Friday, January 12, 2024

THE SCHOOL OF BRESSON: HAL HARTLEY *UPDATED*

 

Mouchette / Trust

When I was in college and afterwards, I really came to understand and appreciate what Bresson was doing - Hal Hartley, LWLIES.COM

Jean Luc Godard is often the go-to comparison for Hal Hartley. He was once even dubbed the “Jean Luc Godard of Long Island”. And While Hartley certainly doesn’t deny Godard’s basic/surface influence, there are other filmmakers that he’s drawn inspiration from over the last 4 decades (at a certain point we need to move beyond the Band Of Outsiders/Simple Men comparison). 

Now…comparing Hartley’s work to Robert Bresson isn’t exactly breaking any new ground either. Both filmmakers have a very distinct deadpan/intentionally monotone yet very rehearsed approach (there’s a lot more to the films of Hal Hartley & Robert Bresson but if you ask the average person that’s familiar with their work, chances are they’ll mention both director’s unique deadpan style first before anything else). 

Hartley has acknowledged Bresson’s influence in a semi-reluctant way:

In 1990, with my first films, people said I was doing some sort of American Godard or Bresson thing. In any event, those two filmmakers have been important references for my work since the 80’s - Hal Hartley, psychotroniccinema.com

(years ago I went to see him speak at the IFC center and he brought up Bresson’s films as a source of inspiration multiple times).

Most of the comparisons you’ll see below are incredibly similar and that could very well be coincidental. But what sticks out to me are the moments that aren’t exactly identically shot-for-shot but still incredibly similar in tone and overall “vibe”. Their similarities go beyond the delivery of dialogue…


These two moments are shot quite different but the final result, a slap to the face, is cut off at the last minute so we don’t actually see the hand make contact to with the face… 
L'Argent / Trust

These two scenes are also shot totally different but still show the same action…
The Devil Probably / Amateur

Moments like these below show a kind of overly choreographed movement between the actors bordering on a dance routine. Again - these scenes are not identical but at the same time incredibly similar.  
The Devil Probably / Amateur

The Devil Probably /
The Girl From Monday


There are also plenty of minor moments that make the connection between Bresson & Hartley so strong which I highlight below (if you aren't familiar with the films of Robert Bresson and Hal Hartley you should probably skip this and get familiar first)

The Diary Of A Country Priest / Ambition

The Devil Probably / Simple Men

Au Hasard Balthaar / Henry Fool

Pickpocket / Henry Fool

Pickpocket / Henry Fool

Diary Of A Country Priest / Simple Men

Au Hasard Balthaar / Ned Rifle

L' Argent / Henry Fool

Une Femme Douce / Amateur

L' Argent / Trust

Mouchette / Trust

Mouchette / Trust

Mouchette / Trust

Mouchette / Trust

Mouchette / Trust

The Devil Probably/ Ned Rifle

Mouchette / Trust

Au Hasard Balthazar/ Amateur

Mouchette / Simple Men

Au Hasard Balthazar / The Unbelievable Truth

Mouchette / Ambition

Mouchette /
Henry Fool

Four Nights Of A Dreamer /
The Unbelievable Truth

Four Nights Of A Dreamer /
The Unbelievable Truth

Mouchette / Simple Men

The Devil Probably /
Henry Fool

Four Nights Of A Dreamer /
The Unbelievable Truth

Four Nights Of A Dreamer /
The Unbelievable Truth


Here are a couple of visual and audio comparisons...

The Devil Probably / Amateur

 
The Devil Probably / Fay Grim

 
A Man Escaped / Flirt

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