I'm now into the middle of Everything is Cinema, Richard Brody's book about Jean-luc Godard. For awhile it was getting tough to get through it. After Breathless Godard went through a low period. I read about and watched Alphaville, Godard's foray into Science Fiction. The film wasn't horrible, but it just wasn't that great. Perhaps I should learn not to always compare Godard to Breathless because he did do some quality films after Breathless. Vivre sa vie might well prove to be his best film. It stars his muse Anna Karina and takes on a subject matter that is far more complex than Breathless and perhaps his subsequent films which, according to Brody are mired in self deprecation. At least Pierrot le fou is. I have seen that film prior to reading the book. I'm going to watch it again and reassess what I thought of it.
Since starting to read the book I have watched Breathless and all the extras on the Critierion disc, Vivre sa vie, and Alphaville, as well as an interview of Godard by Dick Cavett from the late seventies. The interview was a discussion about Godard's direction in filmmaking. After watching the interview he seems very complex and philosophical.
Furthermore after reading the book I started to develop a deep dislike of Jean-paul Sartre. I'm getting sick of hearing about existential crisis, etc. I really hope the book moves into a discouse about post-structuralism in film, rather continually bring up Sartre. Yet, Godard liked Sartre so I may be out of luck. Hopefully I can get through the end of the book by the end of the semester. I'm interested to read about Godard's Weekend which many think is his best film.
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