above image from A Man Escaped (1956)
"Rid myself of the accumulated errors and un-truths. Get to know my resources, make sure of them." - Robert Bresson
From time to time, i will post quotes from Notes on the Cinematographer (Notes sur le Cinematographe), by Robert Bresson. This is a journal of Bresson's accumulated knowledge and contemplation on the art of cinema, written in short anecdotal form. It is the equivalent of Confucius' Analects (or the bible, if you will) for filmmaking - or, what he refers to as, "cinematographe." However, the wisdom transcends beyond his craft as he spent a lifetime seeking artistic clarity, spiritual awareness, and a higher understanding of humanity.
If you are a patron of cinema as a complex medium of art, a true lover of film, a cinephile of any sort, and are not familiar with Robert Bresson, please, cross that bridge quickly. Bresson, his body of work, and his theoretical approach define the purest intent of "auteur." He is one of the rare masters of film - a child, a tyrant, a philosopher king, and an artist. i recommend beginning with:
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (1956) (scenario and dialogue)
... aka A Man Escaped (International: English title)
... aka A Man Escaped (International: English title)
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