Book to Film - CONTEMPT

Sunday June 14, 2pm Contempt (Jean-Luc Godard France 1963 101 mins)
To honour the passing of the controversial Brigitte Bardot, Book to Film presents Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt based on Alberto Morovia's eponymous novel. Moravia's work examined modern sexuality, social alienation and existentialism, and aside from Godard, the Italian novelist's work was favoured by other contemporary directors such as Bertolucci and Vittorio De Sica.

Bardot plays the wife of an ambitious young French playwright Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli), who has been asked to write an adaption of Homer's The Odyssey for the German director Fritz Lang (Lang plays himself in the film). Jerry Prokosch (Jack Palance) is the crass American producer of the film with a predatory interest in the script writer’s wife.

As one critic observed, the film is 'A seminal entry in the sub-genre of ugly things happening to beautiful people in beautiful places, Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt is an epic Greek tragedy disguised as a big-budget arthouse melodrama.' The film is often seen as a subversive comment on film making and the financial demands of producers where 'Godard plays tricks with the camera and story, zooming in on a troubled marriage and out to examine the impossible demands of balancing commerce with art.'

This session will be presented by John Newman and Michael O’Rourke who will host a discussion after the screening.

Alberto Moravia’s Contempt is available in paperback and Kindle.

Doors/Bar 1.00pm Film 2.00pm

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Host or Publisher The Backlot Perth