[The Film & its Double] The Auteur + Truffaut's [The 400 Blows]

[The Film & its Double] The Auteur + Truffaut's "The 400 Blows"

 A film must be a balanced creation as the mind of the filmmaker/writer must be a terrible thing. Art is inspired by life all around us, by the very horrendous truth in dead sight in front of our eyes that we refused to see. It is those dreads, those joys, those dramatics that the filmmaker must exploit in a phosororescent manner, they must be willing to release all things that have found the charter outwards unafraid, apologize to none and leave an audience in utter awe.

The desires, the very fantasies of the filmmaker must not be purposely latent else to leave critics conflicted as to which face is the true. Aronfosky displayed his very fearlessness with the unfettered approach to his 2010 film "Black Swan," which was followed by controversy, and even though obscenity laws have been repelled in this country for over 40 years, "Black Swan" was released only in select theatres. But this modern-day obscenity end run did not dilute what Aronofsky wished to display, the tale he wished to tell. Aronfosky, after the release of "Black Swan" was no longer a filmmaker but an Auteur.

In the 1940's Francois Truffuat devised the "Auteur Theory" a theory in filmmaking in which the filmmaker is seen as the creative force in a motion picture. Jean Luc-Godard, along with Truffaut, followed the notion of the Auteur Theory, which in turn made them the greatest momentum of the French New Wave era. Because they were experimenting with a new art form and dismantling the art of their time to allow rebirth, obscure literature little known by the world or banned by the conservative suits of the modern nations, became their inspiration. In Truffaut's 1959 debut film "The 400 Blows," we saw the troubled adolescent Antoine Doinel (portrayed by Jean-Pierre Leaud) whose parents believed him to be atypical as does his schoolmaster. This leads to all odds against the youth, forcing him into a youthful rebellion of fleeing both home and school. After plagarizing Balzac, he is finally expelled from school for good. His theft of a typewriter and his guilt in trying to return it leads his stepfather to throw him to the police, where he is held in confinement with criminals elements of the Parisianne sort. While in custody, it comes to light that Antoine's father isn't his biological one, turning a tide of rebellion even further. When he is released, he plays football with a group of boys until he sees his opportunity to flee once again. Antoine makes his way to the ocean, where in the end, the camera catching his run and probably plunge into it.

The "400 Blows" was one of five semi-autobiographical films based on the life of Truffaut himself; troubled youth, kick out of school, his father not his biological, a known runaway. Truffaut drove the cadence of the film so much so he begin to relive the life he once lives as that youth portrayed by Jean Pierre Leaud, who Truffaut chose to continue to portray him in the following films.

There may have been a deep desire within Aronfsky, tragedy and brilliance meshed with beauty, to illicit not only an adaption of Tchaikovsky's "White Swan" but to bring to cinema a fundamental article of blood that made the fallen swan her hideous yet genius self. There were conflicts during the filming of "Black Swan" that Aronfosky himself resolved with his own resolve; he was incorrigible, refused to stray from a narrow path constructed by something he himself may not have know, or may never.

Films built from blood are rare in the mainstream; we see scenes wholly dramatic and the overcompensation of special effects as opposed to wholly psychological ones designed to not cater to an audience, or vaguely speak to an audience, but those meant to bring the audience to themselves.

May the Auteur's courage and wanderlust live forever

Dontrell Lovet't

from, [To Whom All Humanity is Dreaming]