Nouvelle Vague: Reliving the Making of 'Breathless'

Richard Linklater's 'Nouvelle Vague' has been described as the re-creation of Jean-Luc Godard's creation of his iconic film 'Breathless', but with a twist. Despite the stylized inspirational pitch, Linklater's film is a more traditional outlook, capturing the essence of Godard's process with meticulously detailed storytelling, accomplished VFX scenes, sizeable crew, and convincing actors. This enjoyable retelling delineates the journey and the struggles of creating a ground-breaking film like 'Breathless'.

Linklater, an experimenter himself with several genre endeavors, showcases his fascination for Godard's creative process. Packed with intriguing footnotes about the pre-production and the tumultuous shoot of 'Breathless', 'Nouvelle Vague' is a treat for the true cinephiles who comprehend its title.

The film gives insights into Godard's character, played by newcomer Guillaume Marbeck, who bears a striking resemblance to the veteran director. While Godard's eccentricity was evident in his refusal to stick to a script, displaying blatant disregard for filmic continuity, and even getting into a brawl with his producer, George de Beauregard, he was still admired for his wit, charm and eagerness to create something unique.

Linklater illuminates an incredibly significant period in film history, serving us a light-hearted depiction of a director renowned for his profound arthouse creations. Despite the lackadaisical preparation, Godard's determination won his cast and crew over. The underlying message Linklater's film conveys is that the process of reaching the goal is as important as the goal itself. It's a reflective piece on Godard's path-breaking approach that would eventually revolutionize cinema.

Although 'Nouvelle Vague' is less innovative than Godard's oeuvre, it provides a unique look into his pivotal career moment and the overall history of cinema. Featuring seasoned auteur cameoes and authentic cinematography, it shows how the Nouvelle Vague movement was influenced by pioneers such as Rossellini, Bresson, and Melville. It's a comprehensive package that recreates the 1950s' Parisian atmosphere, even making use of extensive VFX for exterior shots.

Despite the higher production cost, it's a joyful tribute to the audacious creation of 'Breathless', illustrating cinema's spectacular transformation when created with speed, economic efficiency and chaos. Linklater's capable direction brings a new perspective to this revolution, simultaneously celebrating Godard's audacity and maintaining his conventional style. 'Nouvelle Vague' may not exactly resemble 'Breathless', but it certainly gives an intriguing glimpse into its creation, testing the conventional norms and transforming cinema in the process.