Honoré and Tarantino: Copying as a Strategy to Overcome Cinema's Death
Christophe Honoré's *Les Chansons d'amour* and Quentin Tarantino's *Boulevard de la mort* (or *Death Proof*), both showcased at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, explore the theme of cinema's 'death' through imitation. Referencing Jacques Aumont's 2007 essay, the piece highlights cinema's dual demise—classicism and modernity—making mourning futile. Honoré's work nods to the French New Wave, treating segments from Jean Eustache's *La Maman et la Putain* and François Truffaut's *Domicile conjugal* as artifacts, exposing hidden societal norms. Meanwhile, Tarantino's film utilizes 'deliberate anachronism,' mirroring 1970s exploitation films to critique cyclical narratives. The article concludes that their joint screening at Cannes may bridge the divergent paths of modern cinema.
Key facts
- Honoré's *Les Chansons d'amour* and Tarantino's *Boulevard de la mort* were in the official selection at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
- Both films use copying as a strategy to address the 'death of cinema' discourse.
- Jacques Aumont's 2007 essay argues cinema experienced a double death: end of classicism and end of modernity.
- Honoré's film references Jean Eustache's *La Maman et la Putain* and François Truffaut's *Domicile conjugal*.
- Louis Garrel stars in Honoré's film, mimicking Jean-Pierre Léaud as a strategic choice.
- Tarantino's film features Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a serial killer driving a 'death-proof' car.
- Zoë Bell, a stuntwoman, appears as herself, disrupting the film's anachronistic style.
- The article cites Emmanuel Burdeau, Jean-Pierre Rehm, and Olivier Joyard from debates in *Cahiers du cinéma*.
Entities
Artists
- Christophe Honoré
- Quentin Tarantino
- Jacques Aumont
- Jean Eustache
- François Truffaut
- Jean-Luc Godard
- Louis Garrel
- Jean-Pierre Léaud
- Kurt Russell
- Zoë Bell
- Uma Thurman
- Christopher Walken
- Sami Frey
- Claude Brasseur
- Anna Karina
- Emmanuel Burdeau
- Jean-Pierre Rehm
- Olivier Joyard
- Jorge Luis Borges
- Pascal Bonitzer
- Jean-Marc Lalanne
- Thomas Clerc
- Mike Myers
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Mania Akbari
Institutions
- Cannes Film Festival
- Cahiers du cinéma
- Les Inrockuptibles
- Trafic
- Gallimard
Locations
- Cannes
- France
- Paris
- United States
Sources
- artpress —