OK. Now, take a look at this quote from Truffaut in a 1966 interview:
"Before I met Rossellini, I wanted to make films of course, but it seemed impossible. A dream. He made it all seem easy. He has a powerful gift for simplification. He told me, it isn't hard to write a screenplay, you only have to look at the reality around you...The 400 Blows owes a great deal to Rossellini...[H]e showed me that things must be close to life."
Think about this quote and respond to it, using at least one scene from The 400 Blows. Feel free to include evidence from Rome Open City to back up any statements you make regarding Rossellini's filmmaking style. Write at least 2 meaty paragraphs (be sure to write cinematically) and use at least one quote from the Marilyn Fabe essay.
Due: Wednesday, April 13.
Don't forget to choose your film movement and at least one film for your practice Independent Study--write this out and hand in by Monday, April 11.
More than any other film movement, the French New Wave, or at least Francois Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows”, seems to take inspiration from the Italian neorealist movement, specifically Rossellini. “Rome Open City” is a commentary on the state of Italy at the time that it was filmed, while the “The 400 Blows” is according to Fabe an “autobiographical…acute portrait of the artist [Truffaut] as a young man”. The prior film is no less personal, and this is perhaps how Truffaut was inspired by Rossellini, to create an intimate film that (in accordance with the auteur theory) represents the feelings and opinions of the director but resonates with a wide audience. Both “Rome Open City” and “The 400 Blows” deal with children and how they are affected by the older members of society, whether for better or for worse (the latter film deals with this idea more directly than the prior).
ReplyDeleteThe film opens with Antoine, who is meant to be a representation of a younger Truffaut, in school. He is kept down by his teachers and by his parents, and likewise the teacher is shown from a much lower angle than the children who have no real power or control over their lives. Antoine has no real hopes or aspirations other than to see the sea. The final scene in the film follows Antoine as he escapes from the observation center his parents placed him in. As he runs away the camera remains static and there is a shot that almost lasts two minutes, following him as he runs. The background changes and so does Antoine’s pace but the camera itself never moves. This helps to convey his own feelings of entrapment. When he arrives at the beach he begins walking towards the ocean and Truffaut uses a wide shot and deep space to show the grandness of the world around. And when he finally steps foot in the ocean, something he has been wanting to do but never could, the camera stops – that is the end of Antoine’s dreams, as he had nothing else to look forward to, and the audience is left to decide what is to become of his life now. As Fabe points out the word F-I-N superimposed over Antoine’s face “resemble the bars that obscured our view of him in the prison scenes, signaling not just that the film has ended but that Antoine’s hopes for escape and freedom are finished too”. This is very comparable to the final shot of “Rome Open City” where the children, after just witnesses the execution of Don Pietro walk towards the wide shot of Rome. Both films have ambiguous ending but the director subtly hints on what is to become of these children: for Antoine it is a destiny to become confined by society and for the children of the Nazi occupied Rome it is to die for their city like their fathers and Don Pietro has done. Truffaut has followed in Rossellini’s steps in creating a film that the audience can understand and connect to best with an ending that they must decide for themselves; without this type of ending the films would not be as universal as they are. The directors were able to show their own lives and thoughts on film and make them relatable to any audience.
It is clear that Francois Truffaut’s, “The 400 Blows,” directly mirrors the innovative style of Roberto Rossellini’s “Rome Open City.” Truffaut’s film focuses on the trying times of coming of age children, and the often negative affects society can have on them, while “Rome Open City” depicts the positive side of good adult influences on the younger generation, as well as corruption amongst Italy during the war. Each film explores extremely raw aspects of our culture and dive into the world of reality- a world that is so appealing and familiar to any audience. Truffaut was inspired by Rossellini’s fearlessness to delve into this world that many others were too afraid to challenge and as a result, Truffaut was taught that “things must be close to life,” in order to get a timeless and honest piece of art.
ReplyDeleteAntoine, whom is used to portray Truffaut as a teenager, is a mere victim of neglect. His life could have possibly been meaningful and beautiful, had only someone shown any interest in him. We see all throughout the film, his inevitable downfall as a character as it is presented to us cinematically and emotionally. The rawness of Truffaut’s style has the power to deeply impact the audience and create a universal message and theme that can live within all of us. This such power is the most affective during the final scene, where we are left to decide Antoine’s fate for ourselves. As he begins his long run to the beach, a sense of freedom emerges from the deep focus and wide span of lead room shown on screen, signifying Antoine's momentary escape from society, as well as from himself. As running generally represents breaking free or leaving something that is holding you back, the viewer gets emotionally connected to his spontaneous liberation. The next shot cuts to a pan of the sea and sky, revealing its endlessness and wonder. The non-diegetic music swells as he finally reaches the water- a moment in time Antoine has only dreamt of. As the boy walks upon the sand, the camera swiftly zooms into a close-up of his confused and despaired expression, leaving him and the audience aware of his present situation but unsure of the future. One can say that he is finally free from society and is ready to experience the real world, while others might interpret this ending to signify his official downfall. Perhaps, this could be the instance revealing how he will forever be trapped by society, and will remain stuck behind the bars that have held him back thus far. Truffaut does not present Antoine in a way which hides or ignores his faults to make the audience pity him. Rather, he reveals all of his benefits as well as imperfections, which is what makes his style so real and honest. Just like “Rome Open City,” “The 400 Blows” is a timeless classic that perfectly depicts real life and real situations that most everyone can relate to in one way or another. This style and these specific films were both very influential and were highly appreciated just as Marilyn Fabe said; “...for making visually innovative films in their own distinct styles and for creating their films from their own stories.”
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe famed Italian director Roberto Rossellini believed that one should make films rooted in their own reality, as demonstrated by his Rome Open City. In the making of this film, Rossellini drew upon his home of Italy and the dastardly effects that World War Two had on it, as well as the politically fervency that he observed at the time. Rossellini’s success using that method caused him to encourage Truffaut to do the same and use something “close to home” as inspiration, advice that Truffaut took to heart as exemplified by his The 400 Blows, the content of which was derived from his own childhood. Both Antoine, the film’s protagonist, and Truffaut were born to mothers who were unmarried and had no interest in them. They were also both oppressed by school authorities, causing them unhappiness at school in addition to their unhappiness at home.
ReplyDeleteTruffaut, and other New Wave directors, did not only express this feeling of unhappiness and entrapment through narrative, but also through specifically chosen shot types and mise-en-scene. This is demonstrated by the juxtaposition found in the film’s first two scenes. The film opens with a continuously moving pan of Paris which creates an open frame and implies that the city offers mobility and freedom to its inhabitants and visitors. The Eiffel Tower is frequently seen within the frame, filmed from a low angle, which represents the infinite happiness and opportunity that Paris should provide. However, as we see in the next scene, Antoine is unable to enjoy the freedom and happiness that Paris as to offer (as Truffaut was similarly unable). This scene, the true opening scene of the film, is set in Antoine’s classroom. The mise-en-scene of classroom, with the darker hopeless lighting, closed door, lack of windows, and the symmetrically organized desks at which all of the students are sitting (symbolic of the power the teacher, who is standing, has over them), creates a closed frame. The viewer is thus immediately confronted with the feeling of oppression and entrapment that Truffaut wished to impart. After Antoine is caught with the photo Truffaut makes use of quick pans to the teacher. These make the editing noticeable and thus forces the viewer to focus on the teacher, placing him at a position of power. Antoine is then made to stand behind a chalkboard and is kept out of the frame until the end of the scene. This highlights Antoine’s hopeless oppression, and thus the oppression that Truffaut felt as a child. As such it is easily understandable why Truffaut is praised for “making visually innovative films in [his] own distinct style and for creating [his] films from [his] own story,” as both were triumphantly accomplished in 400 Blows (Marilyn Fabe).
Following our screening of “The 400 Blows” it is clear that Francois Truffaut was intensely influenced by Italian neorealist director Roberto Rossellini. Rossellini in his own regard was a dynamic filmmaker who was constantly pushing the boundaries of film with his unconventional style and experimental film techniques. “Rome, Open City”, one of Rossellini’s most commercially successful films was written by Rossellini and fellow screenwriters immediately following the devastation of World War II. According to Marilyn Fabe’s article, “[Truffaut] praised directors...for making visually innovative films in their own distinct styles and for creating their films from their own stories. These directors were the true auteurs.” It is no wonder then that the semi-autobiographical film “The 400 Blows” was written in part by Truffaut, as well as being the director, and that the content of the film is no doubt based on what he felt he knew best.
ReplyDeleteArguably a central theme in “The 400 Blows” is neglect. Both the protagonist, Antoine, and his best friend, Rene, are victims of parental disinterest. The different social classes of Antoine and Rene create distinctly alternate styles of filming for the same subject. For instance, Antoine is middle class and lives in a cramped apartment where he sleeps on a tiny cot on the floor. The filming in Antoine’s home is mostly eye-level medium shots and close ups which makes the viewer feel claustrophobic. In contrast, when Antoine is living at the upper-class home of Rene, there are more long shots and the occasional high angle shot. This further gives the impression, cinematically, of the two different worlds in which the boys live in yet, their similar problems tie them together. The unreliability of adults in Antoine’s life are further looked down upon by the camera when Antoine is in jail. Antoine’s stepfather is completely fed up by his stepson’s behavior and allows him to spend the night in jail. During this stint, the camera favors eye level long shots from the outside of the jail cell representing the police officer’s apathetic attitude towards a clearly troubled young boy. Furthermore, the over-the-shoulder shots (from Antoine’s shoulder) from inside of the prison cell are directed accusingly at the officers. Throughout “The 400 Blows” it is clear that Truffaut is making a statement about his personal negative experience with authority figures in his life. This exemplifies the realist tones of his movie which he sought to emulate based on Rossellini’s previous films.
This is a very interesting quote and it is very evident to the viewer of The 400 Blows that Francois Truffaut was influenced by the work of Rossellini in his style. The way the Rossellini took a lot of his style upon himself and wasn’t afraid to change up he norm and do his own thing during his time in cinema, it was now Truffaut’s turn to put a new style out there. His time to shine was during the French New Wave movement which was movement that had basis that included real life experiences and just the confidence for directors and writers to put personal life experiences on screen. A critic of the New Wave era was a man by the name of Alexandre Astruc who believed that cinema was just another expression of a written language. He argued that cinema was “a form in which and by which an artist can express his thoughts, however abstract they may be, or translate his obsessions exactly as he does in a contemporary essay or novel” and basically saying that if a cinematographer has an idea they should be portray it anyway they feel the best to portray their thoughts or feelings to the audience.
ReplyDeleteNot only was this film a direct expression of Truffaut’s vision of life, but the young boy, Antoine, is the character in the film to represent Truffaut himself. The young Antoine in this film is not portrayed with a “perfect life” especially not family wise or even adults as a whole. I think this was the first evident factor that I noticed in the transition between all the previous movements because most of the time wealth and painting that “perfect picture” was one of the main goals of most films being produced, but this was the exact opposite. Truffaut didn’t wait for the movie to get deep into plot in order for the audience to pick that up either, I felt it during the opening scene of the entire film. The scene starts out with a shot of a young boy and the camera is placed over his shoulder looking down at his paper in class. Then this boy takes out a picture of a women and starts passing it around the room and then the teacher catches one of the boys with it and calls him up to the front of the room so he could confiscate it. I realized that there is a use of a lot of pans, but not slow pans that the eye is use to, but surprisingly they used a very fast pace which I think adds to the reality of the film as though the audience is in the classroom and is viewing the action as if they were really there. Also this opening shot in particular is very long which also adds to reality in the way the action would truly be viewed. I liked the way that the entire film was put together and I think I am a fan of the NEW WAVE!!
The French New Wave, specifically Francois Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows”, seems to be inspired by the Italian neorealist movement, specifically Rossellini in this case. According to Marilyn Fabe, “[Truffaut] praised directors...for making visually innovative films in their own distinct styles and for creating their films from their own stories. These directors were the true auteurs.” Truffaut was inspired by Rossellini to create films that were deeply rooted to life and the reality that came with it. "The 400 Blows" was a tribute to the life of Truffaut as a young man. Like Ellie said, "Truffaut’s film focuses on the trying times of coming of age children, and the often negative affects society can have on them..."
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film, we discover that a major theme is neglect, neglect for children. Specifically Antoine in this case, who Truffaut used to represent himself as a young man. The children are victims of "parent disinterest", as Ali previously stated, causing them to have to grow up on their own. A scene that displays this is the opening scene of the film, where Antoine is shown in school. Since he is kept down and oppressed by his the adults of the film, the adults are shown at a lower angle than he his, portraying the dominance and power that they have over him. This opening scene speaks perfectly to the theme of the film because it shows the overall theme of neglect and disinterest for the children coming of age. A scene that exemplifies the coming of age is the final scene when Antoine escapes the watch tower his parents had put him in (also showing neglect and disinterest), and begins running to see the sea. When he gets there, the scene is shown from an extremely wide shot, symbolically standing for the massiveness of the world around him and Antoine walking to face it.
The French new wave has always a straight forward take on reality and the glamorous part it includes. The films created during the New Wave portray struggle fought with hopes and dreams. Truffaut as a young boy experienced that reality and "The 400 Blows" is imspired by hisd childhood. The Italian Neo Realism seems to also ow the same reality track. Film director Rossellini reminds me a lot of Truffaut mainly because of his film style. He too gravitates towards the idea of struggle duirng his time. While "The 400 Blows" conveyed Truffauts harsh childhood it also was a portrayal of the loss of hopes and dreams for children of that time. Also the way they were oppressed by adults and as a resultthway they in the future oppress thier children.
ReplyDeleteIn the beggining of the film yousee a shot of young Truffaut in a classroom setting ultimately being oppresed by ahis teacher. In the same scene however you see a low- angle shot of the teacher as potrayal that they are in fact lower than the students because they have ready lost thier hopes and dreams. Through out the rest of the film Truffaut continues to use symbolism to show his entrapment. Static shots of gim running shows no matter where runs to he will still be stuck in the same sdituation. Shots of yung Truffaut in jail behind bars directly portrays his entrament as does the end of the film, like Alex said. Truffaut was large beliver in drems and being able to ultimately achieve them, but at the end of the film when he is finally able to go into the ocean like he always wanted he realizes that it wasn' what he expected it to be. the stopping if the camera at this point coneys young Truffaut' own life stopping. Nbit inly is that end of his dreams, but it ids also the end of hope for freedom.