Special Screening of Godard's LA CHINOISE

LA CHIONOSE has a limited screening from Nov 16th to 22nd at the Cinematheque Ontario.  For more information on venue and tickets check their website at: http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca

The titles - titles are Godard’s recognizable trait in all his films - at the beginning of LA CHINOISE say: “We should replace vague ideas with clear images”.  In the same spirit, Cinematheque Ontario is presenting a good print of what many critics describe as Godard’s best film by far.  Dialogue and images!  LA CHINOISE traces the actions of a five-member Maoist cell group during one summer vacation.  In a Parisian apartment, they discuss the Cultural Revolution, lecture each other, romance and plot an assassination.  Though disturbing in content, Godard is playful with his filming, characters and script.  In the end, the botched assassination attempt and the silly ideals of the five prove that most revolutionalists know less than they think they do. 

Godard’s LA CHIONOISE toys with words, images, camera placement and titles to create as original a film as his A BOUT DE SOUFFLE (BREATHLESS) or MASCULINE FEMININE.  Young Anne Wiazemsky plays the LA CHINOISE character with naïve delight as does Jean-Pierre Leaud her lover and somewhat crazed activist.

I had a chance to watch LA CHINOISE when I studied French at the Alliance Francaise in Singapore.  At the auditorium, we were informed that the screening was banned by the government.  This is the same government that bans chewing gum and skateboards and censors films meaninglessly.  I caught a screening years ago at a repertory cinema in Toronto, but this crisp new print proves Godard’s film timely.  Godard poses questions such as: Why is America intolerable? And thoughts like: A minority with right ideas is not a minority.  Despite the active steps taken by the five, LA CHINOISE shows the reverse of what political cells achieve.