A lesson in French filmmaking

Jean-Luc Godard's "Masculin féminin" and I have a bit of history together. Long ago in a film class I took, when it came time to study the French new wave, we didn't screen Godard's "Breathless" or Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" -- two of the top films associated with the period. No, instead "Masculin féminin" was shown and for a brief period that night, my idea of cinema was completely altered. \nGodard's proclaimed study of the "children of Marx and Coca-Cola" in the Parisian backdrop of the 1960s isn't exactly a film -- it's more of an experience. We follow the young Paul (Jean-Pierre Léaud) around the city as he woos pop star Madeleine while also offering the social commentary Godard has worked into the piece. Within 15 acts, Godard is throwing almost everything at us: politics, love, death, sex, racism, pop culture, abortion and the war in Vietnam. \nEssentially "Masculin féminin" could be considered French new wave 101. All the tricks of the trade are evident: jump cuts, episodic structure, documentary style, long takes. It all adds to the experience because from the café to the recording studio and, yes, even the bedroom, there's this feeling as if we're standing in the room rather than just watching a screen. All of this, though, does not mean "M/F" is incredibly rewarding, because at times it's an exercise in patience. There is one such scene where Paul is interviewing "Miss 19" (Elsa Leroy) and throwing dozens of questions at her. The camera never moves; there is never a single edit. \nThe extras on "M/F" are sort of a mixed bag. There are two interviews with Chantal Goya; one from 1966 and the other from this year. Both capture her excitement over making the film and working with Godard. Also, there are interviews with cinematographer Willy Kurant, Jean-Pierre Gorin and a lengthy segment between French critics. The rest is all trailers and essays, although there is a short clip of Godard during the filming process (who rarely comments on his films today). \nWhile it is not the powerhouse film that other Godard works seem to be ("Breathless," "Contempt," "Band of Outsiders"), "Masculin féminin" is the great turning point in Godard's career before he became a bit too experimental and/or politically charged for my tastes. See it and experience the French new wave before it faded away.