French Letters
Say what you will about the French - and there's certainly plenty to say - there are aspects of French culture that I thoroughly enjoy.
Obviously there's the cuisine. Mmmmmmmm...pate.
And there's music as well. The compilation Jazz A Saint-Germain is as good a means as any to get your feet wet; the tracks by Les Nubians and Angelique Kidjo are stand outs.
But most of all, I enjoy the French sense of style. Not style as in haute couture, since I'm far from being a clothes horse or a fashionista. I'm referring to style as it applies to film and acting.
Jean Reno is cooler than a dozen Brad Pitts or Ben Affleck. Exhibit A: Ronin. Exhibit B: The Professional.
Speaking of Jean Reno. La Femme Nikita was a far superior film to the insipid American remake.
But it goes beyond individual films and actors. The 'New Wave' of cinema that came out of post-war France heavily influenced many of the directors of the American film renaissance of the 1970s. Jean-Luc Godard in particular had a large impact on American filmmakers, one that is still felt today.* So I was delighted to come across a (reasonably) cheap copy of Godard's Band of Outsiders this weekend. I can't wait to watch it.
*I was fascinated to find out that the name of Quentin Tarantino's production company - A Band Apart is a tribute to Godard (Band of Outsiders tranlsates into French as Bande a part.)
Obviously there's the cuisine. Mmmmmmmm...pate.
And there's music as well. The compilation Jazz A Saint-Germain is as good a means as any to get your feet wet; the tracks by Les Nubians and Angelique Kidjo are stand outs.
But most of all, I enjoy the French sense of style. Not style as in haute couture, since I'm far from being a clothes horse or a fashionista. I'm referring to style as it applies to film and acting.
Jean Reno is cooler than a dozen Brad Pitts or Ben Affleck. Exhibit A: Ronin. Exhibit B: The Professional.
Speaking of Jean Reno. La Femme Nikita was a far superior film to the insipid American remake.
But it goes beyond individual films and actors. The 'New Wave' of cinema that came out of post-war France heavily influenced many of the directors of the American film renaissance of the 1970s. Jean-Luc Godard in particular had a large impact on American filmmakers, one that is still felt today.* So I was delighted to come across a (reasonably) cheap copy of Godard's Band of Outsiders this weekend. I can't wait to watch it.
*I was fascinated to find out that the name of Quentin Tarantino's production company - A Band Apart is a tribute to Godard (Band of Outsiders tranlsates into French as Bande a part.)
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