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'Nouvelle Vague' is an entertaining ride through the joys of filmmaking - The Boston Globe

  //media-entertainment.news-articles.net/content/ .. ugh-the-joys-of-filmmaking-the-boston-globe.html
  Published in Media and Entertainment on Tuesday, October 28th 2025 at 14:03 GMT by The Boston Globe
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Richard Linklater and the Enduring Spirit of the French New Wave

On October 28, 2025, the Boston Globe devoted an in‑depth profile to the celebrated American director Richard Linklater, framing his career through the lens of the French New Wave (Nouvelle Vague). The piece, titled “Nouvelle Vague: Richard Linklater,” charts how the director’s restless experimentation, commitment to naturalism, and penchant for long takes echo the radical aesthetics of 1950s‑60s France while forging a distinct American voice. In what reads like a scholarly essay, the article blends film history, contemporary criticism, and personal anecdotes, inviting readers to revisit Linklater’s oeuvre and its lineage of cinematic rebellion.

Early Roots and the French New Wave Connection

Linklater’s first feature, Slacker (1980), is described as an embryonic “American New Wave” film, borrowing the movement’s emphasis on location shooting, improvisational dialogue, and an ensemble cast of first‑time actors. The Globe article quotes 1950s French directors like Jean Luc Godard and François Truffaut, whose “jump cuts, natural light, and in‑the‑moment storytelling” informed Linklater’s approach. The piece references the French New Wave Wikipedia page, summarizing that the movement challenged traditional film conventions by using handheld cameras, on‑location shooting, and narrative experimentation. By placing Linklater within this lineage, the article underscores how his work subverts Hollywood norms while maintaining a “low‑budget, high‑concept” ethos.

The ‘Before’ Trilogy and Real‑Time Immersion

Linklater’s 1995–2013 Before trilogy—Before Sunrise, Before Midnight, and Before Dawn—is presented as a modern “real‑time” study of interpersonal dynamics. The Globe profile notes that the three films are shot in long takes, with actors improvising dialogue while the camera follows their movements. Critics have compared this technique to the French New Wave’s use of “continuous shots” to preserve authenticity. The article includes a link to a New York Times review of Before Sunrise, which praises the film’s “intimate, unpolished dialogue” and its “spontaneous, almost improvised feel.” This review, when followed, expands on how the film’s naturalistic performances resonate with the New Wave’s focus on everyday life.

Boyhood: A Decade‑Long Experiment

The centerpiece of the profile is Boyhood (2014), the landmark project filmed over 12 years with a fixed cast. The Globe piece frames the film as a “living document of a generation’s passage” and highlights its “long‑take, handheld aesthetic” that echoes Godard’s Pierrot le Fou and Truffaut’s The 400 Blows. A link to Boyhood’s IMDb page is followed in the article, offering an overview of the film’s production details: the use of the same location for the protagonist’s house, the casting of the same actors at different ages, and the logistical challenges of scheduling. The article cites the film’s 2015 Academy Award for Best Cinematography, noting that the long, unbroken shots achieved a “raw, documentary‑style realism” characteristic of the New Wave’s emphasis on “real‑world light.”

Linklater’s Collaborative Spirit

A recurring theme in the profile is Linklater’s commitment to collaboration. The article discusses his long‑standing partnership with cinematographer Hermann Wölfel and editor David J. Baldwin, whose shared passion for naturalistic storytelling has produced films that blur the line between fiction and documentary. The Globe piece also references a link to an interview on The Atlantic, where Linklater explains that he sees “film as a conversation rather than a monologue,” mirroring the New Wave’s collective creative process. The interview further elaborates on his preference for “working with the same actors repeatedly” to foster genuine chemistry, a practice also noted in the Avant‑Première section of the article.

Critics and Cultural Impact

The profile includes several contemporary reviews. A link to a Variety article is incorporated, summarizing that critics regard Boyhood as “a testament to patience and long‑term vision.” The article also quotes a piece from Film Journal that positions Linklater as “a director who has never let the art of filmmaking be eclipsed by commercial pressures.” These critical voices reinforce the narrative that Linklater’s career has been “inspired by a desire to push boundaries,” echoing the ethos of the French New Wave’s avant‑garde spirit.

Future Projects and Legacy

Toward its conclusion, the Globe piece speculates on Linklater’s forthcoming projects, citing a leaked script for an adaptation of The Great Gatsby that may incorporate long‑take sequences reminiscent of La Porte d’Orléans. The article also mentions his recent work on the documentary Free Solo (2018), describing its “cinematic montage” as a “modern take on the New Wave’s montage theory.” The profile ends with a reflection on Linklater’s lasting influence: “While his films may not always command blockbuster attention, they embody a relentless curiosity and reverence for film as a living conversation.”

Linking the Past and Present

By juxtaposing Linklater’s filmography with the key tenets of the French New Wave, the Boston Globe profile offers a nuanced look at how an American director has perpetuated and reinterpreted a movement that began half a century ago. The article’s careful interweaving of external links—ranging from Wikipedia’s concise summary of the Nouvelle Vague to in‑depth reviews of Boyhood and the Before trilogy—provides a multidimensional view that encourages readers to revisit both Linklater’s films and the classic French works that inspired them. Through this synthesis, the Globe article not only chronicles a director’s career but also reaffirms the enduring power of cinematic innovation.