féminin, féminin

EDIT: So just to continue the conversation with myself that I began in the comments, I found this review of Masculin, Féminin. This quote, in my opinion, gives a more satisfactory assessment than the quote in my comments: 

Godard is, especially here, both very classical and very radical, a Jekyll-and-Hyde who adores both pop and high culture."

This is more along the lines of what I took from it, that it was criticising the culture, but also just observing and in some way fascinated with it. 

Another excellent review is here. Damnit, why doesn't my DVD have these features? *sulking. It's a little harsh on Chantal though and again seems to read the film as voicing a total distaste for, or straight-out satirising of, her character. 

I guess the angle I was most interested in, being a former feminist studies major, was the examination of expressions of masculine and feminine identities in the social context of the era and place. I find it a bit problematic to reduce Chantal's character to a symbol of vacuousness, and a bit discrediting to Godard as a filmmaker to assume he wouldn't at the same time be exploring a valid fascination with a girl of such natural charm. Nor to assume that he wasn't deliberately highlighting the young male/female relationship dynamic by having Jean-Pierre Leaud's character comes off as somewhat boorish in his treatment of his girlfriend. 

In general, part of my own interest in the female ye-ye singers stems from my interest in different expressions of femininity, and finding a lot that's quite unique to the females of this particular cultural movement. It's hard in this day and age of vapid, sexbot-style starlets and faux girl-power female icons to actually see a character like Madeleine in this film as some type of empty bimbo that represents all that's wrong with pop culture. There's a wit, quiet intelligence and determined resolve about her. 

I'm fascinated with intelligent pop music, by which I mean songs that follow a relatively standard pop structure, and use the simplicity of this formula to strongly evoke different emotions in us, while the lyrics are not just nonsensical pap (like most chart pop). I think cheerful, celebratory music that avoids being stupid is a godsend. So I'm not taken with the somewhat institutionalised way of thinking that's seen in rockism that any expression in music that's cheerful, nice, gentle, lovely and often times female/feminine is of lesser value and of lesser intelligence. 

It's therefore of interest to me that people would read this film so readily as a trashing of Madeleine and what she stands for, and ignore that she is portrayed with some affection (at least as I perceived it). Looking at the quote from The Guardian in my comments, I'm wondering if perhaps Godard was aware of this (that she'd be seen as the 'best thing about it') and that was intended to be part of the film's 'statement' (for want of a better word right now).

*spikedcandy takes off acamademic hat*

*wakes up readers*

OK then, I'll post an adorable pic of Chantal for you to drool over/ want to imitate depending on your gender/orientation!

(Pic via Film Forward)

Oh, BTW... listen to Ladytron's 'This Is Our Sound'... the first line or couple of lines sound EXACTLY like the melody of 'Laisse-Moi'. Coincidence, or plundering of the French pop archives for top melodies to nick??

Buy: Les Années 60