| |
|||
 |
|||
|
|||
|
|
Open City
(Note:
The purpose of this review is to make the uninitiated aware of
neorealistic cinema. It is written strictly for educational purposes,
and it does not attempt to pry too deeply into the underlining
themes of this great movie. For those of you who are already educated
on this style of filmmaking, there probably isn't much written
here that you don't already know. Move right along, and go in
peace! On the other hand, if you are reading this and you have
have never heard of neorealism, please keep reading. You may actually
learn something if I'm doing my job well.) [Neorealism is] an Italian movement that produced its best works between 1945 and 1955. Strongly realistic in its techniques, neorealism emphasized documentary aspects of film art, stressing loose episodic plots, unextraordinary event and characters, natural lighting, actual location settings, nonprofessional actors, a preoccupation with poverty and social problems, and an emphasis on humanistic and democratic ideas. (538) Thus, as Giannetti's definition skillfully points out, neorealism is both a genre and a filmmaking technique that strives to create what is virtually an uncinematic experience; yet with their emphasis on the unextraordinary, the films of this genre produced some of the most spectacularly gripping dramas of extraordinary people whose courage under the harshest circumstances celebrate the human spirit in a way a cinematic effect, for all of its flashiness and pretty Hollywood faces, can hardly replicate. Open City was the first film of the neorealism genre, and it was a collaboration between two of the greatest filmmakers to ever emerge from Italy: Ricardo Rossellini, who directs, and Frederico Fellini, who co-scripts. Rossellini, regarded as the father of neorealism, went on to produce a steady string of neorealistic films, even after the era ended (his last film, 1975's The Messiah, detailed the private life of Christ when he wasn't teaching or performing miracles, in an attempt to grasp the personal nature of the Son of God). Fellini, on the other hand, eventually took his directorial vision far away from neorealism, creating poetic, surrealistic films that emphasized mood and absurdity over Rossellini's realistic approach. Whatever the case, Open City finds both men in top form, creating a riveting true story of Nazi occupation in Rome during World War II and the brave locals who stood in resistance against regime, even in the face of capture, torture, and death. If the premise seems simple, that's because it is. There are no overwhelming plot twists, no back-stabbing betrayals, no edgy directing skills, and no happy endings. Neorealism has been compared to documentary filmmaking, but indeed, it is more realistic than most documentaries, which edit their interviews and footage to represent certain viewpoints in an effort to be at least somewhat cinematic. Open City makes no such attempt, but simply follows the men and women from the sides of both the Nazis and the Italians and lets their actions and decisions speak for themselves. The result is filmmaking that is so real that we are almost unnerved by its restrain and focus. We expect something cinematic to happen--a great escape from one of the Italian captives; a villain who chews the scenery as he twirls his mustache; a happy, sentimental moment when a son is reunited with his father; a slow-motion shot of the Italian resistance bringing hellfire and damnation onto their Nazi enemies. There are moments that we long for some comfortable cinematic elements that allow us to identify Open City as a movie, but we won't find any of such devices. Yes, there are dramatic battles where good guys get away. Yes, there are tense moments where we're not sure of the heroes will be discovered or not. Yes, there is superb acting from all members of the cast. But these elements only exist within the realistic realms of true people, and no cinematic storytelling strategy can be found. Every inch of the screen bleeds with pragmatism from the lighting to the acting to the locations. As a result, watching these Nazis storm about Rome creates an effect that does not pull at our heartstrings or keep us on the edge of our seats with excitement; rather, it places us in the center of the misery of these people, and we experience their suffering with them. Open City's chief claim to fame is the brutal interrogation scenes, in which the Nazis torture a member of the resistance movement. In terms of violence, it is one of the most underwhelming torture scenes ever filmed, but because of Rossellini's strive to keep everything as realistic as possible, it is also one of the most difficult to watch. No music plays. No camera tricks are displayed. We simply hear this poor man screaming, and we see the looks of horror as another prisoner watches the terrible ordeal. The Nazi official in charge is not a sadist by the definition of cinematic clichés. He simply does his job. He does not delight in watching this man suffer; he simply observes and calmly repeats his questions, which the agonizing captive refuses to answer. Because
of the realistic effect of a quiet camera that simply sits on
the faces of those witnessing this torture, combined with the
screams of the man enduring the pain, an experience is given to
the viewer that is so unbearable that we cringe and find ourselves
begging the Nazis to desist with the interrogation. With these
scenes, neorealism became established as a powerful filmmaking
tool, and, in certain contexts, much more effective than a truly
cinematic experience ever could be. In his book, Louis Giannetti
also includes a question asked by French critic André Bazin:
"Is not neorealism primarily a kind of humanism, and only
secondarily a style of filmmaking" (458)? Bazin's observation
is an insightful one, and in turning film into such a humanistic
experience, Rossellini was able to create a genre that celebrates
human courage in a way that brings more stylistic filmmaking techniques
to shame. Cast: An Excelsa Film production.
Directed by Roberto Rossellini. Written by Sergio Amidei and Federico
Fellini. No M.P.A.A. rating (some tense moments, not suitable
for younger children). Running time: 102 minutes. Original year
of release: 1945. Italian with English subtitles. Questions? Comments? E-mail me: danel_the_tinman@hotmail.com |
||
