Released in 1960, Jean-Luc Godard’s debut feature film Breathless – or À bout de souffle – is one of the most iconic films of all time. Responsible for ushering in the French New Wave, popularising the ‘jump cut’ and generally changing the cinema landscape as audiences knew it, the film is an influential game-breaker that certainly has one hell of a legacy.
The film follows Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a small-time crook on the run after stealing a car and killing a policeman who pursued him. Hiding out in Paris, he reconnects with an old fling Patricia (Jean Seberg), laying low in her apartment while he tries to get enough cash together to get them both to Italy. But when Patricia learns the truth about Michel, she begins to question her loyalties.
Breathless was never really a film that cared all that much about narrative; it is merely a side-note to the film’s beautiful stylistic flourishes. This is more an example of what cinema could be, created by a true pioneer of the medium. The 90 minutes of Breathless are an exercise in cool, slick elegance with beautiful cinematography by Raoul Coutard and a lively, jazzy score by Martial Solal that transports the viewer to 1960s Paris with great aplomb. This hugely influential film’s immense status in cinema history has never weakened, with the film rightfully appearing in almost every single book of must-see movies for anyone with even the slightest interest in film. It’s truly one of the most ground-breaking movies of the last 100 years, and its legacy will only continue to grow.
StudioCanal have pulled out all the stops with this wonderful set of releases for Breathless, with standard DVD and Blu-ray releases boasting a beautiful new 4K restoration with oodles of special features while an Amazon exclusive 4K UHD collection includes a 12” vinyl soundtrack and various other goodies. Fans will be thrilled; the film has never looked or sounded better. But the real treat is for those who have never experienced Breathless before, and will be taken on an unforgettable journey to 1960s Paris in 4K Ultra HD.
Breathless is one of the most influential films in cinema history and needs no introduction; this new release from StudioCanal breathes new life into the celebrated classic for fans and newcomers alike.