Italian Neorealism & Indian Parallel Cinema. History of Film by Nevin, Julian,and Valerie.

Transcription

1 Italian Neorealism & Indian Parallel Cinema History of Film by Nevin, Julian,and Valerie.

2 Review of Film Noir Overview Italian Neo-realism - Origins Italian Neo-realism Characteristics Indian parallel Cinema

3 Recap of Film Noir

4 Film Noir Being known as a movement rather than a genre. Social commentary Example 1: Sunset Boulevard Example 2: The Blue Dahlia

5 Movement or Genre Genre = Timeless An art/film movement is an attitude, very rooted in time.

6 Social Commentary Questioning the American Dream. National identity being bound up by masculine identity. Marriage as an institution Alters movies into a cultural form. Duality of self

7 E.g. The Blue Dahlia Femme Fatale was evident. Changing women s position in post World War II. Seen as a threat to the men coming back from war as they had inappropriate ambition Women as active symbols deriving power from sexuality and aggression. Apologise darling? But you re a hero, you don t have to. A hero can get away with anything. Feeling of entitlement, getting angry that the men take charge of the idea of home. Home? Is it safe?

8 E.g. Sunset Boulevard Director s intent appeared to be an attack on the silent era. Exposing secrets of film - studio and actors. Sociocultural context: fantasy world of Norma Similar questions: Is the house a home? Norma using her appeal to get her back into Showbiz? I got big, the picture got small

9 Film Noir Generally pessimistic. Capitalized on B&W rather than it being a disadvantage, Clever manipulation of light and prose. Always a crime of murder committed. Noir killing off old ideas? Acknowledging the past is in the past, but the future is one they cannot go forward to

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11 Italian Neo-Realism Origins

12 Start of World War II 1939 End of Italian Neorealism Fall of Mussolini 1944 Start of Film Noir and Italian Neorealism End of World War II 1952

13 Italian Neo-realism = New realism

14 Motivations All were eager to break with the old ways once they were liberated. Talked about the popular front. Showed values and views on the society at that time. Giuseppe De Santis and Mario Alicata We are convinced that one day we will create our most beautiful film following the slow and tired step of the worker who returns home Made audiences, even politicians face reality.

15 Italian Neo-realism = Really Real

16 Italian Neo-Realism Characteristics

17 Characteristics Ordinary People Characters are usually ordinary people (Poor, Working class people) Character Bio: Struggling against adversity of devastation after WWII Documentary Mise-En-Scene Neorealist mise-en-scene relied on actual location shooting Socio-Economic conditions of the time Moral Ambiguity The desperation after the devastation of the aftermath of WWII Thematically, plots were around this tension

18 Bicycle Thieves

19 Bicycle Thieves Directed by Vittorio De Sica Plot Unemployed Antonio Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani) is elated when he finally finds work hanging posters around war-torn Rome. His wife, Maria (Lianella Carell), sells the family's bed linens to retrieve Antonio's bicycle from the pawnshop so he can take the job. However, disaster strikes when Antonio's bicycle is stolen, and his new job is doomed unless he can find the thief. With the help of his lively son, Bruno (Enzo Staiola), Antonio combs the city, growing increasingly desperate for justice.

20 Director : Vittorio De Sica Brief Background Born into poverty in Sora, Lazio (1901), he began his career as a theatre actor in the early 1920s Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: Sciuscià and Bicycle Thieves, The Garden of the Finzi-Continis and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Film-Maker s Intent for Bicycle Thieves De Sica presents a cross-section of post-war Rome's working-class world, from neighborhood cafes to pawnshops to a brothel through a story of desperation relatable to many at that time

21 Cinematography Shot on Streets and in Private Buildings Dialogue was dubbed through post-synchronization Use of long shots, deep focus, long takes

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23 Bicycle Thieves Features Use of nonprofessionals, even in leading roles. The way he moved, the way he sat down, his gestures with those hands of a working man and not of an actor everything about him was perfect. Everyday conversational speech, rather than literary dialogue -De Sica HUMOUR used to bring across light hearted moments Children also feature prominently

24 Rome Open City

25 Rome Open City Directed by Roberto Rossellini Plot Rome, Giorgio Manfredi, one of the leaders of the Resistance is tracked down by the Nazis. He goes to his friend Francesco's, and asks Pina, Francesco's fiance, for help. Pina must warn a priest, Don Pietro Pellegrini, that Giorgio needs to leave the town as soon as possible.

26 Director : Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini Brief Background Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Rossellini was one of the directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing to the movement films such as the 1945 Roma città aperta. Rome Open City won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival as the first major film produced in Italy after the war. Film-Maker s Intent for Rome Open City Rossellini is depicting clearly the struggle of normal Italian people after the war

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28 Neo-Realist Films Led to Social-Commentary A Movement that let the people have difficult conversations after the war Neorealist films tend to focus on character and the plot seems to evolve organically Rossellini's film also stresses the theme of hope for the future. Open City, though depressing in its presentation of life, remains hopeful for a better tomorrow The children descend upon Rome, the next hope for the people of Italy.

29 Neo-Realism in ROME OPEN CITY

30 Indian parallel Cinema

31 India 1950s Political climate s Partition of India - estimated 3.5 million minorities migrated to India. terrifying outbreak of sectarian violence, with Hindus and Sikhs on one side and Muslims on the other a mutual genocide as unexpected as it was unprecedented. Poorly handled by the British colonials 26 January Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India.

32 India Parallel Cinema HISTORY Realism in Indian cinema dates back to the 1920s and 1930s. originated in the state of West Bengal Inspired by Italian Neorealism, known for its serious content, realism and naturalism pioneers such as Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Bimal Roy, and V. Shantaram throughout the 1950s and early 1960s fought for independent film prizes

33 What is indian parallel NOT A BOLLYWOOD FILM Peter Becker...He was legitimately the heir to [French director Jean] Renoir and [Italian director Roberto] Rossellini and a humanist filmmaker of the first order.... Because he applied the principle of Italian neorealism, he built a global cinema bridge back and forth between Europe and India. Pather Panchali is a window into a past Martin Scorsese I will remember the scene in Pather Panchali when young Durga and Apu run through the village meadows and notice a train whistling by in the distance.

34 Indian Parallel Cinema Evolution of films - Film noir retrospective and pessimistic, apathetic violence and abuse - anti-war, humanistic - Value for life expression of inner self without overt character A Global Response - Propaganda Goebbel, War documentaries - Anti-establishment british colonies: India, later soviet union - Pro-republican creating a new and strong government Dr Caligari, Mildred Pierce and Apu

35 Pather Panchali Director Satyajit Ray - Ray's directorial debut Village near Calcutta The film was shot mainly on location, had a limited budget, featured mostly amateur actors, and was made by an inexperienced crew produced by the Government of West Bengal based on Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's 1929 Bengali novel

36 Parallel Cinema - Emotional Story Characters Harihar Roy - father Sarbajaya Roy - mother Apurba Roy (Apu) - son Durga Roy - daughter Modern times (the train scene) - Industrial revolution - Colonial India and independence

37 Pather Panchali Contemporary Comparisons with early Japanese sound film (arthouse) - Akira Kurosawa, Japan s iconic filmmaker: Not to have seen the cinema of Satyajit Ray means existing in the world without seeing the sun or the moon. Comparisons with Jean Renoir - Ray too wanted to be part of the unit, but he was now an art director in an advertising agency, Comparisons with Bicycle Thieves - Bicycle Thieves made a profound impression on Ray. Later, in the introduction of 'Our Films, Their Films', he wrote- "All through my stay in London, the lessons of Bicycle Thieves and neo-realist cinema stayed with me".

38 Parallel Cinema and Italian Neorealism Similarities with Neo Realism Amatuer actors Location shooting Usually static camera Uses dialogue hooks to connect scene Unresolved ending Gritty emotional stories

39 Conclusions Motivations of how Italian Neo realism and Parallel Cinema emerged is the same: after world wars, nations were rebuilding tone of reflection - ending with optimism Influencing, Japanese New Wave French New Wave

40 ANY QUESTIONS??

41 THANK YOUUUUUU

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43 QNS FOR QUIZ NEVIN 1) Who is the director of Bicycle Thieves? Opt: Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini, Martin Scorsese, D.W Griffith 2) What was stolen in the movie of Bicycle Thieves? Opt: Car, Bicycle, iphone, Engagement Ring 3) Who Directed Rome Open City? Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini, Martin Scorsese, D.W Griffith 4) 5) What is a similarity between italian and indian neorealism? Opt: Emotional stories, sex, drugs, violence What happened to India in the 1940s? Opt: Partition, Nevin was born, Milo was invented, A floating post office is inaugurated 6) 7) Which politician did the directors want to go against? Mussolini, mussorie, mossini, trump When did italian neorealism end? 1944/1945/1952/1954