Truffaut’s Jules et Jim †An Expressionistic Analysis :: Movie Film Essays

Truffauts Jules et Jim An Expressionistic AnalysisAs far as Bazins essay The Evolution of the Language of movie might be apply as a formal screen of categorisationnotwithstanding the problematics inherent in his oversimplification of the realist and expressionist methodological analysisinitial viewing of Jules et Jim seems to present a dichotomous structure. Certainly, a turning of Bazins criteria for realism argon met camera movement long-takes composition-in-depth. and deep guidance a certain ambiguity of meaning. Similarly, several of Bazins criteria for expressionism also potentiometer be found there is spatial and temporal discontinuity editing is used for artistic effect reality is augmented to create a orbit just vaguely like our own, and so on. The dichotomy though is only apparent. The over-all effect created by Truffaut shows Jules et Jim belonging more comfortably in the expressionist domain and, as we shall discover, devices which would normallyat least according to Bazin throw in the towel the effect of realism are utilised by Truffaut as tools of expressionism. In our analysis of Jules et Jim, rather than examine fleetingly the whole gamut of expressionistic techniques, we shall instead research in some detail the more important methods, paying busy attention to temporal and spatial distortions, editing and montage, special visual effects, and eventually discover the manner in which Bazins archetypal techniques of realismlong-takes and composition-in-depth.are recast. Certainly one of the most striking features of Jules et Jim is temporal distortion. Truffaut utilises this effect by various means and for various purposes. In the first two legal proceeding of the film, time is condensed in two ways by the third person narrative, which encapsulates the films exposition in the most laconic of terms, describing the face-off and developing friendship of Jules and Jim, and also by the selective prototypes which largely fend off re dunant description of the aural narrative, but instead seek to interpret and compliment. Accordingly, when the vote counter tells us that Jules is a foreigner in Paris that he wants to go to an art students lout and that Jim gets him a ticket and costume, the image we are offered is a simple one of the two playing dominoes. This image, incidentally, becomes a leitmotif in the film, supporting the theme of friendship and is touchingly wide-ranging much later when Jules plays instead with his daughter. Next, the narrator tells us that their friendship grows the ball takes place that Jules has tender eyes.