Discuss Le Mépris in detail in terms of David Bordwell’s analysis of the elements that characterise art cinema. Maisy Jessie Jacobs College

Art cinema is a highly contested term that is often associated with ‘taste’ and ‘decorum’ in contrast to more classical cinema (Neale, 2002, p103). The films associated with this mode owe their routes to a variety of artistic movements such as the film d’art of the early 1900s, German Expressionism, French Impressionism and Literary Modernism (Bordwell, 2002, p94). However, Bordwell explains that they emerged after World War II, also as a result of ‘re-established international commerce’, demonstrating an approach to filmmaking that contrasted greatly with that of classical Hollywood films which were no longer held in the same high esteem (2002, p94). The historical events and cultural movements that were arguably responsible for the creation of art cinema help to place Le Mépris(Jean-Luc Godard, 1963) within this category because of their obvious impact on both the production and narrative of this film. Le Méprisfollows the story of French playwright, Paul as he is hired to rewrite a script for Fritz Lang’s Italian film adaptation of the Odyssey. Simultaneously he navigates his crumbling marriage and tries to understand why his wife Camille no longer loves him. Jean-Luc Godard’s adaptation of Alberto Moravia’s novel, sits...