Jean Vigo (French Film Directors Series)

Synopsis

Jean Vigo is one of the legendary figures of world cinema. Despite his tragic death at the age of twenty-nine, the artistic vitality and political commitment of L'Atalante and Zero de conduite still have the power to inspire young audiences today with a profound love of cinema.

In this highly readable and passionate study, Michael Temple explores the paradox of Vigo's extraordinary legacy: what is it about this young artist's intense career that has had such a long-lasting impact on film culture, not just in France, but for generations of filmmakers, critics and cinemagoers around the world?

The book starts by telling the dramatic story of Vigo's childhood in the anarchist circles of early twentieth-century France: the violent death of his father, the clandestine exile of his teenage years and the discovery of cinema as a vocation for life.

Finally, Temple examines the influence of Vigo's life and work on film criticism and theory in the post-war years, as well as his impact on filmmakers such as Francois Truffaut, Lindsay Anderson and Jean-Luc Godard.

The book is written in an accessible and informative style, making it essential reading for students, teachers, film enthusiasts, researchers - indeed for anyone interested in cinemaas a living art form.