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World Cinema HistoryAuthor: Eric Trommater
The movies of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Latin and South America (and an occasional North American movie we like) discussed by a panel of (mostly) American wankers. Season One focuses on cinema of The UK. Help us stay Advertising Free by giving a one-time tip or by joining the World Cinema History DVD Extras Club. Benefits include: * Bonus Episodes * Attending Live Recordings of the Show * Our Love and Appreciation * Whatever Else We Think of in The Future To join just go to https://ko-fi.com/worldcinemahistory and make a recurring monthly payment for any amount. Language: en Genres: Arts, Visual Arts Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Children of Paradise (1945): A Beautiful Corpse?
Episode 12
Wednesday, 1 April, 2026
In the penultimate installment of our Road to Godard series, we dive into the 1945 epic that the Cahiers du Cinéma crowd famously dubbed a "beautiful corpse."Filmed under the extreme constraints and constant surveillance of the Nazi occupation of France, Marcel Carné and Jacques Prévert managed to construct a work of staggering scale—complete with massive sets and a cast of thousands. Host Eric Trommater and panelists Erin Brown, Sila Blume, and Jennifer Trujillo examine how this pillar of poetic realism functions as both a defiant act of French culture and a meditation on the elusive nature of love and the stage. We discuss why this film remains a vital touchstone for understanding the cinematic world that Godard would eventually inherit and challenge.Episode Chapters0:00 Welcome to Children of Paradise: Initial Reactions8:46 Unpacking Love, Sincerity, and Character Complexity14:27 Jacques Prévert's Poetic Vision on Screen16:50 Cinematic Resistance During Nazi-Occupied France20:37 The Rich Literary Dialogue and Love's Complexities24:16 Exploring Character Borders and the Nature of Love30:13 Garance's True Love and the Nuances of Romance38:57 Wartime Choices and Troubling Character Stereotypes45:22 Lacenaire's Identity and Prévert's Artistic Rebellion49:59 Godard's "Beautiful Corpse" and Political Backlash53:13 The People's Theater and the Film's Title58:27 The Controversial 4K Restoration: A Visual Debate1:09:00 Final Thoughts on Garance and Film Appreciation1:11:03 Join the Discussion and Next Week's Episode Godard's "Weekend." Clips Used. https://youtu.be/81J56YChYo4?si=pU8ccBbm_Bz-uwt0https://youtu.be/jKorhmX5IDo?si=rWoKjCU9pvCuMoschttps://youtu.be/wNl9ksUI-bU?si=nCQ6VMQwcVv3DSwohttps://youtu.be/co52GGV1SYc?si=-8EDa8W6CeD8Zv4Vhttps://youtu.be/2a-VL1VoHJ0?si=_pfOoPiDjTJo6CCdhttps://youtu.be/rpMvf4Gdn-4?si=8jPi_lxKBa5wp03Vhttps://youtu.be/KZBdgRR85sw?si=y8aCRsDm1RlhGyKChttps://youtu.be/0RRWCxfkmtA?si=qAK4_OENas2QpIQ3Connect With Us:YouTube: https://youtube.com/@worldcinehist?si=z8Yay0W0I-6APEZzApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-cinema-history/id1744483892Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4YkCJSJvngtDMhey0CNsWj?si=i143kCA8RQKhQauUICLrmAX (Twitter): @etrommaterJoin the World Cinema History DVD Extras ClubSupport the show and get closer to the booth! Benefits include:Bonus EpisodesAttending Live RecordingsOur Love and AppreciationFuture exclusive perksHaving your name mispronounced on the podcast (our sincerest apologies in advance)Join here: https://ko-fi.com/worldcinemahistory(Recurring monthly payments of any amount make a huge difference!)
