Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"Vivre Sa Vie"

This was a truly beautiful film. Godard's obsession with Anna Karina helped produce a beautifully shot film. The twelve different sections of the film guide the audience into Nana's life of prostitution. Was this film done to represent Godard's love and failure to obtain a relationship Anna Karina? This was however originally a novel, how much did Godard change the base of the novel to make Nana (Anna Karina) the subject at all times?

My favorite scene of the movie is when we are first introduced to Paul. Nana is dressed to the nines ready to go to the theatre with her pimp (I lost his name). They make a stop at a pool bar, which Nana is not happy about. This scene shows Nana's true power over men. She asks the bartender downstairs if they have cigarettes. The bar tender tells her yes and asks her if she wants one, Nana refuses. When she goes upstairs, without asking she patiently watches Paul go downstairs and fetch a cigarette for her. She new Paul would fetch the cigarette, and wanted to see if she could influence him with sheer beauty to do her an unasked favor.

This scene established my wonderment of what Godard was representing. Did this have to do with his diminishing relationship with Anna Karina? I feel Godard represented himself in two characters: the pimp and Paul. The pimp simply used Nana for his profit and sold her when he was through (which eventually led to her death). Paul on the other hand was greatly influenced and easily controlled by Nana. The pimp may of been Godard's representation of using Anna Karina in his films and watching and disposing of her when he was done. Paul may of been the representation of Anna Karina's actual power over Godard, and the love he felt for her. I will have to watch this film again to truly analyze it. It seems to be full of under-tones that were most likely influenced by Godard's life and relationship with Anna Karina.

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