08 - Italian Neorealism: 1945 - 1959 Flashcards
Under Mussolini, authorities became content to keep films from making any significant statement about modern reality. What kind of films were predominate during this time?
The filmed opera
costume melodrama
* White Telephone films
What were ‘Telefoni Bianchi’?
"White telephone" films. Romance films built around a box-office idol. Upper-middle class heroines (rich with no cares). Vapid and silly comedies. Langorous heroine lounging in negligee on an elaborate bed cooing over her lover on the phone...
Under Mussolini’s fascist regime, what were the infrastructures put in place that would serve the Italian film industry well? Years they were founded?
1935 - national film school
1937 - Cinecetta Studios
What was the ‘first’ Neorealist film? Year? Director?
Open City - 1945 - Roberto Rosselini
How much did Open City (1945) gross? How much did Rossellini reportedly sell it for?
$ 5 million. $28, 000.
What is the essence of Italian Neorealism? (Cesare Zavattini) What is its effect on narrative structure? - just general…
- Reality is hugely rich, that to be able to look directly at it is enough… ‘artists’ task is to make audiences reflect on the real things, exactly as they are.
- the necessity of the “story” was only an unconscious way of distinguishing a human defeat… We feel the need to “remain” in it… (the moment & reality that would be glanced over and replaced with another situation)… Give us whatever “fact” you like and we will disembowel it, make it something worth watching.
With neorealism, emphasis is placed on what? (over what?)
Realism over fictional (formative)
Social problems over character’s development and interpersonal relationships
to paraphrase and bastardize (for fun!) Antonioni, ‘if I had made Bicycle Thieves, I would’ve told more about the people and not spoke so much about the damn bike’ :D
List some overriding characteristics of the Italian Neo-Realist movement.
conflict & resolution are situational rather than relational
Avoidance of big stars, often used non-actors
Location shooting (exterior) with minimal interior or studio shooting
use of natural light (very naturalistic style) as a result
long takes, minimal editing, actors and camera move around freely
Sound “off” - dubbed in post, no voice or effects recorded at time
Reflecting social problems (examining rather than explaining)
Social issues/ideals more important than individual character development and relationships
List 3 Major directors of the neorealist era.
Roberto Rossellini
Vittorio de Sica
Luchino Visconti
When was Bicycle Thieves released?
Who directed it?
Who was the predominant Writer?
Production Company?
1948
Vittorio De Sica - D.
Cesare Zavattini - W.
Produzioni De Sica
What is a common colloquialism for Italian Neorealist films?
social problem films
What caused a decline is so-called Italian ‘social problem’ films?
Social pressure from Catholic church & the Italian government
As well as the slow recovery of the Italian economy, started to feel anachronistic as people started to ‘do better’ and live in better conditions
Why did Mussolini and his regime start making the costume/historical melodrama and telephone bianchi films?
Tried to make propaganda films glorifying his state (using variety of tatics, like past glories [ancient Rome]) but they wouldn’t take, so moved on to safe, societal non-commentary films
When did the Italian Neo-Realism movement take place? What was the historical event that allowed the movement to fully flourish?
From 1945-1959, although it is debated as to with which film and what year it actually began (Rossellini’s Open City was filmed secretly over 1943-1945).
Mussolini was executed by hanging in Milan by Italian partisans in 1945; the monarchy was abolished with a republic establish in 1946
