Lecture 19 (2007): Italian Neorealism, Part I

Note: This video is from the Fall 2007 class.

This session introduces some characteristics of Italian neorealist cinema, especially the 'principle of multiplicity' in which aspects of the film serve multiple functions.

Outline

1. The Opening of Bicycle Thieves
   • The multiplicity principle
2. Historical Context
   • WW II
   • Italian film under Fascism
   • Hollywood film
3. Origins
   • Italian, German, French
4. Key Features
   • Character vs plot, mise en scene, the contemporary world
5. Central Figures
   • Zavattini, Visconti, Rosselini, De Sica
6. The Neorealist Counter-plot
   • The beginning of Open City