Betty Blue (1986)

Jean-Jacques Beineix’s Betty Blue (1986), adapted from Philippe Djian’s novel, is a visually lush yet tragic love story that epitomizes French “cinéma du look.” The film follows the volatile romance between Zorg, a frustrated writer, and Betty, a free-spirited woman whose passion spirals into mental illness. Behind the scenes, Beineix leaned heavily on stylized cinematography, saturated color palettes, and a dreamlike score by Gabriel Yared to heighten the mix of eroticism and despair. While controversial for its explicitness, the film became a cult classic—praised for its raw performances (especially Béatrice Dalle’s breakout as Betty) and its blend of sensual beauty with psychological darkness, reflecting both 1980s French cinema trends and timeless questions about love and self-destruction.