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...
