The stink of the sacred: A Bataillean reading of Gainsbourg’s film Je t’aime moi non plus

Abstract

Although best known for his music, Serge Gainsbourg also starred in and directed several films. This article considers his directorial debut, Je t’aime moi non plus (1976) through the optic of Georges Bataille’s theorisation of the sacred and the heterogeneous. According to Bataille, bourgeois capitalism is characterised by material and moral values, respect for work and homogeneity. Against this he posits the outsider values of the sacred. Where capitalism is predicated on production and accumulation, the heterogeneous is defined by unproductive expenditure, such as sexual play, art and sacrifice. These values are applied to Gainsbourg’s image, his alter ego ‘Gainsbarre’, and his artistic output, before focusing on the 1976 film. Conclusions are made regarding the film, plus Gainsbourg’s status as an exemplar of Bataillean values, celebrated in his fans’ curation of his memory on YouTube.