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WCH Pod: "Breathless" (1960) vs "Nouvelle Vague" (2025)
In the first installment of our Road to Godard series, co-hosts Eric Trommater, Erin Brown, and Jennifer Trujillo dive into the 1959 production that changed everything. We’re putting Jean-Luc Godard’s revolutionary Breathless (À bout de souffle) side-by-side with Richard Linklater’s 2025 film, Nouvelle Vague.
While its place in the history of cinema is undeniable, Eric and Erin find themselves largely unimpressed by the film itself. We explore the chaotic energy of the original Paris shoot and the legendary personalities involved—from Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo to the critics-turned-directors of Cahiers du Cinéma.
In this episode:
* Historical Weight vs. Personal Taste: Why Eric and Erin aren't fans of the film, despite its massive influence.
* The Seberg Paradox: We discuss why a film leaning on sexist tropes became a sensation among women and female critics like Pauline Kael in 1960.
* The 1959 Production: Jump cuts, stolen scenes, and a revolution on the streets of Paris.
* Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague (2025): A look at the meta-cinematic portrayal of Truffaut, Godard, and the icons of the era.
* Why Breathless remains the definitive—if polarizing—starting point for our Road to Godard series. A sneak peek at future episodes on "La Grande Illusion"(1937), "Children of Paradise"(1945), "Orpheus" (1950), and Godard's own "Weekend" (1967).
CONNECT WITH US
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@worldcinehist?si=z8Yay0W0I-6APEZz
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-cinema-history/id1744483892
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YkCJSJvngtDMhey0CNsWj?si=i143kCA8RQKhQauUICLrmA
X (Twitter): @etrommater
SUPPORT THE SHOW: JOIN THE DVD EXTRAS CLUB
Join here: https://ko-fi.com/worldcinemahistory
(Recurring monthly payments of any amount make a huge difference!)
MUSIC & CLIPS
Music:
Fallen Petals, Shady Business, and Dark Conspiracy via https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music
Space Ambience by Alexander Nakarada: https://youtu.be/sB6jXSr7_wQ?si=DXoxw4XMpnVwDVz8
Nouth Jazz by B. White (1920): https://youtu.be/aM5z0XLRdXc?si=utq9OwLLKLqMRWoZ
Featured Clips:
Eurotrash: How to watch a Godard Film: https://youtu.be/7xSNuGp2Gxs?si=X6THVHfbOakKfc15
Godard on Classic Film Editing: https://youtube.com/shorts/76f6iIpRPco?si=xuyqkhwLvB6kG9Gx
Road to Godard Series: Episode 1 (1959)
View all episodes
By Eric TrommaterIn the first installment of our Road to Godard series, co-hosts Eric Trommater, Erin Brown, and Jennifer Trujillo dive into the 1959 production that changed everything. We’re putting Jean-Luc Godard’s revolutionary Breathless (À bout de souffle) side-by-side with Richard Linklater’s 2025 film, Nouvelle Vague.
While its place in the history of cinema is undeniable, Eric and Erin find themselves largely unimpressed by the film itself. We explore the chaotic energy of the original Paris shoot and the legendary personalities involved—from Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo to the critics-turned-directors of Cahiers du Cinéma.
In this episode:
* Historical Weight vs. Personal Taste: Why Eric and Erin aren't fans of the film, despite its massive influence.
* The Seberg Paradox: We discuss why a film leaning on sexist tropes became a sensation among women and female critics like Pauline Kael in 1960.
* The 1959 Production: Jump cuts, stolen scenes, and a revolution on the streets of Paris.
* Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague (2025): A look at the meta-cinematic portrayal of Truffaut, Godard, and the icons of the era.
* Why Breathless remains the definitive—if polarizing—starting point for our Road to Godard series. A sneak peek at future episodes on "La Grande Illusion"(1937), "Children of Paradise"(1945), "Orpheus" (1950), and Godard's own "Weekend" (1967).
CONNECT WITH US
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@worldcinehist?si=z8Yay0W0I-6APEZz
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-cinema-history/id1744483892
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YkCJSJvngtDMhey0CNsWj?si=i143kCA8RQKhQauUICLrmA
X (Twitter): @etrommater
SUPPORT THE SHOW: JOIN THE DVD EXTRAS CLUB
Join here: https://ko-fi.com/worldcinemahistory
(Recurring monthly payments of any amount make a huge difference!)
MUSIC & CLIPS
Music:
Fallen Petals, Shady Business, and Dark Conspiracy via https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music
Space Ambience by Alexander Nakarada: https://youtu.be/sB6jXSr7_wQ?si=DXoxw4XMpnVwDVz8
Nouth Jazz by B. White (1920): https://youtu.be/aM5z0XLRdXc?si=utq9OwLLKLqMRWoZ
Featured Clips:
Eurotrash: How to watch a Godard Film: https://youtu.be/7xSNuGp2Gxs?si=X6THVHfbOakKfc15
Godard on Classic Film Editing: https://youtube.com/shorts/76f6iIpRPco?si=xuyqkhwLvB6kG9Gx
Road to Godard Series: Episode 1 (1959)