Robert Bresson

A comprehensive introduction to the work of Robert Bresson, one of the most respected and acclaimed directors in the history of cinema. It deals not only with his 13 feature-length films but also his little-seen early short "Affaires Publiques" and his short treatise "Notes on Cinematography". Bresson's use of "models" (he refuses to use the term "actors"), his sparse and elliptical editing style, his rejection of conventional psychological realism make his work unique and instantly recognisable. The films are considered in chronological order, using a perspective that draws variously on spectator theory, Catholic mysticism, gender theory and Lacanian psychoanalysis. Bresson has never feared controversy and the major critical responses to his work, from the adulatory to the dismissive, are summarised and analyzed. The work includes a full filmography and a critical bibliography.