Watch British Sounds

British Sounds, also known as See You at Mao, is a thought-provoking film directed by the influential French director Jean-Luc Godard, and co-directed by Jean-Henri Roger. The movie was originally released in 1970, and it gained fame for its controversial political commentary and avant-garde filmmaking style. The film presents a series of disjointed vignettes that explore the political, social, and cultural climate in Britain during the late 1960s. Without a clear narrative structure, British Sounds creates an impressionistic tapestry of images, music, and sound that reflects the dizzying complexity of the era.

The movie opens with a black screen and the sound of a man's voice reciting a Marxist manifesto. The voice is soon joined by other voices, all reciting texts with a revolutionary or anti-capitalist tone. As the soundtrack grows louder, the screen fades in to reveal a scene of a car factory. Here, we are introduced to a group of workers who are shown doing their monotonous tasks in the factory assembly line. We hear their voices as they talk about their work and their lives.

The camera then cuts to a man and a woman making love in a sterile, white bedroom. The scene is intercut with footage of the factory, which creates a jarring contrast between the passion of the couple and the monotony of the workers. This technique of juxtaposing seemingly unrelated images and sounds is a hallmark of Godard's filmmaking style.

The rest of the film continues in this fashion, with a series of observations and critiques of different aspects of British society. We see scenes of political rallies and protests, interviews with workers and students, and glimpses of everyday life in London.

One particularly memorable scene shows a group of upper-class women discussing their dissatisfaction with their privileged lives. We see them lounging in a luxurious living room, complaining about their husbands and their lack of purpose. The scene is intercut with a sequence of images that show the poverty and suffering of working-class families, which highlights the stark inequality that existed in Britain at the time.

Another scene shows a group of students staging a protest against the Vietnam War. The students are shown marching through the streets, holding banners and chanting slogans. The camera captures their energy and enthusiasm as they voice their opposition to the war.

Throughout the film, the soundtrack plays an essential role in creating the film's meaning. The eclectic mix of music and sound reflects the diversity and chaos of the era. We hear everything from classical music to rock and roll to the sounds of machinery and engines. These sounds are often manipulated and distorted, which creates an expressionistic atmosphere that adds to the film's political commentary.

Overall, British Sounds is a challenging and innovative film that reflects the creative and political ferment of the late 1960s. Its fragmented style and unconventional approach to storytelling make it a unique and important work in the history of cinema.

British Sounds is a 1970 documentary with a runtime of 51 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1.