also known as Jane B. for Agnes V.
Jane B. par Agnes V.1987
What makes this film worth watching?
1 member likes this review
Just saw it at Lincoln Center with the added attraction of Jane Birken herself for an after film Q&A. I love Varda's way of weaving story from many different parts - almost as fragmented as a Cubist portrait, but always grounded in a humanity that breaks thro much of today's cinema of cold gloss. Birkin is a game actress, and very beautiful in her own odd way.
Starring
- Jane Birkin - Calamity Jane / Claude Jade / Joan Arc
- Farid Chopel - Le colonial
- Serge Gainsbourg
- Jean-Pierre Léaud - L'amoureux colérique
- Philippe Léotard - Le peintre / Murderer
- Alain Souchon - Le lecteur de Verlaine
- Agnès Varda - Herself
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Member Reviews (7)
Just saw it at Lincoln Center with the added attraction of Jane Birken herself for an after film Q&A. I love Varda's way of weaving story from many different parts - almost as fragmented as a Cubist portrait, but always grounded in a humanity that breaks thro much of today's cinema of cold gloss. Birkin is a game actress, and very beautiful in her own odd way.
This film functions as a sort of almost imagined portrait of artist, Jane Birkin. Interestingly, one never knows if it is Agnes Varda "painting" the portrait or Jane Birkin herself. Perhaps it is a bit of both.
From a pop cultural standpoint this film offers a few great moments. Watching Serge Gainsbourg coach Birkin through a musical number is fun. And there are a few moments between Varda's camera and Birkin that feel real.
Ultimately this movie is a mixed bag of ideas and whimsy. Some work better than others and a few fail to work at all. This film would fuel the inspiration for "Kung-fu Master" -- we even get to see a bit of the discussion and planning. That film works really well. This one seems more than a little clunky and runs about 30 minutes longer than it should.
Fans of Varda or Birkin will love it. For the rest of us, it might be a bit more than interest will bear out.
This patchwork quilt of a film has no direction, and wasn't intended to have any. It does have a focus- many different portraits of Jane Birkin and it will delight her fans, and of course fans of Agnes Varda, the first of the French New Wave film makers, and one of the most innovative documentarians ever.
Too brilliant, so very... Varda. And Jane is the sweetest as usual.
YAS QUEENS!
god bless agnes varda
!