Mention of the jump cut in my previous post on Godard inspired this post by Murdermystery Mike.

I was trying to think of earlier examples than 1960 [release of Godard’s Breathless] of the jump cut used jarringly, discontinuous, or emphasizing a gap in action. I’m fairly sure that if I keep on this I could find something eventually… the first thing that came to mind was both Kenneth Anger and Russ Meyer, but neither of them began using the jump cut in the way they’re known for now until around 64/65 (the opening montage of Faster Pussycat!… and the entirity of Scorpio Rising [as a note, I can’t much remember the editing in Fireworks as it’s been a while since I’ve seen it and I haven’t been able to afford the DVD yet…]). I’m sure there have to be examples dating from the same time or earlier than Breathless in avant-garde cinema (could you consider the editing of Un Chien Andalou contemporary [in the way Godard’s editing is being referred to as “contemporary”]?), but my mind is blank.

Addition 5/2/07: Five explanations for the jump cuts in Godard’s Breathless:

Somewhat related to Autant-Lara’s explanation, and no more flattering, are the comments made by Robert Benayoun. While Autant-Lara claimed that Godard’s intention was to ruin the film in order to get even with the producer, Benayoun suggested that Godard’s jump cuts were made as a devious attempt to save a film that would otherwise have been a critical disaster.