Source: YouTube.com - User: dakrew01
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Visual Journey through Italian Neo-Realism
Here's a link to a video about Italian Neo-Realism we found on YouTube. It provides a look at a number of the key figures in the movement. Enjoy!
Italian Neorealism: A Mirror Construction of Reality by: Ben Lawton
Italian Neorealism can be loosely defined as a trend or movement in Italian art, literature, and cinema (Lawton). This term first appeared in an essay written by Arnaldo Bocelli in 1930, but it was not until after World War Two that neorealism reached its peak. Neorealist art, literature, and cinema inherited the reality of everyday life, and the differences between social classes. Also, this movement reflected the “Italian fascination with the American dream and its glorification of the limitless potential of the individual” (Lawton 9). Most of the Italian neorealism films were created between 1945 and 1951. Also, some of the major directors are Roberto Rossellini, Vittorio DeSica, and Luchino Visconti.
Some critics say that Obsession, Four Steps in the Clouds, The Children are Watching Us, and People of the Po are the beginning of the Italian Neorealist movement. Still others say that Rossellini’s Rome Open City was the first successful neorealist film. Often neorealist films will have the protagonists be individuals of the lower class, and the films will portray a documentary style. Also, neorealist films will use non professional actors to display reality of the situation. Some Italian films that were successful include: Paisa, In the Name of the Law, Bicycle Thieves, and Bitter Rice. Others such as: The Earth Will Shake, Shoeshine, Year Zero, Miracle in Milan, and Umberto D are considered classics, but they were not as successful.
Several of the films use details to reveal the misery of the lower class people. For example, in Rome Open City the crowded apartments, family squabbles, and the scarcity of food, and water describe some of the conditions people were forced to face The Germans were shown having control of the people (Lawton 12). On the other hand, some critics believe that this film does not reflect reality because it is filtered through creative minds, and it limited by several factors (Lawton 14). Another film is Paisa, which does not reflect the lower class breaking loose from higher authority, but reflects alienation of characters. Several of the actors in this film are “pursuing their personal concern” (Lawton 16). Paisa is known as “modern art” and requires the participation of the spectator (Lawton 16). Throughout both of these films the question of identifying the truth and reality is still in jeopardy.
One of the most important neorealist films is Bicycle Thieves. De Sica, the director, did not want his films to be influence by propaganda, and he worked hard to achieve his goal. The protagonists, setting, and narrative patterns were carefully planned to make everything seem natural (Lawton 17). For instance, several doors and shutters are closed to exclude the poor people that wander in the streets. At certain times through this film the filmmaker creates images that do not reflect reality. For example, when Antonio is deciding to whether or not to steal the bicycle the background shows two statues fighting. In reality the background image would not display what is going to happen in the film (Lawton 18). Also, De Sica took great care to not mix politics and art in his films.
In order to be successful in the future Italian Neorealism films need to remain open ended, slightly threatening, and interesting. Also, these films have to continue reflecting reality.
Lawton, Ben. "Italian Neorealism: A Mirror Construction of Reality." Film Criticism 3.2 (1978): 8-23. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.
Some critics say that Obsession, Four Steps in the Clouds, The Children are Watching Us, and People of the Po are the beginning of the Italian Neorealist movement. Still others say that Rossellini’s Rome Open City was the first successful neorealist film. Often neorealist films will have the protagonists be individuals of the lower class, and the films will portray a documentary style. Also, neorealist films will use non professional actors to display reality of the situation. Some Italian films that were successful include: Paisa, In the Name of the Law, Bicycle Thieves, and Bitter Rice. Others such as: The Earth Will Shake, Shoeshine, Year Zero, Miracle in Milan, and Umberto D are considered classics, but they were not as successful.
Several of the films use details to reveal the misery of the lower class people. For example, in Rome Open City the crowded apartments, family squabbles, and the scarcity of food, and water describe some of the conditions people were forced to face The Germans were shown having control of the people (Lawton 12). On the other hand, some critics believe that this film does not reflect reality because it is filtered through creative minds, and it limited by several factors (Lawton 14). Another film is Paisa, which does not reflect the lower class breaking loose from higher authority, but reflects alienation of characters. Several of the actors in this film are “pursuing their personal concern” (Lawton 16). Paisa is known as “modern art” and requires the participation of the spectator (Lawton 16). Throughout both of these films the question of identifying the truth and reality is still in jeopardy.
One of the most important neorealist films is Bicycle Thieves. De Sica, the director, did not want his films to be influence by propaganda, and he worked hard to achieve his goal. The protagonists, setting, and narrative patterns were carefully planned to make everything seem natural (Lawton 17). For instance, several doors and shutters are closed to exclude the poor people that wander in the streets. At certain times through this film the filmmaker creates images that do not reflect reality. For example, when Antonio is deciding to whether or not to steal the bicycle the background shows two statues fighting. In reality the background image would not display what is going to happen in the film (Lawton 18). Also, De Sica took great care to not mix politics and art in his films.
In order to be successful in the future Italian Neorealism films need to remain open ended, slightly threatening, and interesting. Also, these films have to continue reflecting reality.
Lawton, Ben. "Italian Neorealism: A Mirror Construction of Reality." Film Criticism 3.2 (1978): 8-23. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
The Penumbra of Neo-Realism
I read an article about the Italian Neorealism time period by Roger Hillman. "The Penumbra of Neorealism" is an article about a series of opera's and films that are can be compared and contrasted in light of Italian Cinema. Verdi is a national icon and a political alibi. He was a 19th century writer of national unification because of eviction of foreigners. The main issue was the Nazism as the "irrational myth" variant of Italian Fascism and the cultural war of Neorealism against Hollywood. There are 6 points that the author makes about this topic and how these specific opera's influenced this time in Italian Cinema.
1. Rossellini's ionic film Rome, Open City is a neorealism seminal for New Iranian Cinema and was made in 1987. It was an object of homage in Malle's "Au revoir les enfants". Carmine Gallone's "Before him all Rome Trembled" (1946) featured a Tusca production staged during the German occupation of Rome and premiered in Rome in 1900. This production brought unity to the opera stage! Gallone and Tosca's dramatic effectiveness fades at the end of Gallone's film. He implemented fascism, so he was banned for six months from production.
2. Before the Revolution is the next opera examined. It features Verdi's Macbeth where Fabrizio and Clelia are aurally experienced. His eternal fiance represents the bourgeois which he must leave. Clelia sleepwalks to show unreality, and they eventually marry. Death in the bosom of Clelia and the bourgeois shows that opera is the ultimate bourgeois institution. Macbeth was Verdi's last opera premiered to Italian audiences before the revolution of 1848.
3. La Stragegia del Ragno was written in 1970. An advanced stage of Fascism in Mussolini's Italy occurred in 1936 and was viewed through the prism of the watershed year for Europe of 1968. Draifa was the character that was the traitor to the Resistance cause recuperated by postwar mythology. His actions led to the postwar survival of Fascism. This movie taught the audience, through Cinema, that Fascism will never end. This was a very strong political message to be taught through a movie, but was common during this time. Cinematography of this film establishes a continuity between Athos Sr. and Jr. Anti-Fascist postwar Italy which proclaimed that there was no positive program but evoked negation.
4. Tonetti is featured in this section, and he establishes a balance between humorously ironic transfiguration of history into a timeless and a "serene northern Italian countryside". This Opera is well known for the positive view that it sheds on Italian landscape, and cinema.
5. Hollywood: Borge's film about the assassination of Lincoln is an interesting take on this historical event. The viewer does not witness the killing, but experiences the after-effects and psychology of the killing. He tries to keep the myths about these important events out of the story. Bertolucci's film seals the deal of the Italian nation. There is a total assimilation of Hollywood into popular culture announcing a dubbed film. Neorealism equals opera, and opera equals neorealism in this situation.
6. The Tavianis' valediction is the summation of historical and cultural memory of the 50's, 60's, and 70's, with reconciliation sought between feuding historical factions and competing myths of identity. When Verdi passed away, he took with him a particular stage of Italian cinematic national identity. He had such an influence on the Italian and world Cinema, that he left an impact.
Roger Hillman, "The Penumbra of Neorealism"
1. Rossellini's ionic film Rome, Open City is a neorealism seminal for New Iranian Cinema and was made in 1987. It was an object of homage in Malle's "Au revoir les enfants". Carmine Gallone's "Before him all Rome Trembled" (1946) featured a Tusca production staged during the German occupation of Rome and premiered in Rome in 1900. This production brought unity to the opera stage! Gallone and Tosca's dramatic effectiveness fades at the end of Gallone's film. He implemented fascism, so he was banned for six months from production.
2. Before the Revolution is the next opera examined. It features Verdi's Macbeth where Fabrizio and Clelia are aurally experienced. His eternal fiance represents the bourgeois which he must leave. Clelia sleepwalks to show unreality, and they eventually marry. Death in the bosom of Clelia and the bourgeois shows that opera is the ultimate bourgeois institution. Macbeth was Verdi's last opera premiered to Italian audiences before the revolution of 1848.
3. La Stragegia del Ragno was written in 1970. An advanced stage of Fascism in Mussolini's Italy occurred in 1936 and was viewed through the prism of the watershed year for Europe of 1968. Draifa was the character that was the traitor to the Resistance cause recuperated by postwar mythology. His actions led to the postwar survival of Fascism. This movie taught the audience, through Cinema, that Fascism will never end. This was a very strong political message to be taught through a movie, but was common during this time. Cinematography of this film establishes a continuity between Athos Sr. and Jr. Anti-Fascist postwar Italy which proclaimed that there was no positive program but evoked negation.
4. Tonetti is featured in this section, and he establishes a balance between humorously ironic transfiguration of history into a timeless and a "serene northern Italian countryside". This Opera is well known for the positive view that it sheds on Italian landscape, and cinema.
5. Hollywood: Borge's film about the assassination of Lincoln is an interesting take on this historical event. The viewer does not witness the killing, but experiences the after-effects and psychology of the killing. He tries to keep the myths about these important events out of the story. Bertolucci's film seals the deal of the Italian nation. There is a total assimilation of Hollywood into popular culture announcing a dubbed film. Neorealism equals opera, and opera equals neorealism in this situation.
6. The Tavianis' valediction is the summation of historical and cultural memory of the 50's, 60's, and 70's, with reconciliation sought between feuding historical factions and competing myths of identity. When Verdi passed away, he took with him a particular stage of Italian cinematic national identity. He had such an influence on the Italian and world Cinema, that he left an impact.
Roger Hillman, "The Penumbra of Neorealism"
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The Bicycle Thief
The film takes its audience to post World War II Rome where the people are in a state of despair and main character Antonio Ricci is in need of a job in hopes of supporting his family and pulling them out of their depression. When he finally receives a job, he is ashamed that he cannot take it because he does not own the necessary bicycle. After expressing this sadness to his wife, Maria, she quickly strips the sheets off their beds and decides to sell them so Antonio can buy a bike.
On his first day of work, Antonio finally has a sense of accomplishment. It is within the same day, however, that his spirits are once again crushed after a young man steals his bike and rides away. To fearful to face the realization of this truth, he tells his son Bruno that the bike is broken and goes to seek help before telling Maria. The remainder of the movie is spent following the father and son relationship unwind over the shared concern for finding the lost bicycle so Antonio can go back to work. The chase eventually comes to a gloomy ending, where the bike is never found and Antonio lowers himself to a bicycle thief to save the day.
The theme of overcoming desperation is revealed in the very beginning of the film when Antonio’s joy is restored by simply obtaining a job from the government. Throughout the film, this continues to be his one objective in finding happiness and supporting his family. He wishes to stand away from the poverty surrounding him and will stop at nothing until he reaches this goal. His persistence is shadowed by his son and as they travel together in search of a bicycle the truth of his life and the society around him is truly revealed.
This film reveals the ability that we all have to do heartless things to maintain our way of living. Desperate times call for desperate measures has never rung more true than it does in this film and in this post war era. Antonio Ricci discovers in one day’s time that there is no escaping the world and time period he is a part of.
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