Italian Neorealist Cinema (Traditions in World Cinema)

How has Italian neorealist cinema changed the boundaries of cinematic narration and representation? In this new study, Torunn Haaland argues that neorealism was a cultural moment based on individual optiques. She accounts for the tradition's coherence in terms of its moral commitment to creating critical viewing experiences around underrepresented realities and marginalised people. By examining both acclaimed masterpieces and lesser known works, parallels are drawn to realist theories and to past and present cinematic traditions. The ways in which successive generations of directors have readopted, negotiated and broken with the themes and aesthetics of neorealist film are discussed and evaluated, along with neorealist tendencies in other arts, such as literature. An engaging and informative read for students and scholars in Italian Studies, Italian Neorealist Cinema presents a new approach to a key cinematic tradition, and so is essential reading for everyone working in the field of Film Studies. Cover 1 Copyright 5 CONTENTS 6 LIST OF FIGURES 7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9 TRADITIONS IN WORLD CINEMA 11 Dedication 13 1. A MOMENT AND A COUNTRY 14 2. REALISM AND NEOREALISM 46 3. LITERARY NEOREALISM: NARRATION AND TESTIMONY 75 4. ROSSELLINI’S CITIES OF WAR AND RESISTANCE 104 5. WANDERING AMONG DE SICA’S URBANITES: SHOESHINERS, BICYCLE THIEVES, MIRACULOUS OUTCASTS AND A MAN WITH A DOG 136 6. VISCONTI’S WORLD OF AESTHETICISM AND IDEOLOGY: BETWEEN TRADITION AND INVENTION, FROM COUNTRY TO CITY 159 7. FACES AND SPACES OF NEOREALISM: FROM DYSTOPIAN CITIES TO UTOPIAN COUNTRIES 182 8. THE JOURNEY BEYOND NEOREALISM: STREETWALKERS, POLITICAL REBELS, ANTI-MAFIA RESISTERS, STOLEN CHILDREN AND UNWANTED CITIZENS 206 FILMOGRAPHY 232 BIBLIOGRAPHY 235 INDEX 246 "In this new study, Torunn Haaland argues that neorealism was a cultural moment based on individual optiques. She accounts for the tradition's coherence in terms of its moral commitment to creating critical viewing experiences around underrepresented realities and marginalised people. By examining both acclaimed masterpieces and lesser known works, parallels are drawn to realist theories and to past and present cinematic traditions. The ways in which successive generations of directors have readopted, negotiated and broken with the themes and aesthetics of neorealist film are discussed and evaluated, along with neorealist tendencies in other arts, such as literature." [Publisher's description] "In this new study, Torunn Haaland argues that neorealism was a cultural moment based on individual optiques. She accounts for the tradition's coherence in terms of its moral commitment to creating critical viewing experiences around underrepresented realities and marginalised people. By examining both acclaimed masterpieces and lesser known works, parallels are drawn to realist theories and to past and present cinematic traditions. The ways in which successive generations of directors have readopted, negotiated and broken with the themes and aesthetics of neorealist film are discussed and evaluated, along with neorealist tendencies in other arts, such as literature."--Back cover Torunn Haaland. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 222-232) And Index.