Influence of Cinema du Look on the visual style of the modern French cinematography
Iana Biiusova
Cinéma du look, also known as «neobaroque» is a noticeable phenomenon in French cinema, connected with the work of three film directors: Jean-Jacques Beineix, Luc Besson and Leos Carax. Critics tended to put these people as a so called «BBC triad» (Beineix, Besson, Carax). The main feature of stylish films and their aesthetic was the mixture of traditions of Hollywood’s 70s and 80s films (New Hollywood films) and European art-focused films. This basically meant the end of traditions of the French 60s - 70s cinematography, which did not think to accept borrowing anything from other movements. The name of the genre speaks for itself. It represents the accent on the visual characteristics of the cinema. The first one to describe this movement was a film critic Raphaël Bassan in 1989. The main wave of this movement’s films was already beginning to vanish by that time. However, despite its short living, the influence of cinema du look could easily be found in the modern cinematography. This essay is researching the theme of deconstructing of the genre itself and finding out its visual influences in the art of filmmakers of the new generation. This essay will cover some cinema du look films, as well as some later ones which take some main elements of this genre. After that, some modern films will be analyzed as well to find out what elements of cinema du look could be still seen in the modern cinematography.
Introduction
Young French directors of the 1980s abandoned both the modernist strategies and the realism of older colleagues in favor of flamboyant formal moves inspired by New Hollywood, fashion photography, commercials. The term was coined by Parisian critics who saw postmodern cinema in the films of Leos Carax, Luc Besson and Jean-Jacques Beineix, concerned with visuals more than content. Just 10 films are typically identified as being part of the movement, made by this three directors. The genre was first defined by Raphael Bassan, in 'La Reuve de Cinema'. He derided the films for being obsessed with visuals, coining the term 'cinema du look'. Casting a sceptical eye at the political and critical establishments in France, these three young directors created films focusing on disenfranchised young people living at the edge of society, falling in love in complicated, toxic relationships, and liberally plundering pop cultural influences and visual styles. At the heart of cinema du look is an obsessive focus on visual styling. These films have a stylistic playfulness that is more reminiscent of New Hollywood than New Wave. It is common to see strong colour washes, impressionistic splashes of light or gimmicky devices like point-of-view shots. Genre influences also abound, like the thriller setting of Diva, sci-if styling of Mauvais Sang, or Besson’s high octane action films. Pop music and references to films and TV also recur, creating a collage-like feel that blends highbrow and lowbrow culture. Works of this style quite often depict the underground world, much attention is paid to the types of night cities, neon lights. The action of the neo-baroque film becomes the Parisian metro, emphasizing the underground characters. The visibility of the paintings is emphasized by experimental work with colour and lighting. The work of the cult director Jean-Luc Godard has had a strong influence on the cinéma du look, both visually and in terms of plot. 'Perhaps the most obvious testimony to the transformation of the French cultural landscape is found in the cinéma du look (cinema of the look), a film genre influenced by cartoons, advertising, and music videos. This genre is sometimes associated with the Forum des Halles, referring to the designer chic, ultra-modern shopping complex in central Paris that became a focal point for youth culture after its opening in 1979.' (H. Radner 2000)
1. The birth of 'Cinema du look'
For going deeper into cinema du look, it is necessary to look through some specific film examples, which are, actually, first ones to be considered by critics as neo-baroque and correspond to all of its characteristics. To start with, there is the first ever film in this genre,Diva (1981) directed by Jean- Jaques Beineix. 'The obsession of the cinéma du look with style, inaugurated by Diva by Jean-Jacques Beineix in 1981, repeatedly threatened to run out of steam, but it nevertheless maintained its impetus through the mid-1990s and beyond—often in the form of Hollywood productions' (H. Radner 2000)
From the very first shots director puts a viewer in the atmosphere of the beginning of the 80th in Paris, and lets him see it through the eyes of the main character named Jules, who works as a postman and lives a very marginal life. The protagonists of these films are often young people living at the edges of society, using drugs, working low wage jobs or simply not working, living in pokey flats, cabins or literally underground. This film’s hero is not an exception. He lives in an abandoned parking, in a space furnished by himself, which is more likely looks like a warehouse with paintings on its walls and floor than a normal apartment. (Figure 1).
For going deeper into cinema du look, it is necessary to look through some specific film examples, which are, actually, first ones to be considered by critics as neo-baroque and correspond to all of its characteristics. To start with, there is the first ever film in this genre,Diva (1981) directed by Jean- Jaques Beineix. 'The obsession of the cinéma du look with style, inaugurated by Diva by Jean-Jacques Beineix in 1981, repeatedly threatened to run out of steam, but it nevertheless maintained its impetus through the mid-1990s and beyond—often in the form of Hollywood productions' (H. Radner 2000)
From the very first shots director puts a viewer in the atmosphere of the beginning of the 80th in Paris, and lets him see it through the eyes of the main character named Jules, who works as a postman and lives a very marginal life. The protagonists of these films are often young people living at the edges of society, using drugs, working low wage jobs or simply not working, living in pokey flats, cabins or literally underground. This film’s hero is not an exception. He lives in an abandoned parking, in a space furnished by himself, which is more likely looks like a warehouse with paintings on its walls and floor than a normal apartment. (Figure 1).
Considering all of this, he has an interest in opera. The viewer often sees Jules listening to it on vinyl and in his headphones. There is also an opera female singer as a love interest of his. Young man is a big fan of her work and her voice for a very long time for the time period he is shown in this film. Their relationships evolve throughout the film and grow from young man’s idolatry to the mutual sympathy and even love. This part of a plot completely corresponds to the canons of the cinema du look, connecting low-life culture with something high-brow and elite. (figure 2)
Besides, there is also a parallel story line that shows the machinations and lawlessness of the police of Paris, linked to the murder of a prostitute. The protagonist accidentally witnesses this murder. Moreover, he becomes a carrier of an important evidence, an audiocassette, where a victim proves the direct participation of a police comisar in this and many other murders, drug dealing and organization of prostitution. This part of a film is directly connected to the tendency of cinema du look to criticize and show not the best side of the police and government in general. This is deeply connected with the fact that at the time when this genre appeared, France was in a state of the political stagnation. The president and the government did not change themselves for about 14 years. (Sachs, Wyplosz, 1986)
Such a critical point of view from a director is, undoubtedly, an innovation and was a direct opposite to the tendencies of the cinematography of that time, where Paris could mostly be shown as something sublime and graceful. For a very long amount of time, the viewer can see the protagonist finding himself in brothels, in spaces filled with arcade machine players and abandoned warehouses. It is definitely necessary to pay attention to the chasing scene, in which Jules is being chased by two assassins. (Figure 3). This scene in general includes a lot of elements, using which cinema du look could be described as a separate genre. It mostly takes place in the underground, which is shown from an aesthetic perspective. The scene itself is, no doubt, an action part, which were often included in neo-baroque films.
Such a critical point of view from a director is, undoubtedly, an innovation and was a direct opposite to the tendencies of the cinematography of that time, where Paris could mostly be shown as something sublime and graceful. For a very long amount of time, the viewer can see the protagonist finding himself in brothels, in spaces filled with arcade machine players and abandoned warehouses. It is definitely necessary to pay attention to the chasing scene, in which Jules is being chased by two assassins. (Figure 3). This scene in general includes a lot of elements, using which cinema du look could be described as a separate genre. It mostly takes place in the underground, which is shown from an aesthetic perspective. The scene itself is, no doubt, an action part, which were often included in neo-baroque films.
Talking about the aesthetics and the fusion of high-brow and low-brow cultures, it is easy enough to say, that the film makes it a big part of itself. It is full of bright colours, shadow plays and lights. It demonstrates a lot of pieces of art, with which lots of locations are filled with. All that is mentioned above is, undoubtedly, proves Diva (1981) to have a big part of innovations inside it. Easily enough to mark it as a separate
cinematography movement.
cinematography movement.
It is also possible to consider a Luc Besson’s film La Femme: Nikita (1990) as an example of 'cinema du look' genre. Unlike Diva (1981) , this film is much more action-based, however, all the fighting scenes are clearly shot in a way to highlight their aesthetic part. 'Yet his images here have the sterile, spattered quality of an aluminum wall with Day-Glo graffiti, and his violence explodes in stylized bursts, just like the usual high-tech Hollywood thriller.' (Wilmington, 1991) The plot, especially in the first part of the movie, represents all the cannons of the neo-baroque movement well. The main character is a young girl Nikita. She appears in front of us as a drug addicted punk implicated into the criminal activity. 'In the beginning, the picture works hard to present Nikita as startlingly violent, a rebel whose only cause is pain and addiction. At the bottom, there are her junkie mates, killing and robbing without conscience.' (Wilmington, 1991)
Teaming up with her friends she takes part in a robbery to buy drugs. The situation goes out of control, because the owner of a place they break into, and a father of one of her friends as well, calls the police. During the firefight Nikita hides while all of her friends are getting shot one by one by the police. This particular scene could be a good example for the viewer to understand how cinema du look aesthetic works. The way camera follows the gang on their way to the drug-store is a very show-off one. It is perfectly followed by red screaming graphic design. This scene might be the most famous one in the whole film for its visual side of things. It is followed by the cruel over the top action scene. All of this is a perfect combination for the genre. After all, one of the cops finds the girl, but she puts a gun to his head and pulls the trigger. Definitely, all these actions lead her to the court, where the girl is adjudged to spend her life in prison. However, after that, she is visited by a man in a suite named Bob. He is the one to tell Nikita, that the government gives her a 'second chance'. From now on she can pass training and become an assassin, who work for the government. After she has begun her training, the viewer is moved in time for three years forward, when Nikita is already works for special ops. She can now live by herself and get orders from her commanders.The film shows us how the girl tries to combine her usual life with the dangerous job of hers. It is common for this type of films to show a person living a low life and changing nothing during the whole picture. In this particular film, this aspect could be seen at the beginning only. On the other hand, much more screen time is given to demonstrate the lawlessness of the government, because the girl assassinates people for them. It is difficult to say they saved her from ruining her life, they, most likely, gave an alternative way of ruining it. There are a lot of violent scenes in this film, and it makes it different from the other ones we cover here. Even the ones with the fighting scenes and murders. However, violence can also be shown as something aesthetically pleasant, and Luc Besson does it extremely well. The episode, where Nikita is on her first mission is a great example of that. (Figure 4)
Teaming up with her friends she takes part in a robbery to buy drugs. The situation goes out of control, because the owner of a place they break into, and a father of one of her friends as well, calls the police. During the firefight Nikita hides while all of her friends are getting shot one by one by the police. This particular scene could be a good example for the viewer to understand how cinema du look aesthetic works. The way camera follows the gang on their way to the drug-store is a very show-off one. It is perfectly followed by red screaming graphic design. This scene might be the most famous one in the whole film for its visual side of things. It is followed by the cruel over the top action scene. All of this is a perfect combination for the genre. After all, one of the cops finds the girl, but she puts a gun to his head and pulls the trigger. Definitely, all these actions lead her to the court, where the girl is adjudged to spend her life in prison. However, after that, she is visited by a man in a suite named Bob. He is the one to tell Nikita, that the government gives her a 'second chance'. From now on she can pass training and become an assassin, who work for the government. After she has begun her training, the viewer is moved in time for three years forward, when Nikita is already works for special ops. She can now live by herself and get orders from her commanders.The film shows us how the girl tries to combine her usual life with the dangerous job of hers. It is common for this type of films to show a person living a low life and changing nothing during the whole picture. In this particular film, this aspect could be seen at the beginning only. On the other hand, much more screen time is given to demonstrate the lawlessness of the government, because the girl assassinates people for them. It is difficult to say they saved her from ruining her life, they, most likely, gave an alternative way of ruining it. There are a lot of violent scenes in this film, and it makes it different from the other ones we cover here. Even the ones with the fighting scenes and murders. However, violence can also be shown as something aesthetically pleasant, and Luc Besson does it extremely well. The episode, where Nikita is on her first mission is a great example of that. (Figure 4)
All the camera shots, all the choreography and stunts are designed to highlight the beauty of the on-screen violence. Visually the picture is fully corresponds to all the cinema du look “rules”. Once again, colour choice, all the music, highly aesthetically pleasant shots and photography.It all counts as parts of the genre. The film is shot with widescreen anamorphic lenses, peppered with chaotic gunfights and cut together with rapid edits.
With its punchy action and featherlight assassin narrative, it is no wonder that Besson quickly became a Hollywood name, but the film’s plot is surprisingly subversive, showing the mental toll of Nikita’s double life. Besides, this film is a great example of pop styling of the cinema du look. This genre never tried to be too artsy or hard to get into. This particular movie proves it right.
With its punchy action and featherlight assassin narrative, it is no wonder that Besson quickly became a Hollywood name, but the film’s plot is surprisingly subversive, showing the mental toll of Nikita’s double life. Besides, this film is a great example of pop styling of the cinema du look. This genre never tried to be too artsy or hard to get into. This particular movie proves it right.
2. The transition
There is always a point in any form of art where a certain visual or conceptual decision was used in some older works of different autors before making it to some pieces of art that became world-famous. This is what happened to the 'cinema du look' movement as well. '…the cinéma du look —fall into a category often referred to as "the new spectacular cinema," which depended on big budgets, heavy marketing, and concept promotion for its success. Attempts to mobilize these strategies pepper the French cinema of the 1990s and early 2000s, achieving variable success. In fact, the big successes of the early 2000s were by and large, relatively low-budget productions by Hollywood standards, such as Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain ( Amélie , 2001) by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (b. 1955), when French film outsold Hollywood film at the French box office for the first time in over a decade.' (H. Radner 2000)
As it was mentioned earlier, the ‘cinema du look’ movement did not last for so long in its pure form. However, its influence can be easily seen in French cinema, which came out after all the iconic films of the neo-baroque.
As one of the key examples of this influence, we can consider one of the most popular French films and, certainly, the most popular of those we are looking at, the film of the previously mentioned director Luc Besson, 'Leon: The Professional' (1994). Transitional period for a genre is its morphing into something new, but not completely. So, the viewer can still see some elements or 'roots' of the movement that are morphed, but also some different or uncommon descriptors about it. 'Leon: The Professional' is a transitional piont for the whole genre because it is one of the first acts when a neo-baroque director works in the field of popular cinema. 'With The Fifth Element in 1997, Luc Besson effectively became France’s Steven Spielberg, but his previous film represented the gangplank between French cinema and Hollywood and drew a final veil across the Cinéma du Look.' (C. Ross 2014)
The film is more focused on plot, drama and action than the typical representatives of ‘Cinema du look’, but elements of the genre that were analyzed can be easily traced in it. The main locations are the bedroom community of the city, the characters are often seen in closed corridor rooms, or in the territories of small living spaces.
The protagonist Leon is a contract killer, which still matches the image of the marginal from ‘Cinema du look’. A coincidence of circumstances leads the protagonist to the fact that he becomes the only guardian and friend of a teenage girl named Matilda. (Figure 5)
There is always a point in any form of art where a certain visual or conceptual decision was used in some older works of different autors before making it to some pieces of art that became world-famous. This is what happened to the 'cinema du look' movement as well. '…the cinéma du look —fall into a category often referred to as "the new spectacular cinema," which depended on big budgets, heavy marketing, and concept promotion for its success. Attempts to mobilize these strategies pepper the French cinema of the 1990s and early 2000s, achieving variable success. In fact, the big successes of the early 2000s were by and large, relatively low-budget productions by Hollywood standards, such as Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain ( Amélie , 2001) by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (b. 1955), when French film outsold Hollywood film at the French box office for the first time in over a decade.' (H. Radner 2000)
As it was mentioned earlier, the ‘cinema du look’ movement did not last for so long in its pure form. However, its influence can be easily seen in French cinema, which came out after all the iconic films of the neo-baroque.
As one of the key examples of this influence, we can consider one of the most popular French films and, certainly, the most popular of those we are looking at, the film of the previously mentioned director Luc Besson, 'Leon: The Professional' (1994). Transitional period for a genre is its morphing into something new, but not completely. So, the viewer can still see some elements or 'roots' of the movement that are morphed, but also some different or uncommon descriptors about it. 'Leon: The Professional' is a transitional piont for the whole genre because it is one of the first acts when a neo-baroque director works in the field of popular cinema. 'With The Fifth Element in 1997, Luc Besson effectively became France’s Steven Spielberg, but his previous film represented the gangplank between French cinema and Hollywood and drew a final veil across the Cinéma du Look.' (C. Ross 2014)
The film is more focused on plot, drama and action than the typical representatives of ‘Cinema du look’, but elements of the genre that were analyzed can be easily traced in it. The main locations are the bedroom community of the city, the characters are often seen in closed corridor rooms, or in the territories of small living spaces.
The protagonist Leon is a contract killer, which still matches the image of the marginal from ‘Cinema du look’. A coincidence of circumstances leads the protagonist to the fact that he becomes the only guardian and friend of a teenage girl named Matilda. (Figure 5)
Her parents were killed by members of the corrupt police in drug cases. The girl, left without a family, decides to devote her life to revenge and share with Leon his illegal and dangerous activities.
Her character corresponds to all the canons of the cinema du look. She is a teenager who grew up in a poor, dysfunctional family. From such an early age, she is involved in criminal activities and lives side by side with a humane and caring protagonist, but still, by social standards, rather dangerous and leading a criminal lifestyle human. 'It is over the top and cartoonish – Matilda seems to take all of twenty minutes to get over the fact that her baby brother has just been machine-gunned to death – but it is heightened, wired, enormously entertaining and anchored by genuine sweetness; a combination that is often to be found in the Cinéma du Look.' (C. Ross 2014)
Moreover, at a certain point in the film, Matilda confesses to Leon in love. This is an example of unhealthy complex love, which also directly refers to the genre we are considering. (Figure 6)
Her character corresponds to all the canons of the cinema du look. She is a teenager who grew up in a poor, dysfunctional family. From such an early age, she is involved in criminal activities and lives side by side with a humane and caring protagonist, but still, by social standards, rather dangerous and leading a criminal lifestyle human. 'It is over the top and cartoonish – Matilda seems to take all of twenty minutes to get over the fact that her baby brother has just been machine-gunned to death – but it is heightened, wired, enormously entertaining and anchored by genuine sweetness; a combination that is often to be found in the Cinéma du Look.' (C. Ross 2014)
Moreover, at a certain point in the film, Matilda confesses to Leon in love. This is an example of unhealthy complex love, which also directly refers to the genre we are considering. (Figure 6)
Visually, Leon: The Professional (1994) is also partly cinema du look. It is not surprising, since Luc Besson is one of the founders of this direction and such a visual has become an integral part of all his works. The film is filled with aesthetical shots showing main characters (like the famous one when Leon accepts Matilda's request and begins to train her or the final scene where the assasin walks to the exit of a building after a blody gunfight). However, it cannot be said that Leon (1994) is one hundred percent a film of this genre. The action of the film does not take place in Paris, as is usually the case, but in the small Italy of the New York region. There is also more emphasis in the picture is placed on the plot, the disclosure of the characters and the action. In this regard, it will not be entirely correct to attribute the film Leon (1994) to the cinema du look genre. Rather, it would be more appropriate to say that it is a subgenre of this film. It is likely that because of this unique mix of directions, Leon (1994) became an excellent example of a film that is quite popular in pop culture, but at the same time unique in all respects.
The Dreamers (2003) by Bernardo Bertollucci could hardly be considered as a cinema du look film. Unlike other sub-related films in this essay, it is even difficult to consider that Bertollucci took anything from the movement by desire. This film will be used as an example as a popular film where neo-baroque elements could be found if you know what the movement is about. This film could be mentioned to prove the futuristic and foreward-thinking way the genre was made-up. Anyway, any 'coincidence' makes sense if we talk about the way the movement makes it through time and how its descriptors are repeated by other artists.
The Dreamers (2003) takes the audience into the 60 years of the 20th century - a time of protests, student riots and changes, both in society and in the people themselves. In the midst of the riots, 20-year-old Matthew, a shy and inexperienced young man from the American hinterland, arrives in Paris. Against his will, he immediately finds himself drawn into street demonstrations, where he accidentally meets Isabelle and her brother Theo. Falling under the influence of his new friends, Matthew forgets that he came to study and completely immerses himself in their world, so attractive and unusual for him. (Figure 7)
The Dreamers (2003) takes the audience into the 60 years of the 20th century - a time of protests, student riots and changes, both in society and in the people themselves. In the midst of the riots, 20-year-old Matthew, a shy and inexperienced young man from the American hinterland, arrives in Paris. Against his will, he immediately finds himself drawn into street demonstrations, where he accidentally meets Isabelle and her brother Theo. Falling under the influence of his new friends, Matthew forgets that he came to study and completely immerses himself in their world, so attractive and unusual for him. (Figure 7)
Despite the fact that Bertolluci's work does not directly relate to neo-barroco, this film also contains a sufficient number of characteristic features of this genre. The main emphasis is on the visual component (there are a lot of aethetically built-up black and white scenes where charecters run through the museum). This scenes are made up to put the viewer into a certain visual atmosphere. 'Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers (2003), a masterfully wrought picture that serves, in equal parts, as a panegyric on the power of cinema and a warning to those who abandon that power in pursuit of pure aesthetics.' (J. Dyson, 2018) A lot of visual aesthetics are achived by different light and camera manipulations. 'As the three characters sit, smoking cigarettes, drinking wine, and arguing about the legitimacy of the challenge, their dancing shadows and subdued forms seem to meld and blend with the detritus and wreckage of the surrounding room. This unkempt atmosphere, which would otherwise seem repugnant and pathetic, takes on a spirit of liberation when accompanied by the dim lighting of the scene. After all, the lighting, which dampens the potential abrasiveness of the moment, engenders a sort of suspension of disbelief in both the characters and the audience– as if the scene, inculcated with a synesthetic “flux and… eternal recurrence,” marks Matthew’s transition into some transcendent, isolated realm.' (J. Dyson, 2018)
The film has a political overtones, and three main characters are teenagers prone to complex love relationships. This both discriptors perfectly match with neo-baroque. There is also a 'forbidden love' theme goes along with the plot as two of the characters are relatives.
The whole picture is permeated with political, cultural, social disputes about the tallest topics. These are hypotheses, Trotsky's theories, disputes about actors, etc. The rebellious spirit of the revolution, moral anarchism, idealized romance, characteristic of young minds on the way to becoming. This is also an attempt to put high-brow topics and artsy atmospere into a film. Moreover, the film is set in Paris which is a perfect setting for a cinema du look film. As a result, it cannot be said that The Dreamers (2003) is a film of the cinema du look direction, the picture could be an example of how this genre was ahead of its time in such a visual-focused component and narrative. (Figure 8)
The film has a political overtones, and three main characters are teenagers prone to complex love relationships. This both discriptors perfectly match with neo-baroque. There is also a 'forbidden love' theme goes along with the plot as two of the characters are relatives.
The whole picture is permeated with political, cultural, social disputes about the tallest topics. These are hypotheses, Trotsky's theories, disputes about actors, etc. The rebellious spirit of the revolution, moral anarchism, idealized romance, characteristic of young minds on the way to becoming. This is also an attempt to put high-brow topics and artsy atmospere into a film. Moreover, the film is set in Paris which is a perfect setting for a cinema du look film. As a result, it cannot be said that The Dreamers (2003) is a film of the cinema du look direction, the picture could be an example of how this genre was ahead of its time in such a visual-focused component and narrative. (Figure 8)
3. The modern masters
Taking 'Leon: the Professional' (1994) and 'The Dreamers' (2003) as examples this essay followed the way cinema du look made it from the separate genre and has been integrated into French and world cinema and has made an impact into its visual, narrative and conceptual parts. Now two more films will be deconstructed. They came out not so long ago and will be used to find out the way cinema du look legacy is treated by film directors today.
The first picture to be reviewed will be the film by Leos Carax Holy Motors (2012). The director himself, as much as Luc Besson is one of the founders of the analyzed movement. However, the influence of the common style for this director in the film is not that clear, and the picture appeared on screens in a long time after the neo-baroque stopped to exist as a separate movement. Its plot is moving around one day of life of a man named Mr. Oscar. This time, the location is common for the analyzed genre. It is Paris. However, the exact timeline remains unknown. A lot of actions made or, better to say, performed by the protagonist or by secondary characters are left for us to think out. The interpretation of many things happening in the film are also left for us to complete. For the narrative, mr. Oscar drives around Paris with his personal driver on a limousine and makes different “meetings”. On each “meeting” the protagonist shows up in a new form, makes actions, what a viewer never expects him to and realistically interacts with other people. Because of the fact that the look of the protagonist changes every new meeting, the film, at some point, mimics after it and changes its direction, starting from the dynamic or acting and finishing with the genre or style. As if it is made up out of different pieces “glued” together using limousine scenes, where Oscar changes his make-up and discusses the next “meeting” with his driver.
'In fact, one could argue that the “story” of Holy Motors is that of cinema itself, as the form of the film hopscotches wildly from fairy tale to thriller to musical to melodrama, with the astonishing Lavant morphing from a besieged businessman into a sewer-dwelling cretin, a virtual-reality serpent, a hired killer (and his victim), and a dying old man being visited by his niece.' (S. Walton, 2014)
Some critics describe this film as a Carax's reflection and dreams about the cinematography and a place of an actor in it. '… borrows from his predecessors (Godard, Garrel, Cocteau, Dreyer) and recycles the material within a very personal vision. His films are closest to the ‘irregular pearls’ of the baroque.' (R. Bassan, 2006)
The film is a great example of the way 'cinema du look' introduced itself not to the pop-cultural cinema, but to the festival abstract cinematography. No doubt, we can say it, using facts like visual elements, colour play and light placement or like different director’s moves, like action scenes that take their place during some of the 'meetings' of a protagonist and lots of focusing on the aesthetic in different shots. 'Holy Motors is the cinematic inheritor and the agitator of a baroque aesthetic that has long coupled vision with movement, multiplicity, metamorphosis, and delirious dispersal.' (S. Walton, 2014)
(Figure 9)
Taking 'Leon: the Professional' (1994) and 'The Dreamers' (2003) as examples this essay followed the way cinema du look made it from the separate genre and has been integrated into French and world cinema and has made an impact into its visual, narrative and conceptual parts. Now two more films will be deconstructed. They came out not so long ago and will be used to find out the way cinema du look legacy is treated by film directors today.
The first picture to be reviewed will be the film by Leos Carax Holy Motors (2012). The director himself, as much as Luc Besson is one of the founders of the analyzed movement. However, the influence of the common style for this director in the film is not that clear, and the picture appeared on screens in a long time after the neo-baroque stopped to exist as a separate movement. Its plot is moving around one day of life of a man named Mr. Oscar. This time, the location is common for the analyzed genre. It is Paris. However, the exact timeline remains unknown. A lot of actions made or, better to say, performed by the protagonist or by secondary characters are left for us to think out. The interpretation of many things happening in the film are also left for us to complete. For the narrative, mr. Oscar drives around Paris with his personal driver on a limousine and makes different “meetings”. On each “meeting” the protagonist shows up in a new form, makes actions, what a viewer never expects him to and realistically interacts with other people. Because of the fact that the look of the protagonist changes every new meeting, the film, at some point, mimics after it and changes its direction, starting from the dynamic or acting and finishing with the genre or style. As if it is made up out of different pieces “glued” together using limousine scenes, where Oscar changes his make-up and discusses the next “meeting” with his driver.
'In fact, one could argue that the “story” of Holy Motors is that of cinema itself, as the form of the film hopscotches wildly from fairy tale to thriller to musical to melodrama, with the astonishing Lavant morphing from a besieged businessman into a sewer-dwelling cretin, a virtual-reality serpent, a hired killer (and his victim), and a dying old man being visited by his niece.' (S. Walton, 2014)
Some critics describe this film as a Carax's reflection and dreams about the cinematography and a place of an actor in it. '… borrows from his predecessors (Godard, Garrel, Cocteau, Dreyer) and recycles the material within a very personal vision. His films are closest to the ‘irregular pearls’ of the baroque.' (R. Bassan, 2006)
The film is a great example of the way 'cinema du look' introduced itself not to the pop-cultural cinema, but to the festival abstract cinematography. No doubt, we can say it, using facts like visual elements, colour play and light placement or like different director’s moves, like action scenes that take their place during some of the 'meetings' of a protagonist and lots of focusing on the aesthetic in different shots. 'Holy Motors is the cinematic inheritor and the agitator of a baroque aesthetic that has long coupled vision with movement, multiplicity, metamorphosis, and delirious dispersal.' (S. Walton, 2014)
(Figure 9)
There is a whole silent scene where the protagonist does stunts for an animation. Its main purpose is only to bring in some beautiful shots and to make a viewer feel the atmosphere. (Figure 10-11)
One of the scenes shows the fashion-directed photo shooting. In another, the main character surrounded by many musicians plays the whole cover of a blues song. It goes beyond cinema du looks's inspirations in fashion photography or music videos, it literally copies them. This particular elements of Holy motors (2012) are clearly correlate to the genre we discuss. Some scenes where the viewer follows the main charecter are full of violence and abuse like in a multiple murder scenes where Oscar kills people in different ways or in a scene where he plays a role of an abusive father of a little girl. These scenes crush into the viewer as a collage of happenings and are hardly connected to each other. This film’s abstract storytelling is not connected to the common for cinema du look narrative. No police or government problems are touched. High-brow, as well as low brow culture elements are shown, but not in the context of the genre, but in the context of contrasting multiple situations in the film itself.
The influence of cinema du look is still noticeable, but it is deeply hidden around many other forms and mutated to become almost impossible to recognize.
The influence of cinema du look is still noticeable, but it is deeply hidden around many other forms and mutated to become almost impossible to recognize.
The film of the contemporary French director Gaspar Noé Love (2015) is the closest to modern times by the date of its release. Murphy is a young man who currently looks quite unhappy. He has a wife and a son, but the past haunts him, since in the past there was Electra - the love of his life, which he has lost. Noé - builds his 'Love' on memories, and in his understanding, true love should be built on passion, no need to be afraid of your desires, no need to hide feelings, all you need is openness and then true love will come, but as it usually happens, it can grow into painful hate. It is interesting that both main characters are people of art, which is quite typical for the direction we are considering. Murphy is a director and Electra is an artist.
At the very beginning of the picture, the apartment of a certain guy Murphy is shown. He talks to himself, remembering the past and his beloved. Their relationship is already in the past. Next to him is another woman and their child. But in two hours this character will experience several years of relationship with Electra, full of fantastic sex, sensual conversations, experiments, rage, dialogues about literature and the meaning of love. Though, as it is common for the genre, there is a place for abuse (for instance, in the party scene).
As befits Noé, the film features an abundance of contrasting colours, neon red and neon blue. Locations mainly offer nightclubs, underground passages, as well as inexpensive and uncleaned apartments. 'In vibrant hues of red contrasted with the darkness of the room, it’s utterly transfixing. It’s sex. It is not the overly glamorized and romanticized sex of Hollywood cinema. And it’s certainly not the passionless and loveless sex of pornography. The camera starts close up on the actors’ heads but upside down, and then begins swirling around the lovers’ bodies capturing the whole sequence in comparatively precise detail.' (A. Lehrer, 2015)
As it was mentioned earlier, Murphy and Electra are people of art, however, they lead a rather marginal lifestyle. They abuse various drugs, make spontaneous acquaintances for sex. The sex scenes themselves have received a lot of attention. They are integral to the aesthetic of this film. In fact, the picture can be attributed to the erotic genre. Murphy's relationship with his beloved is passionate, but full of toxicity, abuse and pain. All these factors certainly correspond to the cinema du look style. It is worth noting that Gaspar Noé uses this visual and narrative component only in flashbacks, in moments when the hero recalls how he loved and lived before. This technique creates visual contrast. Noé has never said that he was inspired by the genre that is being discussed, however, the visual references and the narrative component in the film Love (2015) are enough to read the influence of cinema du look on the work of this modern director.
As befits Noé, the film features an abundance of contrasting colours, neon red and neon blue. Locations mainly offer nightclubs, underground passages, as well as inexpensive and uncleaned apartments. 'In vibrant hues of red contrasted with the darkness of the room, it’s utterly transfixing. It’s sex. It is not the overly glamorized and romanticized sex of Hollywood cinema. And it’s certainly not the passionless and loveless sex of pornography. The camera starts close up on the actors’ heads but upside down, and then begins swirling around the lovers’ bodies capturing the whole sequence in comparatively precise detail.' (A. Lehrer, 2015)
As it was mentioned earlier, Murphy and Electra are people of art, however, they lead a rather marginal lifestyle. They abuse various drugs, make spontaneous acquaintances for sex. The sex scenes themselves have received a lot of attention. They are integral to the aesthetic of this film. In fact, the picture can be attributed to the erotic genre. Murphy's relationship with his beloved is passionate, but full of toxicity, abuse and pain. All these factors certainly correspond to the cinema du look style. It is worth noting that Gaspar Noé uses this visual and narrative component only in flashbacks, in moments when the hero recalls how he loved and lived before. This technique creates visual contrast. Noé has never said that he was inspired by the genre that is being discussed, however, the visual references and the narrative component in the film Love (2015) are enough to read the influence of cinema du look on the work of this modern director.
Conclusion
To sum up, 6 films were analyzed in this essay . Two of them are directly related to the cinema du look genre, two of them were are a transitional period for this direction, and the time of their release is approximately halfway between the present and the beginning of the emergence of this movement. Last two films are the closest to the present time, but they borrow different aspects of neo-baroque that are easy to read. So, the movement that seem to exist for not that big amount of time, however is a very influential for a big amount of films that came out after decades of its disappearance. Besides, cinema du look was such an innovative and futuristic movement, that its main idea could easily be connected to a huge amount of films from the nowadays’ popular cinematography. It could be connected to the fact, that films theirselves were not too experimental, made a big accent on the visual side of things, had a plot understandable enough for the public and stood out with their action parts. Making an accent on some aspects about characters’ lives in films, like battles, car chases, parties, sex, marginal-styled way of living and actions beyond standards, can easily be found in a great amount of films. From styled independent films or superhero movies, TV-series and even animation. Maybe because of the desire of directors to make up a beautiful and visually-unique world and a big aesthetic emphasis, it is possible for masses to enjoy cinema du look films. This aesthetic aged-up well and impresses people even now. Luc Besson, because of his personal visual emphasis, made it to Hollywood and became a worldwide famous director. It is always amusing to watch it how time puts everything on its place and every, even short-living directions of cinema, of music or visual art do not vanish forever. They continue to live in works of modern masters. Cinema du look is one of the brightest examples of this immortality.
To sum up, 6 films were analyzed in this essay . Two of them are directly related to the cinema du look genre, two of them were are a transitional period for this direction, and the time of their release is approximately halfway between the present and the beginning of the emergence of this movement. Last two films are the closest to the present time, but they borrow different aspects of neo-baroque that are easy to read. So, the movement that seem to exist for not that big amount of time, however is a very influential for a big amount of films that came out after decades of its disappearance. Besides, cinema du look was such an innovative and futuristic movement, that its main idea could easily be connected to a huge amount of films from the nowadays’ popular cinematography. It could be connected to the fact, that films theirselves were not too experimental, made a big accent on the visual side of things, had a plot understandable enough for the public and stood out with their action parts. Making an accent on some aspects about characters’ lives in films, like battles, car chases, parties, sex, marginal-styled way of living and actions beyond standards, can easily be found in a great amount of films. From styled independent films or superhero movies, TV-series and even animation. Maybe because of the desire of directors to make up a beautiful and visually-unique world and a big aesthetic emphasis, it is possible for masses to enjoy cinema du look films. This aesthetic aged-up well and impresses people even now. Luc Besson, because of his personal visual emphasis, made it to Hollywood and became a worldwide famous director. It is always amusing to watch it how time puts everything on its place and every, even short-living directions of cinema, of music or visual art do not vanish forever. They continue to live in works of modern masters. Cinema du look is one of the brightest examples of this immortality.
Biblography:
Films:
Diva. 1981. [film] Directed by J. Beineix. France: Les Films Galaxie; Greenwitch Film Productions.
La Femme Nikita. 1990. [film] Directed by L. Besson. France: Gaumont Film Company.
Leon:The Professional. 1994. [film] Directed by L. Besson. France: Les Films du Dauphin.
The Dreamers. 2003. [film] Directed by B. Bertolucci. France, Italy: Recorded Picture Company.
Holy Motors. 2012. [film] Directed by L. Carax. France: Pierre Grise Productions ; Theo Films.
Love. 2015. [film] Directed by G. Noe. France, Belgium: Les Cinemas De La Zone.
Other resources:
Radner, H., 2000. [report] Stars and Stardom in French Cinema. London, pp.1-5.
Wilmington, M., 1991. Movie Review: Nikita: A Thriller With a Feminine Twist. The Los Angeles Times
Walton, S., 2014. The beauty of the act: Figuring film and the delirious baroque in "Holy Motors". Professor. University of South Australia.
Bassan, R. ‘Three French neo-baroque directors: Beineix, Besson, Carax, from Diva to Le Grand Blue’ in Essays on Luc Besson: Master of spectacle, edited by S. Hayward and P. Powrie. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2006: 11-21.
Ross, C., 2014. 10 Essential Films For An Introduction To Cinema du Look. [online] pp.1-2. Available at: <https://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/10-essential-films-for-an-introduction-to-cinema-du-look/2/>
Lehrer, A., 2015. A Case for Gaspar Noé's Heartbreaking Erotic Romance Film, 'Love'. New York: Forbes.
Jeffrey Sachs, and Charles Wyplosz, "The economic consequences of President Mitterrand." Economic Policy 1.2 (1986): 261-306.
Kazurova, N., 2019. BBC Generation. [podcast] Cinema Du Look. Available at: <https://vk.com/away.php?utf=1&to=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F9XnrhMBriJI>
Powrie, P., 2006. [book] The Cinema Of France. London: Wallflower.
The French neo-baroques directors: Beineix, Besson, Carax from Diva to le Grand Bleu (pp. 11 — 23), in The Films of Luc Besson
in The Films of Luc Besson: Master of Spectacle (Under the direction of Susan Hayward and Phil Powrie) Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007
Luc Besson : The Cinema du Look or the Spectacle-Image in Cinema after Deleuze by Richard Ruston, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012, p. 132
Dyson, J., 2018. The Dreamers (2003) Review. New York, pp.1-3.
‘Hail Holy Motors’, Lola, Vol. 3, 2012
Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias. 2019. Cinéma Du Look. [online] Available at: <http://guide_to_cinema.enacademic.com/342/Cin%C3%A9ma_du_look> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Anon [online] Available at: <https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/cinema-du-look-movie-era/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Taste of Cinema - Movie Reviews and Classic Movie Lists. 2018. 10 Essential Films For An Introduction To Cinema Du Look. [online] Available at: <http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/10-essential-films-for-an-introduction-to-cinema-du-look/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
the Guardian. 2017. A Short History Of French Cinema. [online] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/mar/22/french-cinema-short-history> [Accessed 20 January 2021].
Movies, B. and All-Time, T., 2019. The Best Cinema Du Look Movies Of All-Time - Cinema Dailies. [online] Cinema Dailies. Available at: <https://www.cinemadailies.com/the-best-cinema-du-look-movies-of-all-time/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
The Globe and Mail. 2017. Jean-Jacques Beineix’S Diva, ‘Cinema Du Look’ And Films That Get The Legacy They Deserve. [online] Available at: <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-jean-jacques-beineixs-diva-cinema-du-look-and-films-that-get-the/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Screening Europe Blog. 2017. Cinema Du Look: Spectacle Over Substance?. [online] Available at: <https://up689387.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/cinema-du-look-spectacle-over-substance-2/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Yann Picand, D., 2016. Cinema Du Look : Definition Of Cinema Du Look And Synonyms Of Cinema Du Look (English). [online] Dictionary.sensagent.com. Available at: <http://dictionary.sensagent.com/cinema%20du%20look/en-en/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
List of figures
(All screenshots were taken by me personally during the viewing and analysis)
Figure 1.
Still from Diva (1981)
Figure 2.
Still from from Diva (1981)
Figure 3.
Still from from Diva (1981)
Figure 4.
Still from La Femme: Nikita (1990)
Figure 5.
Still from Leon: The Professional (1994)
Figure 6.
Still from Leon: The Professional (1994)
Figure 7.
Still from The Dreamers (2003)
Figure 8.
Still from The Dreamers (2003)
Figure 9.
Still from Holy Motors (2012)
Figure 10.
Still from Holy Motors (2012)
Figure 11.
Still from Holy Motors (2012)
Figure 12.
Still from Love (2015)
Films:
Diva. 1981. [film] Directed by J. Beineix. France: Les Films Galaxie; Greenwitch Film Productions.
La Femme Nikita. 1990. [film] Directed by L. Besson. France: Gaumont Film Company.
Leon:The Professional. 1994. [film] Directed by L. Besson. France: Les Films du Dauphin.
The Dreamers. 2003. [film] Directed by B. Bertolucci. France, Italy: Recorded Picture Company.
Holy Motors. 2012. [film] Directed by L. Carax. France: Pierre Grise Productions ; Theo Films.
Love. 2015. [film] Directed by G. Noe. France, Belgium: Les Cinemas De La Zone.
Other resources:
Radner, H., 2000. [report] Stars and Stardom in French Cinema. London, pp.1-5.
Wilmington, M., 1991. Movie Review: Nikita: A Thriller With a Feminine Twist. The Los Angeles Times
Walton, S., 2014. The beauty of the act: Figuring film and the delirious baroque in "Holy Motors". Professor. University of South Australia.
Bassan, R. ‘Three French neo-baroque directors: Beineix, Besson, Carax, from Diva to Le Grand Blue’ in Essays on Luc Besson: Master of spectacle, edited by S. Hayward and P. Powrie. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2006: 11-21.
Ross, C., 2014. 10 Essential Films For An Introduction To Cinema du Look. [online] pp.1-2. Available at: <https://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/10-essential-films-for-an-introduction-to-cinema-du-look/2/>
Lehrer, A., 2015. A Case for Gaspar Noé's Heartbreaking Erotic Romance Film, 'Love'. New York: Forbes.
Jeffrey Sachs, and Charles Wyplosz, "The economic consequences of President Mitterrand." Economic Policy 1.2 (1986): 261-306.
Kazurova, N., 2019. BBC Generation. [podcast] Cinema Du Look. Available at: <https://vk.com/away.php?utf=1&to=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F9XnrhMBriJI>
Powrie, P., 2006. [book] The Cinema Of France. London: Wallflower.
The French neo-baroques directors: Beineix, Besson, Carax from Diva to le Grand Bleu (pp. 11 — 23), in The Films of Luc Besson
in The Films of Luc Besson: Master of Spectacle (Under the direction of Susan Hayward and Phil Powrie) Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007
Luc Besson : The Cinema du Look or the Spectacle-Image in Cinema after Deleuze by Richard Ruston, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012, p. 132
Dyson, J., 2018. The Dreamers (2003) Review. New York, pp.1-3.
‘Hail Holy Motors’, Lola, Vol. 3, 2012
Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias. 2019. Cinéma Du Look. [online] Available at: <http://guide_to_cinema.enacademic.com/342/Cin%C3%A9ma_du_look> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Anon [online] Available at: <https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/cinema-du-look-movie-era/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Taste of Cinema - Movie Reviews and Classic Movie Lists. 2018. 10 Essential Films For An Introduction To Cinema Du Look. [online] Available at: <http://www.tasteofcinema.com/2014/10-essential-films-for-an-introduction-to-cinema-du-look/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
the Guardian. 2017. A Short History Of French Cinema. [online] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/mar/22/french-cinema-short-history> [Accessed 20 January 2021].
Movies, B. and All-Time, T., 2019. The Best Cinema Du Look Movies Of All-Time - Cinema Dailies. [online] Cinema Dailies. Available at: <https://www.cinemadailies.com/the-best-cinema-du-look-movies-of-all-time/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
The Globe and Mail. 2017. Jean-Jacques Beineix’S Diva, ‘Cinema Du Look’ And Films That Get The Legacy They Deserve. [online] Available at: <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-jean-jacques-beineixs-diva-cinema-du-look-and-films-that-get-the/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Screening Europe Blog. 2017. Cinema Du Look: Spectacle Over Substance?. [online] Available at: <https://up689387.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/cinema-du-look-spectacle-over-substance-2/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
Yann Picand, D., 2016. Cinema Du Look : Definition Of Cinema Du Look And Synonyms Of Cinema Du Look (English). [online] Dictionary.sensagent.com. Available at: <http://dictionary.sensagent.com/cinema%20du%20look/en-en/> [Accessed 10 January 2021].
List of figures
(All screenshots were taken by me personally during the viewing and analysis)
Figure 1.
Still from Diva (1981)
Figure 2.
Still from from Diva (1981)
Figure 3.
Still from from Diva (1981)
Figure 4.
Still from La Femme: Nikita (1990)
Figure 5.
Still from Leon: The Professional (1994)
Figure 6.
Still from Leon: The Professional (1994)
Figure 7.
Still from The Dreamers (2003)
Figure 8.
Still from The Dreamers (2003)
Figure 9.
Still from Holy Motors (2012)
Figure 10.
Still from Holy Motors (2012)
Figure 11.
Still from Holy Motors (2012)
Figure 12.
Still from Love (2015)
