frustration.

Then I just decided to let go and try and forget about cinematic restrictions and just let Godard have his way. Obviously in the end (what end?) I still could not get my head around it, but it had quite a lot of impact all the same.

It feels profound and important and confrontational and provoking. It looks beautiful. That suffices for now.

Hélas pour moi 1993 Jean-Luc Godard's rumination on the meaning of it all i.e. creation, it's fruits shown as lovely landscapes; its music with snatches of a variety of masterpieces: as a counterpoint to the inheritors of creation (by accident or design) a rather messy confused lot, as confused as the hybrid god of Zeus and the Christian god of the troika who appears in the body of Simon, wife of Rachael, to experience first hand sexual pleasure (surely anathema to the Christian deity if one is to believe his vicar) in defiance of the death of His belief or at any rate it's gradual dissolution and relegation to a curious relic. Best to enjoy the view and skim the weighty thoughts unless a keen sense of filmic histrionics exists.

A romance about Simon Donnadieu (Gerard Depardieu) and his decision to leave his ever-loving wife Rachel (Laurence Masliah).

This film is inspired by the Greek legend of Alcmene and Amphitryon and attempts to show the desire of a god to experience the truth of human desire, suffering and pleasure. The original scenario began with God riding a train through France and Switzerland, observing all the battles of humanity through the window. This sequence required expensive special effects and Godard finally gave up on the idea after visiting a company that demonstrated for him the effects they achieved for Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "Delicatessen".

What strikes me the most about this film is how Godard brought back that creepy voice from "Alphaville". Though there is no clear connection between the two films, I have to wonder why he chose to use that voice. Personally, I find it very unsettling and it jolts a viewer out of the film... which maybe the point.

I'm surprised that Godard still receives finance to make these style of films. But only he can get away with a modern avant-garde pop clip of words for the intellects. What saves most of his movies is the involvement of a big name French cast who give it their best.