The son of Miguel Almereyda, an anarchist activist who died in prison, Jean Vigo kept faith with the politics of his father through his art. One of the most influential filmmakers in cinema history, Vigo gave aesthetic expression to anarchist ideology in four films: the city symphony À propos de Nice (1930), the sports documentary Taris ou la natation (1931), the medium-length Zéro de conduite (1933), and the feature-length L'Atalante (1934), currently ranked by the British Film Institute as the twelfth greatest film of all time. Although his career was cut short by tuberculosis at the age of 29, Jean Vigo continues to be one of the most commanding figures in the history of cinema. In this book, David Weir examines Vigo's cinematic career in both the political and the cultural context of the interwar period in European history, taking stock of the ideological upheavals of the 1930s that plunged the continent into the horrors of fascism and war. Weir also explores Vigo's relationship to other filmmakers of the period, such as Luis Buñuel, Jean Renoir, and Marcel Carné--all of whom, like Vigo, range across the leftist spectrum of the interwar years. In the end, Weir argues that, whereas L'Atalante and the other films have been mostly restored to something like their original condition, more work needs to be done to restore the original ideological meaning of those films.

Jean Vigo is one of the legendary figures of world cinema, whose films L'Atalante and Zéro de Conduite still inspire young audiences today. Film historian Michael Temple explores Vigo's intense career and asks why it has had such a long-lasting impact on film culture, not just in France, but also for generations of filmmakers, critics, and moviegoers around the world. Accessibly written, this will be essential reading for students, teachers, film enthusiasts, and researchers.

Jean Vigo is one of the legendary figures of world cinema, whose films 'L'Atalante' and 'Zéro de conduite' still inspire young audiences today. Film historian Michael Temple explores Vigo's intense career and asks why it has had such a long-lasting impact on film culture, not just in France, but also for generations of filmmakers, critics, and moviegoers around the world. Each film is examined under four headings: - social and political context - the making of the film, from conception to release -detailed analysis of narrative structure, main stylistic features and dominant themes - the reception of the film and its critical reputation Accessibly written, this will be essential reading for students, teachers, film enthusiasts and researchers, indeed for anyone who is interested in the cinema as a living art form

Biography of the seminal French filmmaker who influenced New Wave cinema.