Goodbye to Language | Jean-Luc Godard | New York Film Festival 2014
Legendary filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard brings us his latest. An experimental film both in concept and technicality, Goodbye to Language explores the idea of prose and communication. Godard seems to exclaim that although language is usually seen as a freedom, allowing us to describe ourselves, it actually limits our expression. Maybe we spend so much time trying to illustrate how we feel, we actually forget to enjoy the feelings ourselves.
The 3D film craze post-Avatar has a lot of critics forsaking the medium. Most say that it adds little artistic value to a film, and is more about boosting ticket sales than anything else. In Goodbye, we see stereoscopy used in an artistic manner, leading to varying degrees of success. Some of the scenes are composed with the “depth slider” turned to eleven, creating an obtrusive effect that is hard to focus around. In others, it’s actually quite pleasing to the eye, proving that 3D can be used effectively if desired. As a pair of hands washing away their sins, we see the ripples and leaves upon the crystal clear water…a perfect composition of depth straight to the bottom. Another, a reflection on a rainy street, opens a window into a parallel world of neon. Also, Godard tricks us by splitting the image up, allowing you to close one eye and see a concurrent event, which then seamlessly join back together. Also, if you fancy seeing both a man and a dog pooping in three dimensions, this is the film for you.
I must mention the dog, who stole the whole show. He appears in ‘La Nature’, roaming around the world doing things a dog might do. He has no “language”, no ability to write, or create films. But his experience is much deeper than ours, as Godard notes the look in his eyes. He possesses an ability to experience and feel without any sullying of the experience, where we critically think and sully beauty.
There’s the point, and it’s what I’m doing right at this moment. I can’t tell you how I feel about this film, because it’s irrelevant to you. This is just my bourgeois opinion. You must go experience it for yourself. Regardless, Goodbye to Language was met with roaring applause, including my own hands. Over the next couple days, I heard chatter amongst the industry and press in the theater“Did you see the new Godard?” Those who missed it, missed out.
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