During week three, we viewed Rome, Open City and it was enjoyable as well as an interesting film. What was most interesting to me was how the creation of this film coincided with the neorealist movement and historical events. Based on the reading by Shiel, “Filmmaker, critics, and the cinemagoing public came to a consensus that neorealism rose out of the trauma of fascism, war and occupation in response to which it offered a means of national and personal self-examination” (Shiel 9). When you look at Rome, Open City, it truly is a reflection of this conclusion that Shiel wrote about. When you take into consideration the fact that neorealism is made up of untrained actors, on-site shooting, and limited equipment as a result of the German occupation of Rome, it is truly admirable that they were still able to create a masterpiece such as this. In the film, Pina is truly a symbol of the trauma of this event as when she is killed off halfway through the film, it acts as a cry of defiance for Italians against the fascist state. 

From a viewer’s standpoint, this film made me think about the historical impact of this event as of course I have never experienced anything remotely close to this kind of trauma. But having the opportunity to see this film makes me appreciate that art of film as well as get a better sense of the impact of historical events on it. Scenes such as Pina’s death like I mentioned earlier shows the raw emotion of how the occupation impacted so many people in Italy and although I can never truly connect with that feeling, it allows me to understand the effort that went into making something of this caliber as well as the struggles they endured. Camera tactics in this scene like the shot/ reverse shot when Pina and Francesco try to get to each other when the Germans take him away reinforce the raw emotions and pain of common occurrences like this that is inflicted add a feeling of authenticity.

Continuing on the theme of understanding struggle and the neorealist movement, week four brought along with it the film Paisan that depicted events as you move from southern to northern Italy. What stuck with me specifically was the part of the film involving the monks and the people staying with them. In terms of historically, it signaled to be a sign of unity among Italians because despite having differences in religious beliefs, it showed they are able to still accept them and house them there as the fight against the fascist state required all of Italy to work together in any way possible to break free. When discussing how film during this time was a depiction of struggle Bazin makes a great comparison, explaining “Italian film has that air of documentary, a naturalness nearer to the spoken than to the written account, to the sketch rather than to the painting” (Bazin 43). It’s the naturalness filmmakers of this time use that create the authenticity of film. Rather than having a completely polished outcome like a painting would be, comparing these films tacts to sketching brings out the flaws in creating these films such as those like untrained actors or having to film in actual locations. In addition to this, Schoonover describes “The recently exposed scale of the human violence wrought by the war did not threaten to confound this aesthetic. In fact, this aesthetic showcased just how suited cinema was to the task of accounting for the war” (Schoonover XIV). This furthers the argument of authenticity contained in the short films because displaying the brutality of war will truly show the emotional scars left by real-life events. 

Overall, both Rome, Open City and Paisan are both depictions of the Italian struggle of the time period, and is used for viewers to gain a better sense of this feeling. Personally seeing both films furthered my understanding of the sheer impact of these events. On top of that, the use of camera movements, as well as framing, help further depict this and create an authentic film experience. 

 

During weeks one and two of this course, I honestly wasn’t completely sure what to expect. The first thing we had to do was post a discussion about a film that reminded us of our childhood, and I settled on Space Jam as it was one of my favorites growing up and shaped my love for the game of basketball. There was just so much nostalgia wrapped up with that movie for me, which is also where I made that connection of reminiscing to Cinema Paradiso. 

Cinema Paradiso was a fantastic movie in my opinion, and what really drove it home for me was that feeling of reminiscing as the plot continued throughout the film. Seeing the film and that connection between Alfredo and Toto as Toto grew up got me thinking about what I have done so far in my life. It was those scenes that came up every so often in the film with the projector room where you really felt that connection between the two and how strong their bond grew over time. Even uses of those camera angles while overlooking the square gave a sense that “the world is yours” and to do something with your life that you love. It really puts into perspective the changes that happen as a person grows up and how even the smallest influences can change the course of life for better or worse and to live life with no regrets. In the film when Alfredo is blind and explains to Toto to leave and never come back because that’s what he regrets not doing, it got me thinking about previous choices I made and how I got to where I am. Never in a million years did I think that I was going to end up at the University of Oregon studying for a degree in business because up until high school my goal was to do engineering at a school in California. It’s not so much as leave and don’t come back as it was in the film, but leaving California to go to a school in Oregon was one of the best choices I ever made. 

As for the reading we did, Wagstaff’s commentary on film and Italian cinema was quite interesting to me. What really got me thinking was when Wagstaff wrote, “Films are not audio-visual recordings of reality; they are structured discourses which use a careful selection of images and sounds to convey a narrative, evoke a response, and encode a message” (Wagstaff 222). It made me realize how important films are, especially from this time, in accordance with the history of the time period as well as how we can connect it to ourselves. The purpose of film goes beyond the scope of our little bubble that we place ourselves in to gain a better understanding of the historical context and why the film was put together the way that it was. Without film, we would lack this perspective and walk away from the opportunity to further our knowledge. In terms of Cinema Paradiso, the film was carefully put together in specific locations in order to send two messages, dreaming and believing that you can do what you want to find happiness as the plot throughout the life of Toto reflected. Like I said, putting that into my own perspective of choosing University of Oregon over other schools was not the path that I planned, but I believe that this choice will eventually lead to the place I want to be at in life.

Welcome to your brand new blog at University of Oregon Sites.\n \n To get started, simply log in, edit or delete this post and check out all the other options available to you.\n \n For assistance, visit UO Blogs General Help or contact the Technology Service Desk (541-346-4357).\n \n