Breathless

It’s hard to disagree with the notion that most films can be categorized as ‘before Breathless’ and ‘after Breathless’. Even now it’s striking how unorthodox Godard’s film is, I can’t even begin to imagine what it would have looked like in 1960. While Jean-Paul Belmondo’s character seems oblivious to the rules of society, Breathless completely re-writes the rules of film making.

And yes, in case you were wondering, life in France generally involves chain smoking through various existential crises and constantly comparing yourself to Americans.

I went down to Picture House Social in Sheffield to see this; many thanks to Legs Eleven for putting the event on, it was a great night. It’s always a joy to see a classic on the big screen.