Yvonne Munoz

March 15, 2004

Neo Realism Movement roughly 1945-1955

Movement lasted ten years. The problem with this and other movements is that they must be taken loosely when applied to film. Not all Directors will adhere 100% to the criteria established for the style of film.

Italian Neo Realism is the most important aspect whenever questions of Realism and Formalism are the topic.  Neo Realism becomes the example given by the writer for what the “modern world” is. 

Neo Realism -

1. Lack of Story – Stories are found not structured and not plotted out. Not plotting out a story runs counter to what cinema is in the minds of formulaists.  But Realists would counter that formal stories are artifical, truth can be found in the everyday.
2. Not Heroic Stories – Neo Realism is not what the Fascist were making at the time nor what Hollywood would make at any time.  That is the films are not about super heroic exploits, fantasies, or power.    Neo Realism films are about people we could know.
3. Not tightly structured.
4. Grainy look due to low budget
5. Mixture of  actors, professional and non professional. This is an attempt to bring an element of realism to the film. Founder of Realism felt professional acting was too fake.  How can an actor portray someone else and have it be Realism.
6. Location shooting not studio.  You can see the actual devastation of the Second World War in the Italian films made after the war..  In Germany these films called "Rubble Films."  Studios destroyed backdrop is the streets.
7. Message - Leftist oriented, humanistic films, more concern with the common people than they are with the middle class (bourgeoisie).  Socialist message, anti-fascist, anti-government.

By the 50's Italy is no different than other European countries.  Its economy is rising interest in underclass problems are lessened.  Neo Realism starts to fade after 10 years.  In 1956 Fellini directs La Strada, a mixture of neo-realism and the coming of Italian aestheticism and auteurism.  The films that are starting to be produced focus more on aesthetics and personal or deirectorial creativity that everyday life.

Movie Viewed Rome Open City, Directed by Roberto Rossellini (1945)

Plot - Resistance fighter running from Fascist.  He does not succeed. At the end he is tortured to death. The story focuses on the torture of the resistance soldier. Neo Realism is shown in the way the it was filmed.  Film stock spliced together.  The result is a grainy image. The Director was not worried about film type but content and reality. Critic thought he was brave capturing footage that was real but in reality it was staged.   By the time he made the film the Fascist had lost control of Rome.

This movie set the tone for Neo Realism. Classic film, camera style straight out of 30's and 40's.  The beginning of the film runs as thought it hasn’t been scripted.  To save time and money sound was added later.  This is still done today (post sync).  Film shot silently.  The film ending is more structured but it is still scriptive. The speech given by the German soldier, referencing the Germans as the master race is clearly scripted and thus not genuinely neo-realism.

2nd film viewed - The Bicycle Thief  Directed by De Sica (1948)

Plot - A man's bike is stolen leaving him jobless. In a act of desperateness the man steals another bike.  This film also used a mixture of professional and non professional actors.  This film is less structured not as dramatic or staged. Social message is not as political.