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French Film Essay
New Wave Films are one of the main momentous film progressions noted in the history of cinematography. It played a great role in countries such as France by reviewing the film industry through new supports in filming methods and themes of movie production. Some characteristics of new wave films include personal replications in films through the directors’ duplication of intense emotions and determinations within various life aspects. Due to this, the director’s ideas and work were extremely personal and original. Film requirements were independent of each other and the directors had the liberty to explore their ideas on motion pictures. Additionally, the new wave allowed directors to produce films on manageable budgets (Golf 68).
As film producers incorporated some of these characteristics in their production strategies, higher emotional aspects were relayed into films thus enhancing the fact that viewers related to the films. For example, in the French movie The 400 Blows the narrative that has been told from the director’s point of view meaning that the film has been produced as a reflection of the director’s individuality. For example, Truffaut expresses his views on family customs, education and authority all subjected to the producer’s views (Roman 105).
The director’s individuality is illustrated in the film in instances where Truffaut makes individual statements within the story line. Truffaut achieves this as the narrator; through this, the viewer is introduced to the protagonist, a young boy who is troubled by a missing childhood that was not provided by his parents owing to various issues. As a result, the boy is always causing trouble at home and at school. The mature aspect of life seems to offer no form of appeal to the child. Additionally, the child undergoes several conflicts with his parents at home and teachers at the school setting leading him to rebellious tendencies through opposing school and parental authority.
The story appears to offer a bleak and dreadful end for the protagonist but it works out in an unexpected manner as the child flees from home. In addition, the movie evidences the use of hand held cameras, which is a common feature of new wave films. The use of hand held cameras allows flexibility in the movement of the camera creating the feeling of familiarity amongst the audience. For example, towards the ending as the protagonist is escapes from the reform school by fleeing towards his yearned location at the sea, the camera takes a closer view at his face through an extreme close-up allowing the character for him to look back at the audience directly.
Truffaut believed that camera mobility permitted innovation and creativity within the film. The French education system as shown in the film appears to be very unsympathetic because the students are not given an opportunity to express themselves. This can be illustrated in the scene where, Antoine is given a harsh suspension punishment covering a long duration for committing a minor mistake of essay plagiarism. The teacher also embarrasses him by calling out his mistake in front of the whole class (Roman 105). From these two instances, the learning system instills fear in the students and therefore creating a gap in the learner- teacher association.
Contrasting this to my schooling system evidences a liberal setting than the one established in the film. Although the punishment and rewards system is similar to my schooling setting, tutors within the present learning systems are more concerned with the students’ intellectual progression, mental development and self-esteem. For example, when a student breaks school rules, he/she is given an appropriate punishment and later required to visit the counseling department for the impartation of positive values through behavioral approaches. With this, a learner’s confidence is built as no authoritarian fear and intimidation is instilled within the students.
Works Cited
Golf, William. “The Legacy of the New Wave.” New York Magazine 9 January 1984: 68. Print.
Roman, James. Bigger Than Blockbusters: Movies That Defined America. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2009. Print.
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