Become a better student of movie-making through the unique ideas of Robert Bresson.
This book is a quick and easy guide to Robert Bresson’s ideas about movie-making, and to his movies.
Introduction
Robert Bresson (1901-1999) was a French movie director. Over 25 years in mid-career, he compiled some reflections about movies as an art form and applied these in his work.
In 1975, Bresson published his reflections as Notes on Cinematography. His ideas remain essential reading for students today because many of the movie-making issues explored there are fundamental and not just about the state of the art during his time.
Apart from his Notes, Bresson may be best known for two tragedies, “Au Hasard Balthazar” and “Mouchette,” and for a black comedy commenting on modern society, “The Devil, Probably.”
Bresson Stats
Movies Directed
Movies in the Top 250
Award Wins
Movie Insights in the Book
How does this introduction aid students?
It selects from among the "Notes" to introduce only the most important themes.
It re-arranges the presentation topically, following the stages of movie production.
It contains observations, reflections, suggestions or criticisms of Bresson.
It concludes with a consideration of the movie storylines and issues tackled by Bresson in his style.
Topics Covered
On the Nature of Movie Performances
The Beginning
The Audience for a Movie Performance
On Origins and Source Material
On the Creator’s Mindset
On Shooting and Recording
On Visuals or Images
On Music or Sounds Accompanying Images
On People in a Movie Performance
On Editing a Movie Performance
The End
Brief Commentaries on Bresson's Themes
On the Nature of Movie Performances
The Beginning
The Audience for a Movie Performance
On Origins and Source Material
On the Creator’s Mindset
On Shooting and Recording
On Visuals or Images
On Music or Sounds Accompanying Images
On People in a Movie Performance
On Editing a Movie Performance
The End
Brief Commentaries on Bresson's Themes
What other movie lovers think about Bresson.
Robert Bresson is one of the saints of the cinema, and “Au Hasard Balthazar” (1966) is his most heartbreaking prayer.
– Roger Ebert
Bresson is actually an incredibly dynamic film-maker. I learn a lot each time I watch one of his pictures. There’s a cheap dynamism that’s easily attainable through the many technological advances in movies, but in Bresson you get a true dynamism generated by the most elemental relationship between image and sound.
– Martin Scorsese
In the film, the master of the reflective mode is Robert Bresson. Reflective art is art which, in effect, imposes a certain discipline on the audience — postponing easy gratification…. All of Bresson’s films have a common theme: the meaning of confinement and liberty.
– Susan Sontag
Robert Bresson is for me an example of a real and genuine film-maker… He obeys only certain higher, objective laws of Art…. (t)he only person who remained himself and survived all the pressures brought by fame. Bresson has always astonished me and attracted me with his ascetics. It seems to me that he is the only director in the world, that has achieved absolute simplicity in cinema.
– Andrei Tarkovsky
A note from the author.
“I discovered Bresson through Andrei Tarkovsky’s recommendation and the Criterion Collection,” says Shawn. “Bresson thought there should be theatres dedicated to movies that need time to find their audience, or which may have to be viewed several times for the greatest enjoyment. We don’t live in that kind of world. But Criterion makes directors with uncompromising styles much more accessible. I support anything that helps fans to enjoy and benefit from challenging movies.”
