The HBO Max Syllabus, Part 2

The context and resources you need to understand five (more) classics

Another semester beckons, at least for those of us who still follow some semblance of an academic calendar in life (whether for ourselves or for those we love). But hitting the books doesn’t have to be a drag! With “Dumpuary” doldrums arriving thanks to the dearth of new releases in theaters, there’s no better time to dive into the classics. Here are five available at your fingertips on HBO Max, presented with the context and resources needed to fully appreciate their brilliance.

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The 400 Blows — 1959, dir. Francois Truffaut

François Truffaut’s coming-of-age classic took the inner turmoil of children as seriously as they feel it. Rather than solely reducing delinquency to a social problem, The 400 Blows gets to understand the character and conflict brewing within the young Antoine Doinel. The film helped spark a new movement in French cinema that spread throughout the world, and it continues to serve as an inspiration and touchstone for artists making movies about young people.

BEFORE YOU WATCH:

A Fandor video essay explains how the film ushered in the French New Wave

A brief explainer from MasterClass on what the French New Wave is

ADDITIONAL READING:

Director Jean-Luc Godard’s contemporaneous praise of the film (as prickly as you’d expect if you know him)

A brief analysis of the film’s opening credits

A New York Times appreciation in conjunction with a 2007 repertory screening

A very smart essay and history from Senses of Cinema

An analysis of Truffaut’s early criticism and how it guided his career

ADDITIONAL VIEWING/LISTENING:

The Unspooled podcast dissects the movie as a milestone in youth cinema

A video essay from Essential Films breaking down how the film functions

Sesame Street’s Monsterpiece Theater enacts The 400 Blows (just for fun)

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