Williams - Encounters with Godard

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Ethics, Aesthetics, Politics

JAMES S. WILLIAMS

Cover image: A still from loge de lamour (2001) by Jean-Luc Godard featuring Edgar (Bruno Putzulu) and Elle (Berthe) (Ccile Camp). We have exercised due diligence in attempt to secure rights for the cover image from loge de l'amour . If you are the rights holder, kindly contact SUNY Press.

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

2016 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu

Production, Eileen Nizer
Marketing, Kate R. Seburyamo

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Williams, James S., 1963

Encounters with Godard : ethics, aesthetics, politics / James S. Williams.

pages cm. (SUNY series, horizons of cinema)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Includes filmography/discography.

ISBN 978-1-4384-6063-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-4384-6064-2 (e-book)

1. Godard, Jean-Luc, 1930 Criticism and interpretation. I. Title.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Coda

This book grew out of a chance e-mail encounter with Murray Pomerance around Cocteau. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Murray for his immediate enthusiasm for the project and for considering it worthy of inclusion in his Horizons of Cinema series. His warm generosity, both personal and intellectual, and his unique sense of style have been an immense source of inspiration. Sincere thanks go to co-director of SUNY Press James Peltz and editorial assistant Rafael Chaiken for their exceptional support and expertise at all stages. It has been a delight to work with Eileen Nizer and Kate Suburyamo on the production and marketing of the book. Thanks also to Camille Hale for her scrupulous copyediting and Alan Rutter for his superb work on the index. I am indebted to Michael Witt for his important advice and encouragement in the early stages and his meticulous reading of parts of the book as it neared completion. The identity of the two anonymous readers of the manuscript must necessarily remain unknown, but I record my appreciation for their many insightful comments and important suggestions which proved extremely helpful in preparing the final version. The book has also benefitted enormously from conversations over the years with friends and colleagues about Godard and film in general, in particular Timothy Barnard, Leo Bersani, Nicole Brenez, Vicki Callahan, Chris Darke, Claire Denis, Thomas Elsaesser, David Faroult, Albertine Fox, Catherine Grant, Frances Guerin, Henrik Gustafsson, Eric Robertson, Jonathan Romney, Julian Ross, Libby Saxton, Michael Sheringham, Michael Temple, Alfred Thomas, Rob White, Roland-Franois Lack, and Phil Powrie.

Earlier versions of some chapters or parts of chapters, which I have fully updated and in most cases substantially developed and expanded, were originally published in the following edited volumes and journals: Journal of European Studies 40:3 (2010) (). I would like to thank the publishers for granting me permission to draw on this body of material.

Finally, I offer my special thanks and love to Jason Gittens, for always being there.