Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Oh, Woe Is Me Blu-ray Movie Review

A creative journey that only a artist like Godard can take audiences on

Helas Pour Moi (Oh, Woe is Me) marks another creative turning point for acclaimed filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard (Contempt, Breathless). Produced by Christine Gozlan (The Piano Teacher, Intimate Strangers), Christine Hutin, and Benoit Rossel, the film is part fairy tail and feels like something altogether peculiar: a comeback for Godard after making a string of films in the 1980's which were quickly dismissed by many audience members and critics.

Jean Luc Godard was at a crossroads when making his early 1990's features (including Helas Pour Moi). Though many critics and audiences had moved on from the auteur filmmaker's efforts and responses to his work had become far more vocally mixed and divisive than even in the earlier days of his creative golden-years with gems like Breathless, Pierrot le Fou, and Band of Outsiders, Godard still forged through and continued to make his obscure, strange, and peculiar productions as if there were all made simply for himself. Others can come along on the ride with him (should they so please).

The story of Helas Pour Moi is loosely inspired by the famed Greek mythology surrounding the legend of Alcmene and Amphitryon. For those unfamiliar with the story, this folktale surrounds the concept of a God coming to Earth and taking on a more human form to pursue the pleasures of human flesh and the sensuality of a woman. Taking on the key roles of the Greek characters are two of France's most beloved actors: Gerard Depardieu and Laurence Masliah.

This is a strange and unusual story and it takes on several different shapes and forms from beginning to end. On one level of the story, Simon (Depardiue) is a man going through some relationship turmoil with his beloved Rachel (Masliah) and it seems as though their relationship with one another might be breaking apart piece-by-piece. The romance between the characters has fizzled out and their flame has suffered from their inner turmoils.

A modern take on a Greek myth told with style and originality

On the other hand of this relationship development, Depardiu also takes on the form of the narrator of the film as a Greek God and there are two versions of his character who then appear in the story-line. After taking his bags in his ragged hands and trotting down a barren road on a work endeavor, Simon disappears from the story and reappears with a double of himself entering into the life of Rachel once more. What happens to the relationship when examined through the lens of Amphitryon and Alcmene?

The story-line often feels muddied and confusing because of the unusual storytelling devices employed by Godard. Though this has led to many viewers detesting the work of the filmmaking (especially in his later “experimental essay” years), Helas Pour Moi actually reminds me a great deal of his early filmmaking experiments: it feels energetic, creative, and original. Though the story is a far cry from perfect, the filmmaking techniques utilized are distinctly the work of Godard and cast a mesmerizing spell. One of the aspects of the film which is most interesting to me is the way in which the flashbacks were constructed out of order and are then quickly interjected by an entirely black screen which has a way of appearing before audiences with rapid progression: a blank canvas, if you will, which Godard uses as a unsettling and ominous filmmakers tool.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of the production is the gorgeous cinematography by Caroline Champetier (Holy Motors, Of Gods and Men) and the way it leaves a mark. The imagery is highly evocative and sensual from beginning to end. The film has a strong blue hue to the entire story which makes the storyline feel much more fable-like than as if it were some kind of reflection of reality. It's a fantasy, through and through. The art direction by Anne-Marie Faux (The Phantom Heart) also impresses and gives the film a more evocative energy which feels invigorating.

Though Helas Pour Moi (Oh, Woe is Me) is one of the more offbeat Godard films I have seen (and that is certainly saying something!), I found the experience to be a worthwhile one which impresses more on a visual level than on a storytelling front. Unlike his filmmaking peer Truffaut (who cherished in storytelling above all else), Godard's artistic goals have always been far more experimental: to make audiences examine his art and what it all even means. Helas Pour Moi succeeds on that front tenfold. Creative, ambitious, and stylistically rich, one can't go wrong with this underrated Godard gem.

Oh, Woe Is Me Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The film is presented on Blu-ray with an impressive 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio. Helas Pour Moi (Oh, Woe is Me) arrives on Blu-ray in North America for the first from distributor Kino Lorber. What a delight it is to see the film arrive with such a pristine transfer of the 35mm film elements.

This is a gorgeous looking disc which has excellent clarity, detail, and overall depth to the image. The image also has a fine layer of natural film grain which keeps the details intact from start to finish. Colors are subtle but effective and organic looking throughout the presentation. From the subtle shades of the blue-hued visuals to the vibrant green of the outdoors, in many ways Helas Pour Moi works as a visual feast for the eyes which feels like a return-to-form for Godard. From a purely visual standpoint this is an exceptional release.

Oh, Woe Is Me Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The audio is presented with an enormously impressive DTS-HD Master Audio stereo track. As is the usual standard for Godard films, the sound design is highly creative and engaging throughout. This certainly sounds nothing like what one might expect to find from any kind of typical low-budget independent production made during the 1990's: Godard is highly creative with his sound-mixes and the sound engineers who worked on this film did some outstanding work that should not go ignored.
Separation is excellent with great clarity and detail to even the tinniest details in the sound-stage: from the pouring rain outside to the furious wind and the hypnotizing narration by Depardiue (which takes on an otherworldly like energy), with the sound-mix creatively bouncing back and forth between the left and right speakers with a style only found in the likes of Godard's films. Detail is always crisp, clear, and capable of reproducing the dialogue. The classical music selections featured in the score are beautifully reproduced. An excellent sound presentation which truly benefits from receiving a lossless audio boost. English subtitles are provided and are free from distracting grammatical errors or typos.

Oh, Woe Is Me Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

9 page booklet featuring an essay written by film critic Jordan Cronk, which is an exceptional essay discussing the film and its mark in Godard's filmmaking career.

Audio Commentary by film critic Samm Deighan

Helas Pour Moi Theatrical Trailer (SD, 33 sec.)

Trailers for other Jean-Luc Godard films available from Kino Lorber: Detective (SD, 1 min. 9 sec.), The Image Book (SD, 1 min. 38 sec.), Goodbye to Language (SD, 1 min. 27 sec.), Film Socialisme (HD, 1 min. 17 sec.)

Oh, Woe Is Me Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Helas Pour Moi (Oh, Woe is Me) is a fascinating modern take on a classic tale from Greek mythology. Featuring first-rate performances by Gerard Depardieu and Laurence Masliah, Godard has made an impressive feature exuding creativity at every turn of the filmmaking. The Blu-ray release features a exceptional video-audio presentation which is highly satisfactory (with fine film grain to boot) and it makes the Blu-ray release easy enough to recommend to Godard enthusiasts.