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FRENCH NEW WAVE TOP 10 FILMS
© 2008 Simon Hitchman
FILM DIRECTOR
Select One
Francois Truffaut
Jean-Luc Godard (< '68)
Jean-Luc Godard (>'68)
Claude Chabrol
Eric Rohmer
Alain Resnais
Louis Malle
Jacques Rivette
Jacques Demy
Agnes Varda
Directors You've Never Heard of!
SUB-GENRE
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New Wave Love Stories
New Wave Comedies
New Wave Thrillers
New Wave Noir
New Wave Weird & Surreal
New Wave Documentaries
New Wave at War
New Wave Rebellion
All of these lists will be linking to the encyclopedia soon!
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Nouvelle Vague Directors' Top
Movies
Your Movie Picks!
TOP 10 FRENCH NEW WAVE FILMS BY DIRECTOR
10 BEST FRANCOIS TRUFFAUT FILMS
Les Quatre Cents Coups (The 400 Blows, 1959 )
Jules et Jim (Jules and Jim, 1962 )
La Nuit Américaine (Day for Night, 1973 )
Tirez sur le Pianiste (Shoot the Pianist, 1960 )
Baiser Volés (Stolen Kisses, 1968 )
Les Deux Anglaises et le Continent (Two English Girls, 1971 )
La Mariée Était en Noir (The Bride Wore Black, 1967 )
La Peau Douce (Soft Skin, 1964 )
Le Dernier Métro (The Last Metro, 1980 )
Farenheit 451 (1965 )
10 BEST JEAN-LUC GODARD FILMS (pre-1968)
Pierrot le Fou (1965 )
Bande à Part (Band of Outsiders, 1964 )
Á Bout de Souffle (Breathless, 1960 )
Week End (1967 )
Vivre sa Vie (My Life to Live, 1962)
Le Mépris (Contempt, 1963)
Made in U.S.A. (1966)
Alphaville (1965)
Une Femme Mariée (A Married Woman, 1964)
Deux ou Trois Choses que Je Sais d’Elle (Two or Three Things I Know About Her, 1967)
10 BEST JEAN-LUC GODARD FILMS (post-1968)
Éloge de l’Amour (In Praise of Love, 2001 )
Nouvelle Vague (New Wave, 1990 )
Le Gai Savoir (The Joy of Learning, 1968 )
For Ever Mozart (1996 )
Sympathy for the Devil (1968 )
Soigne ta Droite (Keep Your Right Up, 1987 )
Passion (1982 )
Tout va Bien (All’s Well, 1972 )
Sauve qui Peut (La Vie) (Slow Motion, 1979 )
Je Vous Salue, Marie (Hail Mary, 1985 )
10 BEST CLAUDE CHABROL FILMS
Le Boucher (The Butcher, 1970 )
Juste Avant la Nuit (Just Before Nightfall, 1971 )
La Femme Infidele (The Unfaithful Wife, 1968 )
Les Bonnes Femmes (The Good Girls, 1960 )
Le Cérémonie (1995 )
Que la Bête Meure (This Man Must Die, 1970 )
La Rupture (The Break Up, 1970 )
Les Biches (The Does, 1968 )
Nada (The Nada Gang, 1974 )
Merci pour le Chocolat (Thank you for the Chocolate, 2000 )
10 BEST ERIC ROHMER FILMS
Ma nuit chez Maud (My Night at Maud’s, 1969 )
Le Rayon Vert (The Green Ray/Summer, 1986 )
Le Genou de Claire (Claire’s Knee, 1970 )
Conte d’hiver (A Tale of Winter, 1992 )
L’Amour l’après-Ómidi (Love in the Afternoon, 1972 )
Les Nuits de la pleine lune (Full Moon in Paris, 1984 )
La Collectionneuse (The Collector, 1967 )
L’Anglaise et le duc (The Lady and the Duke, 2001 )
Pauline à la Plage (Pauline at the Beach, 1983 )
Conte d’été (A Summer’s Tale, 1996 )
10 BEST ALAIN RESNAIS FILMS
Muriel (1963 )
Hiroshima mon amour (1959 )
Nuit et brouillard (Night and Fog, 1955 )
Mon oncle d’Amérique (My American Uncle, 1980 )
L’Année dernière à Marienbad (Last Year at Marienbad, 1961 )
Stavisky... (1974 )
La Guerre est Finie (The War is Over, 1966 )
On Connaît la Chanson (Same Old Song, 1997 )
Providence (1977 )
Toute la Mémoire du Monde (All the World’s Memory, 1956 )
10 BEST LOUIS MALLE FILMS
Le Feu Follet (The Fire Within, 1963 )
Au Revoir, les Enfants (Goodbye, Children, 1987 )
Le Voleur (The Thief, 1967 )
Atlantic City (1980 )
Lacombe Lucien (1974 )
Vanya on 42nd Street (1994 )
Ascenseur pour l’Échafaud (Lift to the Scaffold, 1958 )
Calcutta (1968 )
Le Souffle au Coeur (Dearest Heart, 1971 )
My Dinner with Andre (1981 )
10 BEST JACQUES RIVETTE FILMS
L’Amour Fou (Mad Love, 1968 )
Out 1 (1971)/Out 1: Spectre (1972 )
La Bande des Quatre (The Gang of Four, 1988 )
Céline et Julie vont en Bateau (Celine and Julie Go Boating, 1974 )
La Belle Noiseuse (The Beautiful Troublemaker, 1991 )
La Religieuse (The Nun, 1966 )
Va Savoir (Who Knows?, 2001 )
Secret Défense (Secret Defence, 1998 )
Jeanne la Pucelle (Joan of Arc, 1994 )
Paris Nous Appartient (Paris Belongs to Us, 1962 )
10 BEST JACQUES DEMY FILMS
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964 )
Lola (1961 )
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young Girls of Rochefort, 1967 )
La Baie des Anges (Bay of Angels, 1963 )
Une Chambre en Ville (A Room in Town, 1982 )
Model Shop (1969 )
Peau d’Âne (Donkey Skin, 1970 )
Parking (1985 )
Trois Places pour le 26 (Three Places for the 26th, 1988 )
Le Bel Indifférent (1957 )
10 BEST AGNES VARDA FILMS
Cléo de 5 à 7 (Cleo from 5 to 7, 1962 )
La Pointe-Courte (1956 )
Le Bonheur (Happiness, 1965 )
Jacquot de Nantes
Kung-Fu Master (1987 )
Lions Love (1969 )
Sans Toit Ni Loi (Vagabond, 1985 )
L’Opera-Mouffe (1958 )
Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse (The Gleaners and I, 2000 )
Les Creatures (The Creatures, 1966 )
10 BEST FILMS BY NEW WAVE DIRECTORS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF!
La Jetée (The Pier, 1962 ) - dir: Chris Marker
La Maman et la Putain (The Mother and the Whore, 1973 ) - dir:
Jean Eustache
Le Combat dans L'isle (Fire and Ice, 1962) - dir: Alain Cavalier
Une Aussi Longue Absence (The Long Absence, 1961 ) - dir: Henri Colpi
Adieu Philippine (1963 ) - dir: Jacques Rozier
L’Eau a la Bouche (A Game for Six Lovers, 1960 ) - dir: Jacques Doniol-Valcroze
Le Bel Age (Love Is When You Make it, 1959 ) - dir: Pierre Kast
Une Vie (One Life, 1958 ) - dir: Alexander Astruc
Marie Pour Mémoire (Marie For Memory, 1967 ) - dir: Philippe Garrel
Chronik der Anna Magdalena Bach (1968 ) - dirs: Jean-Marie Straub and Daniele Huillot
TOP 10 FRENCH NEW WAVE FILMS BY SUB-GENRE
10 BEST NEW WAVE LOVE STORIES
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964 ) - dir: Jacques Demy
Jules et Jim (1962 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
Pierrot le fou (1965 )
L’Amour l’Après-midi (Chloe in the Afternoon, 1972 ) - dir: Eric Rohmer
Le Mépris (Contempt, 1963 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Un Homme et une Femme (A Man and a Woman, 1966 ) - dir: Claude Lelouch
Ma nuit chez Maud (My Night with Maud, 1969 ) dir: Eric Rohmer
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young Girls of Rochefort, 1967 ) dir: Jacques Demy
Les Deux Anglaises et le Continent (Two English Girls, 1971 ) dir: Francois Truffaut
L’Eau a la Bouche (A Game for Six Lovers, 1960 ) dir: Jacques Doniol-Valcroze
10 BEST NEW WAVE COMEDIES
Conte d'Automne (Autumn Tale, 1998 ) - dir: Eric Rohmer
Les Contrebandières (The Smugglers, 1967 ) - dir: Luc Moullet
Baisers Volés (Stolen Kisses, 1968 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
L’Acrobate (The Acrobat, 1976 ) - dir: Jean-Daniel Pollet
Paris vu Par... (Six in Paris, 1965 ) - dir: various
Une Belle Fille Comme Moi (Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me, 1972 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
Brigitte et Brigitte (1966 ) - dir: Luc Moullet
Une Femme est une Femme (A Woman is a Woman, 1961 )
Conte d'Été (A Summer’s Tale, 1996 ) - dir: Eric Rohmer
Zazie dans le Métro (1960 ) - dir: Louis Malle
10 BEST NEW WAVE THRILLERS
Le Boucher (The Butcher, 1969 ) - dir: Claude Chabrol
À Bout de Souffle (Breathless, 1960 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Le Deuxième de souffle (Second Breath, 1966 ) - dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
Bande à part (Band of Outsiders, 1964 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Que la Bête Meure (This Man Must Die, 1969 ) - dir: Claude Chabrol
Le Cercle Rouge (The Red Circle, 1970 ) - dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
Le Voleur (The Thief, 1967 ) - dir: Louis Malle
Vivement Dimanche! (Confidentially Yours; Finally, Sunday, 1983 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
Made in U.S.A. (1966 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
La Cérémonie (1995 ) - dir: Claude Chabrol
10 BEST NEW WAVE NOIR
Le Samourai (1967 ) – dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
Juste Avant La Nuit (Just Before Nightfall, 1971 ) – dir: Claude Chabrol
Tirez sur le Pianiste (Shoot the Piano Player, 1960 ) – dir: Francois Truffaut
Atlantic City (1980 ) - dir: Louis Malle
Le Doulos (The Finger Man, 1961 ) dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
La Femme Infidèle (The Unfaithful Wife, 1968 ) - dir: Claude Chabrol
Alphaville (1965 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Bob le flambeur (Bob the Gambler, 1955 )
La Mariée était en noir (The Bride Wore Black, 1967 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Lift to the Scaffold, 1958 ) - dir: Louis Malle
10 BEST NEW WAVE WEIRD & SURREAL FILMS
Les Yeux Sans Visage (Eyes Without a Face, 1960 ) - dir: Georges Franju
L' Année Dernière à Marienbad (Last Year in Marienbad, 1961 ) - dir: Alain Resnais
Céline et Julie Vont en Bateau (Celine & Julie Go Boating, 1974 ) - dir: Jacques Rivette
Trans-Europ-Express (1966 ) - dir: Alain Robbe-Grillet
Black Moon (1975 ) - dir: Louis Malle
Judex (1963 ) - dir: Georges Franju
Out 1 (1971 ) and Out 1:/Spectre (1972 ) - dir: Jacques Rivette
Berceau de Cristal (1976 ) - dir: Philippe Garrel
King Lear (1987 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Glissemens Progressifs du Plaisir (Successive Slidings of Pleasure, 1974 ) - dir: Alain Robbe-Grillet
10 BEST NEW WAVE DOCUMENTARIES
(chronological order)
Le Sang des Bêtes (Blood of the Beasts, 1948 ) (dir. Georges Franju)
Les Statues Meurent Aussi (1953 ) (Dirs. Alain Resnais and Chris Marker)
Nuit et Brouillard (Night and Fog, 1955 ) (dir. Alain Resnais)
Chronique d’un Été (Paris 1960, 1961 ) (Jean Rouch)
Le Joli Mai (1962 ) (dir. Chris Marker)
Méditerranée (1963 ) (dir: Jean-Daniel Pollet)
Phantom India (1969 ) (dir. Louis Malle )
Général Idi Amin Dada: Autoportrait (General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait, 1974 ) (dir. Barbet Schroeder
Sans Soleil (1983 ) (dir. Chris Marker)
Les Glaneurs et la Glaneuse (The Gleaners and I, 2000 ) (dir. Agnes Varda)
10 BEST NEW WAVE WAR FILMS
Au Revoir les Enfants (Goodbye Children, 1987 ) - dir: Louis Malle
L’Armée des Ombres (Army in the Shadows, 1969 ) - dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959 ) - dir: Alain Resnais
La Longue Marche (Long March, 1966 ) - dir: Alexandre Astruc
Le Dernier Métro (The Last Metro, 1980 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
La Guerre est Finie (The War is Over, 1966 ) - dir: Alain Resnais
Lacombe Lucien (1974 ) - dir: Louis Malle
Triple Agent (2004 ) - dir: Alain Resnais
Le Silence de la Mer (The Silence of the Sea, 1947 ) - dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
Les Carabiniers (The Riflemen, 1963 ) - Jean-Luc Godard
10 BEST NEW WAVE TALES OF REBELLION
Week End (1967 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Cuba Si! (1961 ) - dir: Chris Marker
La Chinoise (1967 ) - dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Les Quatre Cents Coups (The 400 Blows, 1959 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
Nada (The Nada Gang, 1974 ) - dir: Claude Chabrol
La Religieuse (The Nun, 1966 ) - dir: Jacques Rivette
La Tête Contre les Murs (The Keepers, 1959 ) - dir: Georges Franju
Moi, un Noir (I, A Negro, 1958 ) - dir: Jean Rouch
Milou en Mai (May Fools, 1989 ) - dir: Louis Malle
L'Enfant Sauvage (The Wild Child, 1969 ) - dir: Francois Truffaut
TOP 10 NEW WAVE FILMS BY ACTORS & PERFORMANCE
10 GREAT NEW WAVE PERFORMANCES (chronological)
Emmanuelle Riva in Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959 )
Jean-Pierre Leaud in Les Quatre cents coups (The 400 Blows, 1959 )
Charles Aznavour in Tirez sur le pianiste (Shoot the Pianist, 1960 )
Jeanne Moreau in Jules et Jim (1961 )
Delphine Seyrig in Muriel (1963 )
Maurice Ronet in Le Feu Follet (The Fire Within, 1963 )
Brigitte Bardot in Le Mepris (Contempt, 1963 )
Anna Karina in La Religieuse (The Nun, 1966 )
Michel Bouquet in La Femme Infidele (The Unfaithful Wife, 1969 ) and Juste avant la nuit (Just Before Nightfall, 1971 )
Isabelle Adjani in L’Histoire of Adèle H. (The Story of Adele H, 1975 )
10 BEST FRENCH NEW WAVE SEX SYMBOLS ON FILM
Anna Karina in Bande a Part (Band of Outsiders, 1964 )
Jean-Paul Belmondo in À Bout de Soufflé (Breathless, 1960 )
Jean Seberg in À Bout de Soufflé (Breathless, 1960 )
Brigitte Bardot in Le Mepris (Contempt, 1963 )
Stephane Audran in Les Biches (The Does, 1968 )
Francois Dorleac and Catherine Deneueve in Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young Girls of Rochefort, 1967 )
Jean-Pierre Leaud in Baiser volés (Stolen Kisses, 1968 )
Jeanne Moreau in Jules et Jim (Jules and Jim, 1961 )
Jean Louis Trintignant in Un Homme et une Femme (A Man and a Woman, 1966 )
Anouk Aimée in Lola (1961 )
TOP 10 SIGNIFICANT & DEFINING NEW WAVE FILMS
10 DEFINING FILMS OF THE NEW WAVE
(chronological)
Et Dieu... Crea La Femme (And God Created Woman, 1956 )
Ascenseur Pour L’Echafaud (Lift to the Scaffold, 1957 )
Le Beau Serge (Beautiful Serge, 1958 )
Les Quatre Cents Coups (The 400 Blows, 1959 )
Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959 )
À Bout de Souffle (Breathless, 1960 )
Jules et Jim (1962 )
Vivre Sa Vie (One Life to Live) (1962 )
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964 )
Week End (1967 )
10 FILMS THAT INSPIRED THE NEW WAVE
(chronological)
Sunrise (1927 ) - dir: F.W. Murnau
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933 ) - dir: Fritz Lang
L’Atalante (1934 ) - dir: Jean Vigo
Le Regle du Jeu (The Rules of the Game, 1939 ) - dir: Jean Renoir
Le Corbeau (The Raven, 1943 ) - dir: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Les Enfants Terribles (The Horrible Children, 1950 ) - dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
Rear Window (1954 ) - dir: Alfred Hitchcock
Viaggio in Italia (Journey to Italy, 1954 ) - dir: Roberto Rossellini
Johnny Guitar (1954 ) - dir: Nicholas Ray
Touch of Evil (1958 ) - dir: Orson Welles
TOP 10 NEW WAVE FILMS BY SOUND & VISUALS
10 BEST NEW WAVE SOUNDTRACKS
Le Mepris (Contempt, 1963 ) composer: Georges Delerue
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964 ) composer: Michel Legrand
Ascenseur pour l’echafaud (Lift to the Scaffold, 1958 ) composer: Miles Davis
Le Boucher (The Butcher, 1970 ) composer: Pierre Jansen
Pierrot Le Fou (1965 ) composer: Georges Delerue
A Bout de souffle (Breathless, 1960 ) composer: Martial Solal
Jules and Jim (1962 ) composer: Georges Delerue
Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (The Young Girls of Rochefort, 1967 ) composer: Michel Legrand
Les Biches (The Does, 1968 ) composer: Pierre Jansen
La Nuit Américaine (Day for Night, 1973 ) composer: Georges Delerue
TELL US YOUR FAVOURITE NEW WAVE FILMS
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Favourite Jean-Luc Godard Films
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