Bread & Chocolate / Golden Door

Bread & Chocolate

I enjoyed the small portion we saw of this movie. It's very silly, but also had some social commentary about  Italians emigrants. In the park, the main character wasn't even accepted by a child who was playing ball. And then he gets mixed up with a rape scandal and was only let go because the priest had already confessed to the crime. It was pretty clear that if the priest hadn't confessed, the main character would've been accused of the crime. At the restaurant, he has many fumbles trying to learn the ropes of professional waiting. He's not as graceful as the Turk, but he keeps trying to overcome. He keeps finding stashed away food in strange places around the restaurant, thinking he's trying to be framed, when really his bus boy (I think) is the one stealing the food. He makes a comment about how Italians are known for stealing, so he's being framed by the Turk. I thought that was interesting. Why are Italians treated in these ways? Why are they thought to be thieves and crazy chicken-coop people? This movie made jokes that some of them are like that, but that shouldn't define a whole culture.

Golden Door

This movie was interesting. The parts I saw were okay, but they weren't a dramatic re-telling that I thought it was going to be. It just didn't seem to be very powerful. But the subject matter was important. I already knew emigrants had to go through physical and psychological testing, but I never knew exactly what kinds of tests they were. I found it very interesting, and I feel sympathy for all emigrants (not just Italians) who had to go through the process. They believe the USA to be a great new world, but to get in you need to be tested and kept somewhere against your will. Besides the old woman, everyone seemed to be okay with the process. I found that to be a little strange. Most likely their excitement out-weighed their fear of the screening. I would like ot learn more about this, but not necessarily through this film.

Night of the Shooting Stars - Questions of Neorealism

This movie is very interesting and different from the other neorealism films.

It had its moments of neorealism, but it is mostly a non-neorealistic film. On the side of neorealism, it had historical and war content. Its main characters are on the side of the resistance. It is also raw, gritty and violent.

On the other side, the beginning is very strange. It opened like a storybook or fairytale with a beautiful starry sky and a narration. After that it goes into the actual story, but still that story element is strictly for fiction. Its letting the audience know from the beginning: this is based on real events, but this is a film, not a pseudo-documentary. Films like The Battle of Algiers are so convincing, people believe its a documentary, not a staged, fictional story. This is because of non-actors, locations, grittiness, content, and shot choices.

In Shooting Stars, there are many moments that take you out of the story and make it obvious that it's a put-together film, not a documentary. This includes shot choices, and editing. Unrealistic death scenes and hearing inner dialogue of some characters. When the city was being bombed, the resistance group is miles away, listening. For this scene there are appropriately many close ups of the people's reactions, but there are also some awkward shots of their ears to emphasize them hearing the bombs. Personally it took me out of the moment, and I found it a little funny to choose those shots for such a dramatic and important scene.

There is also the editing. The obvious "wipes" from one scene to the next is so distracting from the story. There is no way to stay in the moment with the characters when the scene abruptly changes like that. It's a device commonly used with less-serious content matter. I don't understand the meaning behind that decision. I would be very interested in the director's meanings and ideas behind this film because with such serious subject matter, some technical and artistic choices don't seem to make sense.

Bicycle Thief

I have also seen this movie before, and I enjoy it better than Rome, Open City. There are less characters so it's easier to connect with them. With a connection you end up caring about them, and want to see more of the movie to know their story.

Antonio Ricci and his family are suffering in a post-war world. The economy is poor. There is mass unemployment. The police authorities are unwilling to help. When Antonio has his bicycle stolen, no one helps him chase the thief or find him. When Antonio goes to find the thief in his neighborhood, a large angry crowd stops him. For some reason they are protecting the thief and don't care about a poor man who lost his job because of the thief. Antonio uses several ways to try and find the bicycle. He goes to an after-hours club, a church, the police, a psychic and a market. None of those places had helpful people. All the people there were angry, and telling him to be quiet.

When he finally resorts to stealing a bicycle of his own, suddenly the whole neighborhood is against him. No matter what he does the world is against him, keeping him from succeeding. All of that is made even more clear by the name of the bicycle, "Fides" meaning hope. Hope was literally stolen from him, and everyone around him is keeping him from having it.

Fortunately, his family is very supportive of him given the situation. His wife, Maria, let him sell all of their bed sheets to buy a bicycle. She is obviously exhausted and beat up from their lifestyle, but she does everything she can to help Antonio. Bruno, their son, helps him search for the bicycle for the most of the film. They do get in a fight, ending in Bruno getting smacked, but in the end Bruno stays behind and saves Antonio just by holding his hand. After all of Antonio's humiliation stealing the bicycle, Bruno is still by his side, supporting him the best way he can.

Besides all of the social-economic commentary, family values also has a big role in this movie. Through everything, the family learns how to struggle together and I think that is the only thing keeping them alive.

Rome, Open City

This is my second viewing of this film and it didn't change my perspective. I respect and honor all films in the neorealism style, but I don't enjoy watching them. The subject matter and social/political commentary is very important, but it's not entertaining to me. I'm an enthusiast of european history, especially during WWII, but these films are always very difficult for me to get into.

That being said, I did have a favorite character and that is Don Pietro. I think he is very dynamic and courageous for a priest. Under different circumstances he probably would have been just another traditional Catholic priest, but times of war always change people. It either makes people strong or weak. I believe it made Manfredi, Don Pietro and Pina very strong people. All three ended up dying in heroic ways or through heroic or brave actions. Manfredi dies via torture because he doesn't give the Nazis any information about the resistance. Poor Pina is pregnant when she is shot and killed. She died chasing after Francesco who was being taken away. It was an unnecessary death, but it was brave of her to chase after  her fiance. And of course Don Pietro died from a firing squad because he helped the resistance.

The Austrian deserter and Marina however, are very weak. The deserter ends up hanging himself because he believes he will give information to the Nazis.  Marina is weak and is persuaded to betray Manfredi by actually giving information to the Nazis.

All of these deaths are relevant to the quote about how it's harder to live well than to die well. It's challenging, especially in wartime, to be on the side of good, or to live doing to right thing. During WWII, doing the right thing almost always got you killed. But as Don Pietro says, dying is the easy part. It's easier to end your life for the right reason, than to spend years and years fighting for what's right.

I think that's the main message in this movie. Besides the wartime struggles and terrible situations all these people went through, it's also about how they lived, more than how they died.

Ciao, Professore! Pt. 1

I'm really enjoying this movie. The children are hilarious with their grown-up attitudes, swears and livelihoods. There is always chaos in and out of the classroom until the professor accidentally hits a student.  He finds out that the only way to get their respect is through physical abuse, but he is not willing to use that method because it is shameful. Still, the next day he apologizes and they still listen to him; they are still being respectful. They were even waiting in class for him to arrive. After that day of class the professor decides to stay in Corzano to help these kids.

Corzano is a twisted place. The adults are all corrupt, and useless. They have children, but then lay around too drunk all day to take care of them. So instead, the children have to grow up early to take care of their siblings and even work for their family illegally. These children have no childhoods. And even worse, the adults don't care about what the children are missing out on by becoming adults right away. They don't receive an education. They will end up just like there parents; washed up.

The professor automatically sees 100 things wrong with the school system, let alone Corzano. He wants to make changes for the better, but Mimi and the principal don't want anything to change. They scold the professor every day for his nerve, complaining about their system. Mimi and the principal don't care about the needs of the children, only about themselves. I'm sure some great changes will happen by the end of the movie, I can't wait to find out!

The Gomorrah

I wrote my blog, but never posted it - Oops!

The realism of this movie truly impressed me. I was completely blown away. As many others pointed out, this film focuses on the parts of Italy tourists don't go to. The parts that aren't in the movies, aren't on post-cards, etc... This part of Italy needs money to go into the community, to the people. It needs reform and uncorrupt authority. The people living there are stuck. The Mafia is in charge, and if someone owes them something they aren't allowed to leave. But, even if your debt is complete, there is always something else they will keep you around for. There is no getting out and so this poor community will never grow. The mafia has all the money and power, and they don't care about what the people need. This is depressing. When most people think about italy they think about famous ruins, great food, festivals, art, music, etc... No one thinks about some of the needs Italy has, it's mostly seen as a get-a-way vacation spot.

The Leopard

It was hard to get into this film, but once I did I truly enjoyed it. The pacing, plot line, and structure was not traditional to narrative storytelling, which made things seem very slow. But once I realized that intentions of the film it made sense. It seems to me that besides the Prince and the political struggles of the time, the most important aspect to show the audience is how the people lived. I love period piece films, and this is one of the best ones I've ever seen. The whole movie had realistic costumes, props, locations, etc... I was very impressed with the ballroom scene. It lasted a very long time, but it was beautiful. There were so many extra scenes of dancing, crowds of people talking, intimate couples, eating, drinking and more. I feel like nothing was left out. The party lasted until dawn, and I can imagine everything that happened because of all the details included. 

Overall, the art direction of the film was fantastic. All the shot choices and locations were amazing. Each shot had so much depth and texture to it. Once again I'm impressed by the beauty of this film and how much effort went into it. There are many times where the emphasis is put on the location. The film was established well with the beginning sequence of homes and countryside. Also there are many landscape shots and views of the residential area of Sicily. It seems to give a constant reminder about the people who are living there. It reminds of what the Prince said. He said that the people of Sicily are asleep, inactive. That nothing will change unless they want the change. During all the landscape and residential shots, the land seems so calm and serene; almost like the whole area is asleep. 

It also reminds me of Roman holiday in that it made Sicily seem like a dream vacation and a wonderful place to go to. Though it was unstable at first, it ends in a state of happiness and rebirth, symbolized by the new engage couple Angelica and TanCredi (spelling?). 

It was very long, but I think it was worth the watch! 

Pane e Tulipani

I saw this movie before, and it was just as enjoyable for the second viewing. 

I feel this movie is about love, but more importantly self-love. Rosalba had to learn how to love herself; how to become a confident, independent woman. With her husband she wasn't appreciated, and she wasn't challenged in her every-day life. As soon as she was left, and decided to hitch a way to Venice, life was put back into her body. She finally had meaning, excitement and motivation for her day other than doing everything her family wants. 

During this accidental vacation, Rosalba received a chance to learn what she wants in life. She basically learns that her old life was suppressing her needs and wants. In her marriage, she was being suffocated; she had no voice. Once she starts working at the flower shop and making her own connections in Venice, she realizes that she can make her own decisions. And that she can also be successful on her own. She doesn't need her rude, unfaithful husband. 

One of my favorite moments is when her husband asks his mistress to iron some of his shirts. Her reaction was something like, "I'm not your wife!" It's funny how when separated, he finds out how much he needs her, and she finds out how much she doesn't need him. 

She ends up becoming happy on her own, though she does miss her children and feels guilty for leaving them. But she also ends up falling or Fernando and re-kindling her love of the accordion. 

All in all, Rosalba completes her character development, and it's very rewarding to see such  happy ending where she gets everything she deserves. Love, family, happiness and self-worth. 

Caterina va in Citta

What stuck with me the most after viewing this film is all the different family dynamics represented. Caterina's parents for starters. Her mother, Agata, is a housewife, who does mindless work all day and does whatever her husband tells her to do. She has no voice for herself, no dignity. She's fed up with the lack of love she gets from her husband, and by the end of the movie we find out she's having an affair. Caterinas' father, Giancarlo, is the complete opposite. He comes on too strongly to everyone. He forces his opinions on his family and peers, and he takes all of his anger out of his wife. He also uses connections Caterina makes in school to try and move along his career as a writer. All in all, he's not the ideal role-model or father.
The friends Caterina makes at school have just as dysfunctional families. Daniela is the daughter of a right-wing politician father, and Margherita is the daughter of very liberal writers. In Daniela's home her father is absent most of the time, and her mother is unaware of her whereabouts or what she does when she goes out. It seems like Daniela's car driver and body guard is her only parental figure, which isn't saying much since she's constantly flirting with him. In Margherita's home, she has parents that care, but she is rebelling against them. Her parents also aren't very strict, which ends up effecting Caterina negatively. Margherita tattoos Caterina's arm in her very room! When Giancarlo finds out he was furious at her parents, but they did nothing to reprimand Margherita. Also, Caterina skips school for the first time because of Margherita, who wanted to visit a grave site.
Last, there is Caterina's crush, Edward( I think that was his name). His parents are divorced, which caused him to move to Rome all the way from Australia. His mother was very pleasant, and his relationship with her seemed fine, but something was strange in the way he spent most of his time in his room, alone. Also, how he liked to watch people out his window. It didn't seem very healthy. But, by the end of the movie he is moving back to Australia because his parents are trying it out again, as he says.
When Caterina's father leaves, it seemed like her mom and her will be better off. Giancarlo brought anger and hate into their lives. When he left, Agata seemed to be free and happy. That says a lot for the conventions of marriage. If people get married and become truly unhappy it probably is best to end things, instead of staying together for the sake of the children. A loveless marriage, according to this film, will only cause drama and frustration for the family instead of a happy home to grow up in. It's hard enough for Caterina to figure out her identity on her own, never mind when her father is always bullying her and Agata.

La Dolce Vita

1. I agree that this film strays from normal storytelling and character development. The characters are thrown into the mix, not properly identified. As the audience we don't know what many of the characters do, who they are, what their motive or desires are. And without that knowledge, it's difficult to connect to the characters or understand how they are changing throughout the film. There are some exceptions, but generally that is the case. Also, the way the passage of time is dealt with in this movie is very different from most. Instead of gradually changing from night to day, this movie tends to finish a night scene and go right into a day scene. It throws the audience off balance, keeping us on our toes because we never know where the next scene will take us.

2. I feel that one of the underlying themes of this movie is everything looks better from the outside looking in, or the "grass is always greener..." phrase. This is strongly emphasized by the near constant presence of the paparazzi. The paparazzi represents modern culture idolizing celebrities and famous people. They try so hard to capture a part of their lives because it seems to be so much better, it seems to be the perfect life. When in reality no ones life is perfect. None of the characters are without problems.

3. I really enjoyed the scene at Steiner's house. It may not seem like an essential part, but I believe it is. Steiner tells Emma that she needs to love Marcello more than he loves himself in order to be happy. Then Emma tries to hint at marriage to Marcello, which was unsuccessful. Steiner admits that he chose the comfortable life, becoming respectable, but not a professional. He feels like he took the safe road. And Marcello admits that he needs to change his life, that something has to give in order for him to be happy and find his passion (not in so many words, but still). For these reasons and more, Steiner's house was very important. It is the first time in the film where the desires or motivations of the characters are explained. The shot list ranged from close-ups to medium, to wide shots. 3-shots, 2-shots were also used. I don't remember any camera movement though. I don't believe there was any use of dolly, tilts, pans, zooms etc... Though the camera work wasn't special, the staging and composition of each frame was. The party guests were all placed at varying heights, which placed a person at every level. The party group was strange and diverse enough, but then to scatter them around the room, some sitting, some standing. Some slouching, some standing with  firm back. It created a successful contrast between each person, creating depth, range and flavor to the shots.

Overall, I enjoyed this film. I got used to how the narrative was disconnected and the characters had to be eased into. I also feel that I would gain a lot more if I re-watched it.

Benvenuto!

What is the source of your interest in Italy?
My main interest in Italy comes from my family. My mother's side of the family is Italian. Unfortunately, the last person in the family that could speak the language was my great grandmother who recently passed away in 2009 after turning 100 years old.

Also, Italy is one of my top places to travel to if I ever get the chance.

What do you know about Italy?
I know a little about it's art, music, history, language and architecture. Also, I recently did a real estate project on areas in Toscana, which taught me a lot about how life is there.

How and where did you learn it?
I learned it from many history and art history courses. The real estate project I learned about in Intermediate Italian 1.

What would you like to learn more about Italy?
I love learning about art and culture. One of the best ways to do that, I believe, is through film.

What Italian films have you seen?
Pane e Tulipani, La Strada, The Battle of Algiers, Open City, Cinema Paradiso, The Bicycle Thief.