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4K Digital Restoration—60th Anniversary
Breathless (À bout de souffle)
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
$12 / $8 Speed members
“There are precious few titles in the history of cinema that can truly be called ‘revolutionary,’ and Godard’s Breathless is one of those few—it gave us a new way of making movies and a new way of thinking about them, a new rhythm of life, a new way of looking at ourselves.”—Martin Scorsese
Breathless is one of the first and most influential examples of French New Wave (nouvelle vague) cinema. It brought international attention to new styles of French filmmaking notably its bold visual style that included hand-held camera cinematography and unconventional use of jump cuts between shots.
Petty thug Michel (the late Jean-Paul Belmondo in his breakout performance) considers himself a suave bad guy in the manner of Humphrey Bogart, but panics and impulsively kills a policeman while driving a stolen car. On the lam, he turns to his aspiring journalist girlfriend, Patricia (Jean Seberg), hiding out in her Paris apartment while he tries to pull together enough money to get the pair to Italy. But when Patricia learns that her boyfriend is being investigated for murder, she begins to question her loyalties.
Now in this new 4K digital restoration in celebration of its 60th anniversary, we can see why this film continues to inspire generations of filmmakers. Winner of the Prix Jean Vigo at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival. 1960, France, 4K DCP, in French and English with English subtitles, 90 minutes. Recommended for 16+