Personally speaking my perspective to life can be segregated into pre rohmer and after rohmer and I am very grateful and have the most respect for him and his work .
Thank you. That was very moving. I was obsessed by French films a long time ago but then life intervened somehow. I hardly watch movies anymore or the ones I watch I don't consider to be real movies. Discovering the French New Wave was a profound experience for me. That was such an important part of my life back then watching and rewatching the "auteurs" and I discovered Rohmer and he was one of my favorites. When and if I watch another Rohmer movie I'll see it from a richer more textured perspective because of your film. But I'm not sure I can watch any of the autuer films now or on the future. They are more than just films. They are a philosophy and a mindset. As the saying goes, "you can't go home again".
God, what you say resonates so deeply with me. I had a similar love affair that began in college when I was 19 and watched (on the recommendation of a cinephile friend who served as a kind of early film mentor to me) Jules et Jim alone on a tiny screen with headphones in small cubby hole in the campus audio-visual center. I was riveted. Hypnotized. I know it's a cliche but truly, when it was done, I walked out into the sunshine transformed, a sadder and a wiser man. Or something. So from there, yes, I found my way to Rohmer and he really became my favorite. He appealed to the Woody Allen taste I'd already developed, but went much deeper, into a silence and stillness and prayerfulness. The lingering. God, the fucking lingering. On mood, character, objects, landscapes, architecture, crowds, city soundscapes, country soundscapes... Anyway, like you, life somehow intervened, I fell away from Rohmer and suchlike and would visit him every few years or so, but yes, it was like visiting an old friend. The experience was still meaningful, but as you say, you can never go home again. All of which is to say I'm not sure what. Just cheers, I guess, from a kindred spirit. :)
I've seen twice this film, maybe to satisfy my thirst for more Rohmer films. I know it's a kind of obsession. And I learned that the author of this film has also suffered of the same disease. Well, at least, he's been able to get something really beautiful and healing out of that obsession. I'm grateful to him. As well as I'm grateful to Rohmer.
Fascinating. This isn't really a documentary - it's more of a love letter that explores themes. Anyone whose seen a few Rohmer films should get a lot out of this. Highly recommended.
Thanks Richard for this great documentary about Rohmer's wonderful films, it is appreciated. I recently read an article in a mainstream British newspaper in which it highlighted how the French government were trying to maintain and protect the creativity and originality of French cinema versus shall we say more " Hollywood" style cinema. In the ensuing comments section it was amazing how many people had no concept of conversation driven cinema and that attention spans when watching modern films have shortened greatly.
What a lovely, moving love letter to a great filmmaker. I, too, have been obsessed with Rohmer since I saw Claire's Knee in 1971. I eventually managed to catch up with the earlier films and awaited each subsequent episode with anticipation. Apart from numerous trips to Paris visiting the locations and staying in the Tim Montmartre and the Hotel de l'Observatoire, seen in La Carriere de Suzanne, I have made holiday pilgrimages to St Tropez, Biarritz and Dinard. I am currently enjoying a personal Rohmer Retrospective watching the entire catalogue and reading the Antoine de Baecque biography to occupy myself during the lockdown.
@@PianoMeSasha I have all the films on DVD that I built up gradually. An extremely expensive complete Bluray edition exists, as well as the series compilations, various collection and single films. This is the situation in the UK and Europe but I don't know about the rest of the world.
I found myself alone in Paris two weeks ago at a random cemetery (Montparnasse). I had no idea that was the cemetery where Rohmer was buried until I googled it. I then recalled the final scene of this film at his grave. If it wasn't for your film, I would never have found his grave! Thank you for sharing this wonderful film. I've watched it many times. Thank you, thank you.
Every now and then a motif of music gets me and there is no explaining it but it’s the small string burst at the start of this documentary that does it this time. It’s wonderful. 🎶
Awesome, so cool! Okay, so my near brush with Eric Rohmer... The Scene: Paris, 1989, Summer. I am staying with a Parisian friend of mine adjacent to Les Halles. At the time my favorite filmmaker is Eric Rohmer, a kind of obsession that came over me in a 'sneak up on you fashion.' I'd seen a few of his films in the mid '80s, and enjoyed them. And then, I got it, really got it, what he was doing. His characters don't express themselves right to the point on a topic or something they want to say...they kind of talk around it and indicate it...in a very, very human and humane way. You see characters grow and emerge as they repeatedly express something to various friends as they grow through the story. It's like playing darts. If you are good, you can throw a bullseye right off the start. But most of us are average, so we throw darts all over the target. Rohmer's characters tend to talk around the bullseye in a way which kinds of indicates what they are experiencing or trying to understand, rather than hit the bullseye, they indicate it, or point to it, or surround it...and you finish off the understanding in your mind. It's really human, engaging, humane stuff. He loves people, he loves his characters. So here I am in Paris, my first trip. And my friend Samuel has heard me talk about Rohmer being my favorite before. But as a Parisien kid it's no big thing to him. It is to me. Sam is like a tall Antoine Dionel, a kind of benevolent Parisien street weasel, only in that he always would jump the gates on the Metro and not pay. He's tall, with a happy, childlike face, and a high pitched joyous laugh that he shares with his "daddie!" We're walking and Sam, handsome Sam, the girls always want to talk to Sam. He's got his father's Manhatten confidence and his mother's Parisien confidence too. He speaks English with almost zero accent. Now, we're walking in a very wide open square of some sort and a suddenly a blond young woman walks up and it's a happy greeting, kiss, kiss, and they start to prattle in French. He briefly introduces me, and back they go speaking in French. Yes, you guessed it, I spoke very little French. After a good while, kiss, kiss, good-bye and off the cute blond dashes. And Sam and I walk on and I ask what that was all about. And he says "Oh, she's a friend of mine from school, and she was telling me about her summer, she was just down south acting in an Eric Rohmer film. I was shocked, stunned, and bothered by the fact that I hadn't had the chance to talk with her! Argh. Nonetheless, I felt like I had had a brush with my idol, in some small way. And you know, it was kind of a Rohmer moment. :) (I know there's a low chance anyone will ever read this, lol, but it was fun to remember and write. And to the filmmaker here..clever idea and enjoyable! Thank you.)
I really enjoyed this film and it provides me a new perspective that I have never thought of when watching Rohmer's films. I have already wanted to watch those films again including this one. Thanks for making it for all the Rohmer's fans including me. Just want to let you know that this film also received nice reviews from the most popular Chinese film reviewing website too!
Oh, yes. And all of them masterpieces. Well, nearly all of them; with ‘Rendezvous in Paris’ his powers were waning, but virtually every other film of Rohmer’s is a bona-fide masterpiece.
Absolutely lovely video. I just discovered Rohmer, i saw "My night at Maud's" just yesterday. I Still cant describe my thoughts on it... im going to watch the rest of his films in time. you are right cinephiles love the films but also love the film makers.
Wonderful! Thank you so much for this beautiful gift! Two little remarks: 1) about La Femme de l’aviateur (The Aviator’s Wife): you said that François saw his girlfriend’s ex boyfriend leaving her flat “a few mornings ago”: in fact this happened that same morning (the film takes place in one day from morning to evening). 2) about Le Rayon vert (The Green Ray): you said that one of Delphine’s destinations is Calais: in fact she doesn’t go to Calais but to Cherbourg (in west Normandy)
This is a terrific wee hour of insight into Rohmer. Aside from the occasional documentary ‘typos’; Calais for Cherbourg as has been mentioned and it wasn’t the Pyrenees but the Alps Delphine briefly sojourned to in The Green Ray (actually important if we are being intensely detailed and, shall we say, Rohmerian, since the two mountain ranges evince distinct characters and moods based on their appearance and the type of human interaction folks have had with them through the aeons); no, all pedantic quibbles aside, well done. 🍿
What a fabulous film you have made ; you understand Rohmer well.... congrats. I am enjoying it !! Spot on about the Latin Quarter.... We all have a psychogeographic connection with parts of a city where things happened for / to us. AlSo, I'll tell you about the 600 hour-long film... it's called real life, even though that may be closer to 600,000 hours, so you may watch that long film 1000 times. Good luck to you, and thank you for your insightful document on Rohmer.
Awesome documentary! Cléo slipped in at 00:17:54 haha. I follow Rohmer’s movies to decide where to stroll in Paris, nothing much to do during Covid but to walk somewhere
Can't remember the actual words but Bob Dylan once said 'People don't love me, they love what I do', which is kind of intriguing. Anyway, thanks for your obsession!
One small point: Le Signe du Lion was completed in 1959, but didn’t find an outlet for three years. It was a flop, a huge disappointment for him, and a partial explanation of why it took him so long to find famexplanation
From which movie are the scene at 49.26, where u imagine Rohmer returning to Paris. "My film has touched him" A kind of 18th century Paris that.looks incredible.
Well-spotted! There are a few (I think, actually, three) clips in the film that aren't from Rohmer films. I put them in as a little easter egg for the true cinephiles.
I didn’t catch any visual reference to My Night at Maud’s. Am I right? And if I am, how come? Absolutely lovely film! It moved to tears more than once.
Totally disagree. Not sure which bits you went to, but I’m regularly in Paris and it’s just as beautiful as ever. If you’re referring to the ‘pension rioters’, that is a different matter, but the actual city itself is just as lovely as it always has been.
Personally speaking my perspective to life can be segregated into pre rohmer and after rohmer and I am very grateful and have the most respect for him and his work .
Thanks for this documentary. I've been obsessed with Rohmer in the last two months and this was a great watch. Such a genius the man was.
It's amazing, the human and humane dialogue.
I love Eric and I love you for making this film!
Thank you. That was very moving. I was obsessed by French films a long time ago but then life intervened somehow. I hardly watch movies anymore or the ones I watch I don't consider to be real movies. Discovering the French New Wave was a profound experience for me. That was such an important part of my life back then watching and rewatching the "auteurs" and I discovered Rohmer and he was one of my favorites. When and if I watch another Rohmer movie I'll see it from a richer more textured perspective because of your film. But I'm not sure I can watch any of the autuer films now or on the future. They are more than just films. They are a philosophy and a mindset. As the saying goes, "you can't go home again".
God, what you say resonates so deeply with me. I had a similar love affair that began in college when I was 19 and watched (on the recommendation of a cinephile friend who served as a kind of early film mentor to me) Jules et Jim alone on a tiny screen with headphones in small cubby hole in the campus audio-visual center. I was riveted. Hypnotized. I know it's a cliche but truly, when it was done, I walked out into the sunshine transformed, a sadder and a wiser man. Or something.
So from there, yes, I found my way to Rohmer and he really became my favorite. He appealed to the Woody Allen taste I'd already developed, but went much deeper, into a silence and stillness and prayerfulness. The lingering. God, the fucking lingering. On mood, character, objects, landscapes, architecture, crowds, city soundscapes, country soundscapes...
Anyway, like you, life somehow intervened, I fell away from Rohmer and suchlike and would visit him every few years or so, but yes, it was like visiting an old friend. The experience was still meaningful, but as you say, you can never go home again.
All of which is to say I'm not sure what.
Just cheers, I guess, from a kindred spirit. :)
I've seen twice this film, maybe to satisfy my thirst for more Rohmer films. I know it's a kind of obsession. And I learned that the author of this film has also suffered of the same disease. Well, at least, he's been able to get something really beautiful and healing out of that obsession. I'm grateful to him. As well as I'm grateful to Rohmer.
Fascinating. This isn't really a documentary - it's more of a love letter that explores themes. Anyone whose seen a few Rohmer films should get a lot out of this. Highly recommended.
It is simply just a fact that anyone watching this is cool!
Thanks Richard for this great documentary about Rohmer's wonderful films, it is appreciated. I recently read an article in a mainstream British newspaper in which it highlighted how the French government were trying to maintain and protect the creativity and originality of French cinema versus shall we say more " Hollywood" style cinema. In the ensuing comments section it was amazing how many people had no concept of conversation driven cinema and that attention spans when watching modern films have shortened greatly.
What a beautiful love letter to Rohmer. Thank you so much for sharing the film
What a lovely, moving love letter to a great filmmaker.
I, too, have been obsessed with Rohmer since I saw Claire's Knee in 1971. I eventually managed to catch up with the earlier films and awaited each subsequent episode with anticipation.
Apart from numerous trips to Paris visiting the locations and staying in the Tim Montmartre and the Hotel de l'Observatoire, seen in La Carriere de Suzanne, I have made holiday pilgrimages to St Tropez, Biarritz and Dinard.
I am currently enjoying a personal Rohmer Retrospective watching the entire catalogue and reading the Antoine de Baecque biography to occupy myself during the lockdown.
how are you watching the catalogue? i saw them all at the movies and on VHS, and would like to see them all again...thank you...
@@PianoMeSasha I have all the films on DVD that I built up gradually. An extremely expensive complete Bluray edition exists, as well as the series compilations, various collection and single films. This is the situation in the UK and Europe but I don't know about the rest of the world.
Yes, it's very expensive, but the blu-ray edition is amazing - so much extra material. It's just ridiculous how productive Rohmer was.
I found myself alone in Paris two weeks ago at a random cemetery (Montparnasse). I had no idea that was the cemetery where Rohmer was buried until I googled it. I then recalled the final scene of this film at his grave. If it wasn't for your film, I would never have found his grave! Thank you for sharing this wonderful film. I've watched it many times. Thank you, thank you.
Every now and then a motif of music gets me and there is no explaining it but it’s the small string burst at the start of this documentary that does it this time. It’s wonderful. 🎶
I'll let the composer know! He used to be a pop star in Japan.
@@richardmisek Your narration, both in tone and content is great as well. Thanks for this.
Great documentary!!!
Awesome, so cool!
Okay, so my near brush with Eric Rohmer...
The Scene: Paris, 1989, Summer.
I am staying with a Parisian friend of mine adjacent to Les Halles. At the time my favorite filmmaker is Eric Rohmer, a kind of obsession that came over me in a 'sneak up on you fashion.' I'd seen a few of his films in the mid '80s, and enjoyed them. And then, I got it, really got it, what he was doing. His characters don't express themselves right to the point on a topic or something they want to say...they kind of talk around it and indicate it...in a very, very human and humane way. You see characters grow and emerge as they repeatedly express something to various friends as they grow through the story. It's like playing darts. If you are good, you can throw a bullseye right off the start. But most of us are average, so we throw darts all over the target. Rohmer's characters tend to talk around the bullseye in a way which kinds of indicates what they are experiencing or trying to understand, rather than hit the bullseye, they indicate it, or point to it, or surround it...and you finish off the understanding in your mind. It's really human, engaging, humane stuff. He loves people, he loves his characters.
So here I am in Paris, my first trip. And my friend Samuel has heard me talk about Rohmer being my favorite before. But as a Parisien kid it's no big thing to him. It is to me. Sam is like a tall Antoine Dionel, a kind of benevolent Parisien street weasel, only in that he always would jump the gates on the Metro and not pay. He's tall, with a happy, childlike face, and a high pitched joyous laugh that he shares with his "daddie!"
We're walking and Sam, handsome Sam, the girls always want to talk to Sam. He's got his father's Manhatten confidence and his mother's Parisien confidence too. He speaks English with almost zero accent. Now, we're walking in a very wide open square of some sort and a suddenly a blond young woman walks up and it's a happy greeting, kiss, kiss, and they start to prattle in French. He briefly introduces me, and back they go speaking in French. Yes, you guessed it, I spoke very little French.
After a good while, kiss, kiss, good-bye and off the cute blond dashes. And Sam and I walk on and I ask what that was all about. And he says "Oh, she's a friend of mine from school, and she was telling me about her summer, she was just down south acting in an Eric Rohmer film.
I was shocked, stunned, and bothered by the fact that I hadn't had the chance to talk with her!
Argh.
Nonetheless, I felt like I had had a brush with my idol, in some small way. And you know, it was kind of a Rohmer moment. :)
(I know there's a low chance anyone will ever read this, lol, but it was fun to remember and write. And to the filmmaker here..clever idea and enjoyable! Thank you.)
Do you know who the friend actor was? If it was 1989, the film was probably A Tale of Springtime...
Delightful read :)..curious to know who the actress was..
Curious how as big a Rohmer fan as you are, you did not tell us who that Actress was, which film she acted in.
very lucky you.
@@PianoMeSasha Lol, Nearly!!!
Eric Rohmer is the best film director in the world for me. His movie is, as if, made by spiritual natural force.
Perhaps my favorite filmmaker.
This was awesome, thank you.
I really enjoyed this film and it provides me a new perspective that I have never thought of when watching Rohmer's films. I have already wanted to watch those films again including this one. Thanks for making it for all the Rohmer's fans including me. Just want to let you know that this film also received nice reviews from the most popular Chinese film reviewing website too!
This was utterly charming and touching. It also made me realize that there are films of his I haven’t seen! Though I thought I’d seen them all! Wow~!
Oh, yes. And all of them masterpieces. Well, nearly all of them; with ‘Rendezvous in Paris’ his powers were waning, but virtually every other film of Rohmer’s is a bona-fide masterpiece.
wow...thank you. i love Rohmer, too. this is so beautiful and full of love....tears...
Absolutely lovely video. I just discovered Rohmer, i saw "My night at Maud's" just yesterday. I Still cant describe my thoughts on it... im going to watch the rest of his films in time. you are right cinephiles love the films but also love the film makers.
Excellente analyse et très bel hommage au cinéaste et au cinéphile !
Wonderful, I understand your obsession. Best wishes. G.
Wonderful! Thank you so much for this beautiful gift!
Two little remarks:
1) about La Femme de l’aviateur (The Aviator’s Wife): you said that François saw his girlfriend’s ex boyfriend leaving her flat “a few mornings ago”: in fact this happened that same morning (the film takes place in one day from morning to evening).
2) about Le Rayon vert (The Green Ray): you said that one of Delphine’s destinations is Calais: in fact she doesn’t go to Calais but to Cherbourg (in west Normandy)
Thanks for these corrections, Daniele. Too late for me to fix, but I'm greatly impressed by your knowledge of Rohmer!
excellent job!
A beautiful fitting homage
my god this last scene of le rayon vert always make my cry, it's feels so true and intense
Me too!
@@richardmisek And to think the two actors were staring at a towel held by Roh
Thanks for uploading this video!
Master Rohmer ..
Thank you!
This is a terrific wee hour of insight into Rohmer. Aside from the occasional documentary ‘typos’; Calais for Cherbourg as has been mentioned and it wasn’t the Pyrenees but the Alps Delphine briefly sojourned to in The Green Ray (actually important if we are being intensely detailed and, shall we say, Rohmerian, since the two mountain ranges evince distinct characters and moods based on their appearance and the type of human interaction folks have had with them through the aeons); no, all pedantic quibbles aside, well done. 🍿
Touché! I know more about film than about France.
Thank you for sharing
Eric Rohmer est mort by Clio is one of my favorite songs
What a fabulous film you have made ; you understand Rohmer well.... congrats. I am enjoying it !! Spot on about the Latin Quarter.... We all have a psychogeographic connection with parts of a city where things happened for / to us. AlSo, I'll tell you about the 600 hour-long film... it's called real life, even though that may be closer to 600,000 hours, so you may watch that long film 1000 times. Good luck to you, and thank you for your insightful document on Rohmer.
Awesome documentary! Cléo slipped in at 00:17:54 haha. I follow Rohmer’s movies to decide where to stroll in Paris, nothing much to do during Covid but to walk somewhere
Can't remember the actual words but Bob Dylan once said 'People don't love me, they love what I do', which is kind of intriguing. Anyway, thanks for your obsession!
One small point: Le Signe du Lion was completed in 1959, but didn’t find an outlet for three years. It was a flop, a huge disappointment for him, and a partial explanation of why it took him so long to find famexplanation
Superbe
From which movie are the scene at 49.26, where u imagine Rohmer returning to Paris. "My film has touched him" A kind of 18th century Paris that.looks incredible.
The Lady and The Duke (2001) - also by Rohmer
17:55 That is the movie Cléo from 5 to 7 by Agnes Varda
Well-spotted! There are a few (I think, actually, three) clips in the film that aren't from Rohmer films. I put them in as a little easter egg for the true cinephiles.
Nice! Yeah I saw it in the credits afterwards. Well done with the doc :-)
I didn’t catch any visual reference to My Night at Maud’s. Am I right? And if I am, how come? Absolutely lovely film! It moved to tears more than once.
Loved this documentary! Any idea what the violin music is at the start of the film and during the Latin quarter section?
It was composed for the film by a friend of mine, Tatsujiro Oto
Quando a Europa era Europa. Agora está uma bagunça.
I've just spent a couple of days in Paris and I'm afraid it doesn't resemble the Paris in these films very much these days.
Totally disagree. Not sure which bits you went to, but I’m regularly in Paris and it’s just as beautiful as ever. If you’re referring to the ‘pension rioters’, that is a different matter, but the actual city itself is just as lovely as it always has been.