Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films, 1968-1971 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films, 1968-1971 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 10, 2018

If you were asked to name just one film by iconic director Jean-Luc Godard, which one would you choose? Chances are for many of you it would probably be his legendary pioneering New Wave entry Breathless, or perhaps one of his better remembered titles from a bit later in his career like Alphaville or Masculin Féminin . Even if your particular choice wouldn’t in fact be one of these three films, this very trio in and of itself proves quite admirably how widely variant the content in Godard’s films can be, even if his style is often instantly recognizable. As perhaps evidenced by the title of what is the last film Godard has come out with (he’s still alive and kicking at 87 as this review is being written), 2014’s Goodbye to Language, Godard is often interested in the visceral intensity of imagery, imagery that is often either divorced or at least tangentially related to any perceived content. In our recent Faces Places Blu-ray review, a film which has both subliminal and overt references to Jean-Luc Godard, I jokingly referred to the five films in this set as among the "vaguest" of the Nouvelle Vague. In fact what is repeatedly so fascinating about these five admittedly odd films is how their presentational aspects are almost deliberately opaque, while some of their actual content is virtually screed like, as Godard, probably already prone toward anarchistic tendencies, tipped over into what some have called "radicalization" in the wake of sociopolitical unrest in the France of the late sixties. It's a sometimes discomfiting mix, one that Godard and Gorin no doubt concocted intentionally, but it makes each of this quintet a rather peculiar viewing experience at times.

For reviews of the five films in this set, please click on the following reviews:

Un film comme les autres Blu-ray review

British Sounds Blu-ray review

Le vent d'est Blu-ray review

Lotte in Italia Blu-ray review

Vladimir et Rosa Blu-ray review

Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films, 1968-1971 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films, 1968-1971 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films, 1968-1971 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Two of the discs in this set have two films each (Un film comme les autres and British Sounds on one, Le vent d'est and Lotte in Italy on the other), and the third disc has a solo film (Vladimir et Rosa). Supplements included on each disc are detailed on the appropriate reviews (meaning that there are "repeats" since some films share a disc). None of the supplements are really related solely to the film or films on the disc that they're on, though, and serve as more generalist in nature. Additionally, Arrow has packaged this set in a sturdy chipboard slipbox that comes with a nicely appointed insert booklet.

Jean-Luc Godard + Jean-Pierre Gorin: Five Films, 1968-1971 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

None of these films is probably a great place to start if you're unfamiliar with Godard. But for the Godard completist, or even for those with a particular interest in this "radicalizing" era for the iconic auteur, these films are indispensable. Arrow has done a great job offering good, organic looking transfers of these micro budgeted features which were all shot on 16mm. For the discerning cineaste if for no one else, this set comes Recommended.