René Barjavel

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Mont Ventoux, a setting in the novel Colomb de la Lune

René Barjavel (born January 24, 1911 in Nyons , † November 24, 1985 in Paris ) was a French writer and journalist . With his science fiction , Ravage (1943), he became a pioneer of the new genre of science fiction , the most important representative of which in France he is today alongside Pierre Boulle . In his time travel novel Le Voyageur imprudent (1944), he is probably the first science fiction author to formulate the so-called grandfather's paradox .

In addition to science fiction novels, Barjavel wrote historical novels, a detective novel, a novel-like adaptation of the Merlin material ( L'Enchanteur , 1984) and a development novel ( Tarendol , 1946), as well as columns and essay volumes on philosophical topics, which are also published in his science fiction novels come into play (including La Faim du tigre, 1966). In the fifties, Barjavel mainly worked as a screenwriter.

Life

After graduating from high school, Barjavel worked for the Moulin newspaper "Le Progrès de l'Allier". At the same time he worked intensively on literature and organized literary lecture evenings in Vichy. At one of these lecture in 1935 he met Robert Denoël, the discoverer and publisher of Louis-Ferdinand Céline. In the same year Barjavel became editor of the literary magazine "Le Document" published by Denoël-Verlag and shortly afterwards the publisher's production manager.

From 1939 to 1940 Barjavel served as a corporal in a Zouave unit, where he was responsible for the field kitchen. Barjavel processed the experience from this time in his time travel novel Le Voyageur imprudent , which was to appear in 1944 by Denoël. The year before, Denoël had published the science fiction Ravage , his most famous book to date. The non-fiction book Cinéma total was also published in 1944 , an essay on the history and future of cinema, in which the cineast Barjavel makes many predictions that have now come true, from 3-D cinema to streaming services.

In the fifties Barjavel worked almost exclusively for film, as a screenwriter and / or dialogue writer. He wrote around forty scripts, alone or in cooperation.

In 1962 Barjavel reported back as a science fiction writer with the novel Colomb de la lune , the story of the first manned moon mission with a disastrous outcome. In 1968 the novel adaptation of a film project that did not materialize was published, La Nuit des temps , and in 1973 Le grand Secret ; both are generally considered to be Barjavel's best science fiction works (see, for example: Reclam's Science Fiction Guide , Stuttgart 1982).

Barjavel died in 1985 and was buried next to his ancestors in the Tarendol cemetery, opposite Mount Ventoux . In the novel Colomb de la lune , the launch pad for the moon rocket is located inside Mont Ventoux. Tarendol is the name of the protagonist in the novel of the same name.

plant

Barjavel's central theme in his SF novels is the role of humans on earth. As a part of life, he seems to use his great ingenuity, which so clearly distinguishes him from all other living beings, in the end only to extinguish life on earth. Central motifs in Barjavel's (SF) novels are therefore the outbreak of a third world war and the destruction of the environment, as well as the effort to avert the catastrophe of the annihilation of all life at the last moment. Barjavel's style is always ironically colored, often black and humorous, at times grotesque and comical. His descriptions, especially those of futuristic societies, are of great plasticity and abundance of detail, his plots are masterfully constructed and often thriller-like. Short chapters and “hard cuts” reveal the author's closeness to the film.

Honors

bibliography

Science fiction novels

  • Ravage (1943)
  • Le Voyageur imprudent (1944)
  • Le Diable l'emporte (1948), German deluge of atoms
  • Colomb de la lune (1962)
  • La Nuit des temps (1968), Ger. Elea , also The Stranger from the Ice
  • Le grand Secret (1973). The great secret
  • Une Rose au paradis (1981), Ger. An ark for tomorrow
  • La Tempete (1982)

Other novels and short stories

  • Roland, le chevalier plus fort que le lion (historical youth novel, 1942)
  • Tarendol (development novel , 1946)
  • Jour de feu (Fantastic novel, 1957)
  • Les Chemins de Katmandou (Thriller, 1969), German Kathmandu
  • Les Dames à la licorne (historical novel, together with Olenka de Veer, 1974)
  • Le Prince blessé (The Collected Tales, 1974)
  • Les Jours du monde (historical novel, together with Olenka de Veer, 1977)
  • La Charrette bleue (childhood fictional memories, 1981)
  • L'Enchanteur (fantasy novel, 1984)
  • La Peau de César (detective novel, 1985)

Non-fictional works

  • Colette à la recherche de l'amour (essay, 1934)
  • Cinéma total (essay, 1944)
  • Journal d'un homme simple (diary, 1951)
  • La Faim du tigre (essay, 1966)
  • Les Années de la lune (columns, 1972)
  • Les Années de la liberté (Columns, 1975)
  • Les Années de l'homme (columns, 1976)
  • Si j'étais Dieu ... (essay, 1976)
  • Lettre ouverte aux vivants qui veulent le rester (essay, 1978)
  • Demain le Paradis (essay, unfinished, 1986)

Filmography (selection)

script
  • 1950: Women without a name (Donne senza nome)
  • 1952: Don Camillo and Peppone (Le petit monde de Don Camillo)
  • 1953: Don Camillo's return (Le retour de Don Camillo)
  • 1953: A wonderful love (L'étrange désir de M. Bard)
  • 1954: The mutton with five legs (Le mouton à cinq pattes)
  • 1956: The adventures of Till Ulenspiegel (Les aventures de Till L'Espiègle)
  • 1956: The Lady Scare (La terreur des dames)
  • 1956: The man in the raincoat (L'homme à imperméable)
  • 1956: Doctor Laurent (Le cas du Docteur Laurent)
  • 1957: The Misery (Les misérables)
  • 1959: The artificial silk girl
  • 1959: An angel on earth (Mademoiselle Ange)
  • 1959: Parisians against their will (Toto a Parigi)
  • 1960: The artificial silk girl
  • 1960: lights of Paris (boulevard)
  • 1962: The Devil and the Ten Commandments (Le diable et les dix commandements)
  • 1963: The Devil's Rest House (Chaire de poule)
  • 1969: Kathmandu
Literary template

literature

Web links

Commons : René Barjavel  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Barjavel, René
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French science fiction writer
DATE OF BIRTH January 24, 1911
PLACE OF BIRTH Nyons , France
DATE OF DEATH November 24, 1985
Place of death Paris