Betty Blue Film Diary

The last French film I watched was Jean-Jaqcues Beineix's Betty Blue. This romantic drama is based on the novel by Philippe Djian and was nominated for an oscar in 1987 for Best Foreign Language Film. Zorg lives by the shore in France. He is very handy and maintains bungalows that are part of a small resort. He writes in his spare time but has failed at becoming a novelist. His life by the shore is quiet and peaceful, until Betty walks into his life. Betty has lost her job as a waitress and Zorg feels bad for her. He falls for her beauty and she moves in with him in a house provided by his employer. It is here that Zorg begins seeing Betty's unpredictable behavior. She even has violent mood swings at times and never seems to be content with the present events in her life. She encourages Zorg to get his novel published and becomes obsessed with the idea to the point where Zorg begins to see the unstability of her sanity. Zorg loses his job after a feud with his boss, causing the couple to to move in with Betty's friend Lisa, who owns a hotel. Betty begins losing her mind after seeing all the rejection slips for the possible publication of Zorg's novel. The letters are harsh, calling the novel a "nauseating flower". Betty's history of psychological problems shines through as she steadily declines and goes on a rampage. Zorg is watching the woman he has fallen so deeply in love with, go completely insane. Despite thier passionate and erotic love for one another, Zorg is unable to save her from her borderline psychological disorder.

This film is about love and responsibility. Zorg's relationship with Betty becomes a great challenge for him. He doesn't give up on their love because she is the best thing that has ever happened to him. He commits himself to protect her.

Betty Blue is a long film. There is a good mix of drama, with some comic relief, and strong eroticism. Jean-Jaqcues Beineix put a lot of nudity in the movie which seems unecessary at times because of it's possibilty to divert the viewers attention and outlook on the film. The story is much more serious and depressing for any thought-provoking interuptions. There is a sense of hope in this movie, that will never come.

The Big Blue Film Diary

My fourth choice of French film was The Big Blue, another Luc Besson film that was released in 1988. This movie had both a sweeping story and beautiful cinematography. Enzo and Jacques are childhood friends that enjoy free diving (diving with no oxygen tank). Jacques's father is also a diver and after his tragic death in the Mediterranean Sea, the two boys grow older and lose contact. Enzo ends up living in Sicily, where he gains the title of the uncontested free diving champion for six straight years. Jacques is living in the Peruvian Andes and works for a group of scientists. There he meets Johanna, a young security office clerk that witnesses his dive into cold water that leads to monitoring results from the scientists that Jacques's physical condition is more like a dolphin than a human. Johanna becomes fascinated with Jacques but for a while, she is not successful at developing a true relationship with him. Enzo calls for Jacques to compete for the title in a championship in Taormina, Italy. Johanna becomes aware of the competition and knows Jacques will compete. She convinces her firm to send her to Italy on "business purposes", after making up a story. Jacques easily defeats Enzo, fueling their intense rivalry that seems tragic because of the lost childhood friendship that the two once shared. Jacques and Johanna develop their feelings for each other even though it appears that he is unable to commit himself. The heavy competition causes the men to dive down to dangerous depths. Johanna attemps to stop the life-threatening dives but nothing can stop them. Both Enzo and Jaqcues die and their souls are at rest in the sea. Johanna however, is heartbroken and her plans of having a future with Jaqcues are ruined.

Enzo and Jacques both have a strong passion for the sea. Enzo uses his diving talents to achieve high personal status and glory. To Jacques, the ocean is so much more. It is home to his dolphin friends and represents an infinite freedom. Their different views and passions make their rivalry stronger to escalate the inevitability of their demise. Because of his beliefs, abilities, and strong connection to the sea, Jacques is not able to respond to Johanna's love for him. The story represents a message about man's fascination with the sea and it's limitless depths and beauty. The ocean is also a vast, dangerous part of nature that can never be underestimated.

The cinematography stands out in this film. There are amazing underwater sequences that look as if they belong on an IMAX screen. The camera moves along the silver surface of the water and then plunges into the deep blue sea where dolphins roam. The movie tends to drag at times and some events seem overdramatized. The Big Blue tells an interesting story but in the end, still comes across as mainly "eye candy".