Bande A Part on DVD (1964)

Band of innovators

johnnyfraudster from greater london , 23/03/2004

Bande a part, like Goddards other work from this era must have given the established cinema of the time a real shake up. It is crammed full of innovative, fresh, highly original cinematic devices which, now common place, were created in this film.

Goddard simultaneously rejects and embraces narrative techniques twisting and turning them on their head to suit his quirky hip style. The film does seem dated by its innocence but its style and delivery are as fresh as ever.

This is a lesser known film than a bout de souffle but it is probably more ground-breaking and has more iconic moments which have been emulated and ripped off by other film makers ever since; just one example is Tarantino who cited the dance sequence in the cafe as the major influence on Uma Thurman and John Travolta's dance off in pulp fiction. However the greatest moment in this film must be the minute's silence, which doesn't sound very interesting but is completely engaging.

Bande a part is a truly uplifting, totally original film which is exciting to watch as it constantly pushes the boundaries of cinematic convention; something we see all too little of these days.

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Joie de Vivre

Melon from East Sussex , 05/06/2004

This is a great little film, made when Godard was at his peak, before his anti-film stance started seeming bitter. It still works today, maybe because modern young film-makers making their po-faced CGI fixated bland blockbuster wannabes aren't a fraction as imaginative or experimental as this classic is at it's most off the cuff. It was a major influence on Tarantino, especially in the famous cafe dance scene where the three cool leads do the Madison. It may be pretentious at times but it's also suprisingly naturalistic and the mix of laid-back realism with Godard's anything goes approach to shooting works really well, and gives the film a fresh, lively, fun-loving energy that is hard to beat or dislike. It's also really easy to fall in love with Anna Karina.

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More a film-making excerise than anything else

McClennan from St Helens , 31/01/2005

I found this to be more of a film about film-making than a great piece of cinema in its own right. It started fairly slowly and was unlike anything that I'd seen before but at the same time it wasn't really going anywhere. I watched some of the extras with the DVD and I'm glad I did because it highlighted the camera work and score which is really all that I'd really picked up watching it. The dance scene was brilliant but aside from that I didn't really find much in the characters to hook me in. I understand from the extras that there was no script which I know isn't uncommon with other directors but it did play like that. There was some good interaction between the characters at times but overall the only real spark inside the film itself was the dance. More technical for me than anything else

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Zut Alors!

SPP from Manchester , 13/09/2004

I've never been a fan of French New wave. I've always found Godard particularly over rated. Here, however I can finally see what it is that people get lathered up about. Visually, the crisp monochrome is stunning and the presence of a fairly coherent narrative (but still with the occassional skewing of established film making principles) make it a joy rather than a labour to watch.

The 'minute silence' and the song and dance routine are my personal favourite moments.

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More a film-making excerise than anything else

McClennan from St Helens , 31/01/2005

I found this to be more of a film about film-making than a great piece of cinema in its own right. It started fairly slowly and was unlike anything that I'd seen before but at the same time it wasn't really going anywhere. I watched some of the extras with the DVD and I'm glad I did because it highlighted the camera work and score which is really all that I'd really picked up watching it. The dance scene was brilliant but aside from that I didn't really find much in the characters to hook me in. I understand from the extras that there was no script which I know isn't uncommon with other directors but it did play like that. There was some good interaction between the characters at times but overall the only real spark inside the film itself was the dance. More technical for me than anything else

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I'm loopy the lup, the good wolf.

Chester Dent from London, England [Highly rated reviewer] , 07/03/2007

Godard's wonderfully entertaining and spirited film demonstrates his love of noirish American crime films and pulp novels from the 1940's and 50's and Hollywood musicals (notably in its gloomy, unglamorous Paris locations and the famous impromptu dance skit in a cafe ) and his innovative structure style. The film is a routine crime caper told in an energetic series of set pieces featuring the naive and extraordinary Anna Karina, two bored French bruisers and a large pile of bank notes which is an absolute joy to watch.

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