----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Gallagher" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 2:34 AM
Subject: Re: Godard
> > Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 09:32:57 -0600
> > From: JSVASSAR <[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: Re: FILM-PHILOSOPHY Digest - 25 Jan 2003 to 28 Jan 2003
(#2003-27 )
> >
> > I need some bibliographical help. Can someone please refer me to the
> > citation for Jean-Luc Goddard's statement "The best way to criticize a
movie
> > is to make another movie." I appreciate your assistance.
I've been looking. There are a lot of quotations from Godard to similar
effect, for example:
Making films hasn't changed my life very much, because I made them
before by writing criticism, and if I had to return to criticism, it would
be a way of going on making films. (Godard, Cahiers du Cinéma - 1960-1968,
p. 64).
Steve Mannes: Do you feel part of the alphabet you speak of will include
films that criticize filmmaking?
JLG: No. I do it in the movies sometimes because I like to. But I don't want
to oblide you to do it that way, I only want to oblige you to do it for
yourself... The criticism must be in the moviemaker, not in the movie. But
you can do it in the movie if you want to. There is no law againt it.
(Jean-Luc Godard - Interviews, ed., David Sterritt, p. 44).
(--------End of Paul's message---------)
Godard seems to contradict himself...that is, if the first quote is rightly
attributed to him. Which is it--is making films the best kind of criticism,
or is criticism just as good as making a film? Or does each accomplish the
same thing? If that is the case, then the first quote still contradicts it.
The third quote implies indifference or only a slight leaning toward
criticism in the form of films, but the first one is an imperative to it.
Since the first quote is as yet unattributed, I'm going with the opinion of
the latter two--unless Godard is usually disposed to change his mind.
Sarah Barmak
University of Toronto
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