Rarely would the late Jean-Luc Godard accept to be interviewed , but he did just that in 2019 for French outlet Les Inrockuptibles.
Les Inrock, as the French like to call them, have reposted the FASCINATING interview in which Godard compared today’s filmmakers to the “living dead,” JLG elaborated that today’s films “show everything and nothing” and are “as flat as the flat screens they are shown in.”
More peculiarly, Godard is then asked about David Lynch’s dreamy style and the filmmaker shows a total disinterest to Lynch and his movies:
“Ah, I really don't like his style at all. Lynch's dreams only speak of him. In my opinion, in his films, there are beautiful images, from a photographic point of view, and yet the image has disappeared. On the enigma of the dream, the oneiric of life, I prefer to read Edgar Poe.
“I have nothing against dreams. It's part of yourself. I don't know if it should be used for making movies. What matters, I would rather say, is the derivation and observation of the world. The New Wave came from the desire to accept fiction through documentary. In my opinion, the two can only go together.”
It’s not that surprising to read Godard’s complaints. He almost never had any kind words to say about modern-day filmmakers. Maybe some of our readers could show pinpoint any exceptions, I don’t think I’ve ever read JLG praising any 21st century filmmaker.