Realism in Bicycle Thieves
This was really depressing to watch this week.
I actually loved this one, but it reminded me why in quarantine I would only watch silly TV shows for awhile because I was tired of reality and searching for an escape. I can't imagine binge-watching neorealist films.
Bicycle Thieves is one of of the most honest depictions of poverty I've ever seen, because it doesn't flinch from it. There's very few times where the viewer is pulled from Antonio, even at his worst moments. The Italian Neorealist Movement was about "the depiction of the lower classes as protagonists, the regional, provincial settings" (Lawton 9) along with "a documentary-like appearance, even though it be achieved through totally contrived means" (11). Frequently, there are breaks from subjectivity even just through non-diagetic music, which somber and is presumably meant to portray the headspace of Antonio. It's clear that nothing in this film is accidental, which contrasts with the randomness and absurdity of life. Bicycle Thieves captures that too, with the simple but life ruining act it portrays. The relatable and "real" elements of the film go beyond its depiction of a stolen bike--hopelessness, corruption, and father/child dynamics are themes most viewers can in some way relate to.
I found it interesting that this was not meant to be inherently or overtly political yet claims full realism. The viewer is meant to experience poverty, a destabilized political system, food and job insecurity. I don't think it's the same thing but I think these empathetic portrayals can be as useful as theory and reading on the subject.
I really liked what you said not being overtly political. I agree; It's great because it shows very realistic times, and it manages to pull you in and make you cry haha.
ReplyDeleteI think you raise a really interesting question about the role of escapism in film art. Italian neorealism wasnt particularly popular with the very people it sought to portray because of its emphasis on the rasher realities of life. The entertainment aspect is something that is very much looked down on by most of the postwar European film movements that saw it as trivializing of human existence but, perhaps, they undervalued what is one of cinema's more important functions.
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren I totally agree with the political aspect you bring up and i totally picked up on the realism that was brought to the film through the people and poverty struggling in this tough time.
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