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A Bout de Souffle (transalated to Breathless in English) = is part crime noir, part romantic thriller and basically a good old fashioned chase
The film is about petty, foul-mouthed criminal Michel Pioccard (played by 26-year-old Jean-Paul Belmondo's) , who is obsessed with the film star, ... Read review
Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo), an ex-airline steward turned hoodlum, steals a car ... more
and heads to Paris. Discovering a gun in the car's glove department, he uses it to shoot and kill a cop who tries to wave him down. He wants to escape to Italy wit...
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Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo), an ex-airline steward turned hoodlum, steals a car ... more
and heads to Paris. Discovering a gun in the car's glove department, he uses it to shoot and kill a cop who tries to wave him down. He wants to escape to Italy wit...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Landmark French movie that turns the tragi-comic story of small time criminal Michel ... more
Poiccard/Laszlo Kovacs (Belmondo) obsessed with both Bogart and an aspiring American journo (Seberg) into a major masterpiece of fickle hedonism. Cigarettes hats su...
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Stylish and sexy, 'Breathless' (A Bout De Souffl? in the original French) is the epitome ... more
of cinematic cool. A fast tale of a young man on the run in Paris at the end of the 50's, the film shook up the film world upon it's release and has made a lasting...
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 1995 - Drama - Director: Ang Lee - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Greg Wise, Hugh Laurie, Robert Hardy
Advantages: A true classic Disadvantages: Subtitles and in French
...Bout de Souffle (transalated to Breathless in English) = is part crime noir, part romantic thriller and basically a good old fashioned chase
The film is about petty, foul-mouthed criminal Michel Pioccard (played by 26-year-old Jean-Paul Belmondo's) , who is obsessed with the film star, Humphrey Bogart . He steals a car and in the process kills the policeman following him.
He goes on the run with a young American journalist, living ... ...Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut
Photo: Raoul Coutard
Music: Martial Solal
Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo (Michel Poiccard), Jean Seberg (Patricia Franchini), Roger Hanin (Cal Zombach)
Country: France
Language: French
Subtitles
Runtime: 89 min, B&W
Aka: Breathless ... more
BOUT DE SOUFFLE (BREATHLESS)
FILM ONLY REVIEW
Although made in 1960 this film is filmed in black and white despite the use of colour coming into use in the film industry in 1935 . A Bout de Souffle (transalated to Breathless in English) = is part crime noir, part romantic thriller and basically a good old fashioned chase The film is about petty, foul-mouthed criminal Michel Pioccard (played by 26-year-old Jean-Paul Belmondo's) , who is obsessed with the film star, Humphrey Bogart . He steals a car and in the process kills the policeman following him. He goes on the run with a young American journalist, living in Paris, Patricia Franchini,( played by Jean Seberg). Michel appears to be in love with Patricia, but she remains non-commital. Then Patricia discovers Michel’s terrible secret. The couple go though Paris, managing to evade the french Police and collecting debts from someone who owes Michel money before trying to flee the country. But will they manage it without been caught by the police?
This is a really classic film. but without moch of a plot line - if there is any at all.
The fact the film is filmed in black and white, and make the film seem as if iit was filmed when it was set - around the 1940s and adds to the general atmosphere of it.
It may be black and white but the filming is excellent, and I doubt it will ever seem out of date. Even almost 50 years on, the film is enjoyable and still seems current. The acting in A Bout De Souffle is to be desired, Michel is weird in the film, and he acts in strange ways which are just not at all believable, when he shoots the Police Officer in the beginning of the film, he just hops in the car and drives off, lights a cigarette (a popular feature with him in the film!) and gets on with it, he isn't speeding away from the crime scene and acts completely relaxed despite it been the first time he has ever killed anyone! And again the final scene is just crazy in the way it's shot! The protaganist, Jean-Paul Belmondo, is cast as a petty criminal with an eye for the ladies and a strange respect for the police. This charismatic young actor completely dominates the film. His co-star, Jean Seberg is absolutly stunning as Patricia, and depicts well a character with no roots, at the same time grabbing your attention with her beguiling screen prsence.
The French New Wave director, Jean-Luc Godard made his name with this film. In it he use politics, film history, Marxist philosophy and popular culture. This was also one of the first films to use jump cuts, handheld cameras, zoom lenses that allowed the watcher to walk down the streets with the characters.
This film is not for everyone,, remember that it has subtitles, so if you're slow at readin or fluent in French you could have problems following the film.
Having said that If you like the Indie or new world films,you will love this film.Additionally, if you happen to be a Tarantino fan, check out this film , I'm sure that you'll see where Tarantino got his inspiration for RESEVOIR DOGS and PULP FICTION.
If you are a true film fan, watch this film - the ending is an incredible poiece of filming.
Credits Director: Jean-Luc Godard Script: Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut Photo: Raoul Coutard Music: Martial Solal Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo (Michel Poiccard), Jean Seberg (Patricia Franchini), Roger Hanin (Cal Zombach) Country: France Language: French Subtitles Runtime: 89 min, B&W Aka: Breathless
Advantages: A wonderful classic which will never go out of date. Disadvantages: Wierd plot line, in fact barely any plot line, strange characters! Subtitled.
...Bout De Souffle (translated to Breathless in English) Details: Directed By: Jean Luc Goddard Release Date: 7 February 1961 Runtime: 90 minutes Language: French (English Subtitles) Starring: Jean-Paul Delmondo Jean Seberg Plot: Filmed in black and white despite the use of colour coming into use in the film industry in 1935 with the film Becky Sharp by Rouben Marmoulian (this was the first film which was considered a real full length film, but colour ... ...A Bout de Souffle is about a small time criminal Michel Pioccard, who is living in Paris. He has stolen a car, and in the mix he killed the police officer persuing him, no longer a small time thief, he then tries to persuade a young American journalist working in Paris to run away to Italy with him, Patricia is someone he has met before, and he quickly renews this releationship when he sees her selling the Herrald in the street. The film is famous ...
stephbond89 07.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Breathless (aka A Bout De Souffle) (Subtitled) (DVD)
Advantages: Still fresh after all these years Disadvantages: None
Made in 1959, Breathless tells the story of Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a hipster who steals a car in Marseilles, kills a cop, and heads for Paris. While in Paris, he tries to commit further criminal acts, such as trying to cash a stolen cheque, and there he meets American student Patricia (Jean Seberg). Michel falls in love Patricia and entices her to run away with him. But the long arm of the law is reaching out.
Breathless is an affectionate ... ...existential questions.
Stylistically, Breathless was probably the most self-reflexive film of the 1960s, with its call to the audience that they were truly watching a film.
The aforementioned jump cut not only was Godard’s “two fingers” to conventional Hollywood film language, but it also restructured the way we see movies today, especially with montages and story lines. The use of hand-held camera work was also groundbreaking, as this was before ...
harrison_simon 09.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Breathless (aka A Bout De Souffle) (Subtitled) (DVD)
Advantages: Iconic performances, unique directing style, gorgeous cinematography, wicked score. Disadvantages: May be a little confusing to some.
This tale of two could-be lovers on the lam is an altogether charming, amusing and downright original piece of cinema. It's the key film of the French New Wave and it's one of the coolest things ever to grace the screen. Jean-Paul Belmondo is superbly cast as the naive hipster Michel, a small time criminal with dreams of being like Humphrey Bogart. The viewer is seduced by this sexy, mischief maker only to have your alliance towards him called into ... ...Seberg makes for a quirky, pixie like romantic lead as Michel's latest fixation. Jean-Luc Godard uses the rather light plot to experiment with the camera - jump cuts, close-ups, hand held, direct sound - it's all thrown in there to create an atmospheric, kinetic and frantic paced film. And that funky, jazz score adds to the cool factor. One of my all time favourite scenes happens half way through the film as Michel and Patricia flirt and talk aimlessly ...
Syklone 16.08.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Breathless (aka A Bout De Souffle) (Subtitled) (DVD)
Advantages: Superb example of French new Wave Disadvantages: If you like conventional entertainment, stear clear.
If you have any interest in cinema as an art form as oppose to purely entertainment then viewing a few Jean Luc Godard films is a must. He was at the forefront of the french new wave in the fifties and sixties - a form of cinema which tried to evoke the experience of living through natural light, hand held cameras, totally improvised performances and unconventional narrative structure and editing technique. This film along with Godard's Weekend are ...
JSpencer 10.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Breathless (aka A Bout De Souffle) (Subtitled) (DVD)
Jean-Luc Godard's 'A Bout De Souffle' (or 'Breathless') is an effortlessly cool homage to American 50s B-movies, that set the trend for countless indie film-makers. The conventional story is about a young car thief, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo, who kills a cop and goes on the run with his girlfriend. However the film is striking because of Godard's 'point-and-shoot' technique, using hand-held cameras, improvised dialogue and brutal cutting. 'Breathless' ...
eraserhead 23.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Breathless (aka A Bout De Souffle) (Subtitled) (DVD)
A youth on the run from the law for shooting a policeman turns to his American girlfriend for help. French dialogue..
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
Optimum Home Entertainment
Release date
09/10/2000
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
OPTD 001
Barcode
5028157204121
Screenwriter
Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut
Director of Photography
Raoul Coutard
Writer
Jean-Luc Godard
Author
François Truffaut
Languages
Main Language
French
Subtitle Language
English
Technical information
Special Features
Animated Chapter Selection, Poster Gallery, Photo Gallery, Original Theatrical Trailer, Full Production Notes, Breathless Jim McBride 1983 Remake Trailer, Charlotte Et Son Jules A Short Film By Jean Luc Godard
Aspect Ratio
4:3
Sound
Mono
Dubbing Sound
Mono French
Professional reviews
Review
"...[An] homage to American B movies." -- Rating: A (Entertainment Weekly, p.67, 13/01/1995)
"...Forty years on and BREATHLESS remains a stylistic tour de force..." (Total Film, p.83, 01/08/2000)
DVD Description
Godard's first feature has been widely hailed as one of the most influential motion pictures ever made. On the run after killing a cop, a small-time crook (Belmondo) hides out in Paris with an American girl (Seberg). After she betrays him, he chooses to face his fate with an absurd stoicism modelled on his hero, Humphrey Bogart. BREATHLESS is the arguable cornerstone of the French New Wave, exhibiting the trademark documentary shooting style, natural sound design, and thematic interest in the detritus of American popular culture. (Rereleased theatrically in April, 2000.)
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