Jean-Luc Godard's La chinoise (1967) beautifully presages the worldwide socio-political upheaval of 1968 and the subsequent havoc caused by radical splinter groups in the 1970s. It follows the French Aden Arabia cell, a Maoist group, as it moves from theoretical discussions to acts of violence. Not quite "radical chic" in the way Tom Wolfe would deride wealthy patrons of radical causes in 1970, nonetheless the cell members seem half-baked in their ideas (they barely have any understanding of what they're doing), and are presented at times as unintentionally naive and comical. "What's for Monday?" "Crime and politics."
The cell's name derives from the British-Yemen War or "Aden Insurgency" of the 1960s and a Paul Nizan novel. The US-Vietnam War is also prominent in their discussions. Group members are pro-Chinese because they feel the Soviets have become too "revisionist," whereas Mao and his regime have remained "pure" to their Marxist-Leninist ideals. "There are two communisms." Only China's version is worth espousing. They form a "combat group" and determine to either attack the university with bombs to force its shutdown (aiming to kill professors and students) or assassinate a visiting Russian official. One member is expelled from the group for advocating peaceful co-existence.
Godard's ubiquitous placement of Mao's Little Red Book (Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung) is really inspired (dare I see genius?) Cell members randomly quote from copies of it, carry them around, pass them out like Bibles, create symbolic barricades out of stacks of them (used memorably in a mini-play about the US-Vietnam War), and so on. Overall, the riot of red and other basic colors is impressive, and it's difficult to refrain from smiling at the absurd accompanying "Mao Mao" ditty. With La chinoise, Godard scores again.
Today's Rune: Gateway.
2 comments:
I should get a copy of the little red book, and glasses like those to read it with.
Chuckles . . .
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