ITALIAN NEO-REALISMHUMANISM

Abstract• Documentation of dilemmas faced by ordinary people being placed on screen to share with the

audience, with no particular lighting or studio set to start.

• Capturing powerful and geninue emotions portrayed by non-professional actors.

• Are they still shown today in modern films?

Topics to discuss: • Origin of the movement

• What makes Italian neorealism unique

• Examples of Italian neo-realism

• End of the movement

• Social cultural impact

• Influences in modern film

ITS ORIGIN

Started after world war two.

Desire for better post-war world and social progress lead to Italian neo- realism, a national film movement.

It became globally known after Roberto Rossellini's Rome, Open City was released in 1946.

According to Thomas Elsaseer(2005, pg. 146) The movie was popular for its erotic, melodramatic and atmospheric qualities.

Italian neo-realism as often in relation to Italian post war politics and the delicate balancing the Catholics and Communist. (Liberation and Chris democrats, 1945-1949) (Thomas Elsaesser, 2005, pg. 38)

WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE?

Home makers of Italian Neorealism used realist aesthetics to address the most pressing postwar concerns about :

-Freedom

-Democracy

-Anti-facism (Timothy Corrigan, Patricia White, Meta Mazaj, 2011, pg.309, Critical Vision in The Film Theory)

Best known for was location shooting and post-synchronization sound. (Robert Sklar, 1993, pg. 285)

They also hired non-professional actors instead, cinema of normal life, of genuine emotions.

ROME, OPEN CITY

Also known as Roma, città aperta

Rossellini said “situation of the moment guided by my own and actors moods and perspectives”

He dictated what they shot and he relied more on improvisation that script.

The film was crudely shot due to poor facilities at, under-funding, poor quality film stock.

Many non-professional actors were hired due to low funding.

LADRI DI BICICLETTE

Directed by Vittorio De Sica‘ in 1947.

De sica financed the film himself, through friends and shot only on location, on the streets of Rome.

Casting only non-actors, often roping in people who stopped to watch the filming.

Portayed poverty, injustice and love.

The subject matter cuts straight to the heart of Italian society and begs questions about the individual’s role in society.

End of Italian Neo-realism

Italian Neorealism rapidly declined in the early 1950s.

Italy began to show positive signs of recovery and the demand for more positive films. (Robert Sklar, 1993, pg. 288)

Neorealist films did not help encourage the nation’s optimism towards better prosperity and quality of life.

Hence, many Italians preferred American movies and the movement phrased out completely. (Robert Sklar, 1993, pg.288)

Furthermore, post-war Italian government was against the movement. Laws was passed in 1949.

-Censorship was imposed on scripts

-Restricted production loans to potentially controversial movies

-started withholding license exports for films. (Robert Sklar, 1993, pg.288)

GILUO ANDERROTTI -(1919-2013)

Neorealism is a dirty laundary that shouldn’t be washed and hung to dry in the open.’(Robert Sklar, 1993, pg.284)

SOCIAL CULTURAL IMPACT

.

Film movement for Liberation of Hope and post-liberation disappointment

Neo realism has made a bigger impact on other countries like Asia, Africa, Latin Amercia.

Its created an example, model for a cinematic approach towards human experience outside the behavior for entertainment genres.

It made social actuality as art.

Taught everyone you do not need lavish sets or expensive stars to make a good movie.

(Robert Sklar, 1993, pg.288)

Andre Bazin, French critic, ‘Neo realism is more anthological position rather than an aesthetic one. That is why the employment of its technical attribute like a recipe does not necessarily produce it.’ (Robert Sklar, 1993, pg. 286)

INFLUENCES

Film Noir adapted Italian neorealist method of shooting on location, giving a realistic appeal to the film. And used non-professional actors.

An example of this is the 1955 film Kiss Me Deadly, directed by Robert Aldrich.

Audiences for the first time were given a truly emotional, realistic view of the toils and trials that the working class and impoverished face on an everyday basis.

(Robert Sklar, 1993, pg. 290)

Satyajit Ray

Indian new wave, also known as Parallel Cinema, was influenced by Italian Neo-realism. Became popular in the late 1950s.

One of the film makers that led the movement was Satyajit Ray. (1921-1992)

In India, he made films that brought international recognition to his country’s cinema after watching Bicycle thieves.

One of the world greatest Author in world cinema.

His films demonstrate a remarkable humanism, elaborate observation and subtle handling of characters and situations

PATHER PANCHALI (1955)

It was Satyajit Ray’s first film he made, and used non-professional actors.

In fact based Stuart Jeffries,2010, The Guardian, stated that

“the director had never directed, the cameraman had never shot a scene, the children in the leading roles hadn't been tested.”

It portrayed from a child, Apu, point of perspective poverty, hardship, simple joys of life and grief.

Ken loach Loach is the worlds leading social-

realist film-maker and Britains most successful director operative today.

Is well known for his social content of his movies sustained with a real life style.

Was greatly inspired after watching Bicycle Thieves.

He said, “It made me realise that cinema could be about ordinary people and their dilemmas. It wasn't a film about stars, or riches or absurd adventures. I was able to see cinema in another light, outside the Hollywood nonsense.’

 

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY

An independent film done by Ken Loach in 2006, it was even known as the highest grossing independent film made in Irish.  

Its about 2 brother brothers caught in a war between Irish and Britain.

Just like Italian neorealism, it focuses on the struggles of war.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Elsaesser, Thomas. European Cinema, Face to Face with Hollywood. Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam 2005.

Sklar, Robert. Film An International History of the Medium. 100 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011. Harry N. Abram, INC, 1993.

Timothy Corrigan, Patricia White and Meta Mazaj. 2011. Critical Visions in Film Theory. United States of America

CITE SOURCES

12 great performances by non-professional actors http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2013/03/best-performances-by-non-professional-actors.html

50 must-see Italian films #7 Roma, città aperta

http://www.swide.com/art-culture/movies/italian-cinema-best-50-movies-rome-open-city-roberto-rossellini/2013/4/14

50 must-see Italian films:#1 Ladri di biciclette

http://www.swide.com/art-culture/movies/italian-cinema-50-must-see-movies-the-italian-neorealism-bicycle-thieves/2013/2/17

The film that changed my life: Ken Loach

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/may/16/bicycle-thieves-ken-loach

A Brief Introduction to Satyajit Ray

http://www.satyajitray.org/about_ray/introduction.htm

Pather Panchali: No 12 best arthouse film of all time

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/20/pather-panchali-ray-arthouse

Ken loach and neorealism

http://essay-planet-blog.blogspot.sg/2013/02/ken-loach-and-neorealism.html

SUMMARY Used non-professional actors and shoot on location, focusing on hardship of post-war

environment.

Giving people a sense of realistic and emotional view of life.

Phased in out in the 1950s.

Inspired several film-makers like ken loach and Satyajit Ray.

Fancy, expensive set is not required to tell a unique story.

Taught people about social actuality.