''Contempt'', 1963 - art by Georges Allard
by Movie World Posters
Title
''Contempt'', 1963 - art by Georges Allard
Artist
Movie World Posters
Medium
Mixed Media - Vintage Movie Posters
Description
A vintage movie poster reprint of ''Contempt'', (French title: "Le Mépris") is a 1963 French-Italian drama film directed by Jean-Luc Godard. The film is known for its innovative and artistic approach to storytelling and filmmaking and is often regarded as a classic of the French New Wave cinema.
The story of "Contempt" revolves around Paul Javal (played by Michel Piccoli), a screenwriter who is hired to rewrite the script for a film adaptation of Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey." The film is being directed by the famous American filmmaker Jeremy Prokosch (played by Jack Palance) and is produced by Prokosch's wealthy and influential associate, Fritz Lang (played by himself).
Paul's involvement in the project leads to tension in his marriage with his wife Camille Javal (played by Brigitte Bardot). As the couple travels to the picturesque Amalfi Coast in Italy for the film's production, their relationship deteriorates, and Paul's interactions with the manipulative Prokosch further strain their marriage.
"Contempt" explores themes of love, communication, art, and the complexities of human relationships. It delves into the artistic and commercial aspects of filmmaking and the compromises that artists may make in pursuit of success. The film is a self-reflective work that comments on the filmmaking process and the challenges faced by artists in the industry.
Jean-Luc Godard's direction in "Contempt" is marked by his innovative storytelling techniques, including non-linear narrative, fragmented storytelling, and meta-cinematic elements. The film's visual style, cinematography (by Raoul Coutard), and use of color contribute to its artistic and aesthetic appeal.
The performances in "Contempt" are notable, with Michel Piccoli delivering a nuanced portrayal of Paul, and Brigitte Bardot offering a compelling performance as Camille. Jack Palance brings an enigmatic quality to his character, Jeremy Prokosch.
The film is also famous for its iconic scene in which Brigitte Bardot poses nude, captured in a striking and artful manner.
"Contempt" is considered a masterpiece of the French New Wave and is often cited as one of Jean-Luc Godard's most important and influential works. Its artistic and intellectual depth, combined with its exploration of the complexities of love and art, have made it a celebrated film among cinephiles and scholars of cinema.
While "Contempt" may not have achieved mainstream commercial success, it remains a significant and thought-provoking film in the history of world cinema, known for its artistic ambition and innovative storytelling.
About the artist:
Gilbert ("Georges") Allard (Oct. 15, 1916, Rouvray-Saint-Croix, France—Dec. 7, 2002, Saint-Evertin, France) was a leading French postwar and contemporary poster artist, active from the end of the 1940s through the 1960s.
He painted and signed more than eighty posters for films distributed in France. The French advertising agency Jacques Fourastié produced the majority of his posters.
He often differed from other French poster artists who used graphic elements since he preferred traditional painting techniques. As a result, he used fine brushwork to paint intricate, unexaggerated facial details while adding more dynamic features to the background images, which blended expertly with the key image. In combination, his poster art produced images of the film's essential theme.
An example of those style qualities can be seen in his poster for "Contempt" (aka "Le Mepris," (1963) with Brigitte Bardot, along with other posters, as in "Red River" (1948), "Baby Doll" (1956), and "Doctor Zhivago" (1965).
Search for "Allard" to see some of his other art.
Uploaded
May 26th, 2021
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