Cinéma du look () was a

French film French cinema consists of the film industry and its film productions, whether made within the nation of France or by French film production companies abroad. It is the oldest and largest precursor of national cinemas in Europe; with primary influ ...

movement of the 1980s and 1990s, analysed, for the first time, by French critic

Raphaël Bassan Raphaël Bassan (born 1948) is a French film critic and journalist, who has specialized in experimental film and the history of cinema. He has also made three short movies. Biography Bassan was born in Burgas, Bulgaria, of French nationality, ...

in ''La Revue du Cinéma'' issue no. 449, May 1989, in which he classified

Luc Besson Luc Paul Maurice Besson (; born 18 March 1959) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He directed or produced the films ''Subway'' (1985), '' The Big Blue'' (1988), and '' La Femme Nikita'' (1990). Besson is associated with the ' ...

Jean-Jacques Beineix Jean-Jacques Beineix (; 8 October 1946 – 13 January 2022) was a French film director best known for the films ''Diva'' and '' Betty Blue''. His work is regarded as a prime example of the '' cinéma du look'' film movement in France. Early lif ...

and

Leos Carax Alex Christophe Dupont (born 22 November 1960), best known as Leos Carax (), is a French film director, critic and writer. Carax is noted for his poetic style and his tortured depictions of love. His first major work was '' Boy Meets Girl'' (198 ...

as directors of the "look".

Style and origins

These directors were said to favor style over substance, spectacle over narrative.Austin, Guy. ''Contemporary French Cinema: An Introduction'', Manchester University Press, 1999, pp. 119–120, 126-128. It referred to films that had a slick, gorgeous visual style and a focus on young, alienated characters who were said to represent the marginalized youth of

François Mitterrand François Marie Adrien Maurice Mitterrand (26 October 19168 January 1996) was President of France, serving under that position from 1981 to 1995, the longest time in office in the history of France. As First Secretary of the Socialist Party, he ...

's France. Themes that run through many of their films include doomed love affairs, young people more affiliated to peer groups than families, a cynical view of the police, and the use of scenes in the

Paris Métro The Paris Métro (french: Métro de Paris ; short for Métropolitain ) is a rapid transit system in the Paris metropolitan area, France. A symbol of the city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform architec ...

to symbolise an alternative, underground society. The mixture of 'high' culture, such as the opera music of ''

Diva Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is cl ...

'' and '' Les Amants du Pont-Neuf,'' and pop culture, for example the references to

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...

in ''

Subway Subway, Subways, The Subway, or The Subways may refer to: Transportation * Subway, a term for underground rapid transit rail systems * Subway (underpass), a type of walkway that passes underneath an obstacle * Subway (George Bush Intercontin ...

'', was another key feature. A parallel can be drawn between these French filmmakers' productions and

New Hollywood The New Hollywood, also known as American New Wave or Hollywood Renaissance, was a movement in American film history from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, when a new generation of young filmmakers came to prominence. They influenced the types o ...

films including most notably

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...

's '' One from the Heart'' (1981) and '' Rumble Fish'' (1983),

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Rainer Werner Fassbinder (; 31 May 1945 – 10 June 1982), sometimes credited as R. W. Fassbinder, was a German filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures and catalysts of the New German Cinema movement. Fassbinder's mai ...

's ''

Lola Lola may refer to: Places * Lolá, a or subdistrict of Panama * Lola Township, Cherokee County, Kansas, United States * Lola Prefecture, Guinea * Lola, Guinea, a town in Lola Prefecture * Lola Island, in the Solomon Islands People * Lola ...

'' (1981), as well as television commercials,

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...

s and the series ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann (director), Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ...

''. The term was first defined by Raphael Bassan in La Revue De Cinema. He coined the term Cinéma du look as a pejorative, criticising the films for prioritising style over substance.

Key directors and key films

Jean-Jacques Beineix

*''

'' (1981) *''The Moon in the Gutter (1983 film)'' (1983) *''37°2 le matin'' (English: ''

Betty Blue ''Betty Blue'' (french: 37°2 le matin, lit=37.2°C in the morning) is a 1986 French erotic psychological drama film directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, based on the 1985 novel ''37°2 le matin'' by Philippe Djian. The film stars Béatrice Dall ...

'') (1986)Betty Blue: The Look of Love, Current, The Criterion Collection
/ref>

Luc Besson

*''

'' (1985) *''Le Grand bleu'' (English: ''

The Big Blue ''The Big Blue'' (released in some countries under the French title ''Le Grand Bleu'') is a 1988 film in the French ''Cinéma du look'' visual style, made by French director Luc Besson. It is a heavily fictionalized and dramatized story of th ...

'') (1988)Look Again: A Celebration of Cinema Du Look on Vimeo
/ref> *'' Nikita'' (1990) *'' Leon: The Professional'' (1994)

Leos Carax

*'' Boy Meets Girl'' (1984) *''

Mauvais Sang ''Mauvais Sang'' (, ''Bad Blood''), also known as ''The Night Is Young'', is Leos Carax's second film. Released in 1986, the film played at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival before being nominated for three César Awards and winning the P ...

'' (1986) *'' Les Amants du Pont-Neuf'' (1991)

References

Bibliography

External links

Patricia Allmer - Institute of Film Studies

University of Nottingham , mottoeng = A city is built on wisdom , established = 1798 – teacher training college1881 – University College Nottingham1948 – university status , type = Public , chancellor ...

, 2004
Will da Shaman, Netribution Film NetworkGuy Austin, ''Contemporary French Cinema: An Introduction'', A Review by J. Emmett Winn, see Austin pages 5 and 6''Essays on Luc Besson : Master of Spectacle'' (review), by William Brown, 2009''The Cinéma du look and fantasy films'', by Guy Austin in ''Contemporary French Cinema''

Manchester University Press Manchester University Press is the university press of the University of Manchester, England and a publisher of academic books and journals. Manchester University Press has developed into an international publisher. It maintains its links with t ...

, 1996, p. 119
''Diva, Jean-Jacques Beineix'' in ''The Cinema of France'', by Phil Powrie, p. 154

Wallflower Press Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by Jennifer Crewe (2014–present) and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fiel ...

, 2006
''Luc Besson : The Cinema du Look or the Spectacle-Image'' in ''Cinema after Deleuze''
by Richard Ruston,

Bloomsbury Publishing Bloomsbury Publishing plc is a British worldwide publishing house of fiction and non-fiction. It is a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index. Bloomsbury's head office is located in Bloomsbury, an area of the London Borough of Camden. It has a U ...

, 2012, p. 132 {{DEFAULTSORT:Cinema du look Cinema of France Movements in cinema 1980s in film 1990s in film