Federico Fellini

In the last couple years, it seems that there is always a news headline about a celebrity getting into an argument with the paparazzi, and there is always that one person that feels the need to say, “They signed up for it,” but that’s not true. These celebrities signed up to do what they love; they signed up to do a job just like any other person. What they didn’t do is sign up to have drones fly over their homes, be followed and yelled at as the walk down the street, or be photographed as they are eating dinner with their family and friends. The definitely did not sign up to have their privacy stripped from them. The word “paparazzi” dates all the way back to the 1960’s. Federico Fellini named one of his characters Paparazzo, who was a celebrity…

In contrast, Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso illustrates cinema as a modern social force. From the beginning of the film until the 7.00 minute mark, we see a clay pot on a ledge. Beyond it is the blue sea, the Mediterranean. Camera backs slowly as credits reveals a doorway, a bowl of lemons on a table. Then we hear an older woman's voice on the telephone. "Yes, Salvatore de Vita." The older woman moves into the frame. She identifies herself as his mother. She gains no information. Shot…

adversity. This process “it’s a bit like a sculptor changes the material he’s working with,” states Capece. I would also add, the writer comparably achieves this task when he reworks the novel he’s adapting. Consequently, Moses and Paul both allegorically transmogrify themselves when working as prostitutes; just like their art. On another level, La Scultura can be considered to be Capece’s membership with the auteur directors’ society, that includes but not limited to, Truffaut, Godard,…

The Vatican post the release of La Dolce Vita condemned the film as being pornographic and an insult to the traditional Italian Catholic church. The film with its play on the Italian essence of Hollywood was extravagant and not what could be considered as following the practices of the Catholic Church. But, why then did some believe that aspects of the film point to false spirituality? This falsity was seen in the opening scene as a statue of Jesus Christ was flown over the city, symbolizing…

Italian neorealism is a style of filming in Italy after World War II, created by a concern for social issues and often shot on location with unexperienced actors. Truth a very important opinion of Italian neorealism because truth makes a film realistic. This can be seen through the truth of the characters, lighting, location, decoration, and camera angles and editing. The storyline being as simple as the search for a bicycle. Likewise, the actual characters in the film are everyday normal…

When choosing, Gran Torino, I took into consideration that I wanted to completely start from scratch when beginning to apply these social theories to ongoing social problems. I believe that doing so, I was more open minded to social issues and subtle conflicts that I may have overlooked in movies I had already seen. I could have applied many other theories to the movie to aid in the explanation of social problems discussed in the movie for example; Kondrat’s Person-in-Environment theory as…

Uniqueness and Audacity in Film: Nanni Moretti Nanni Moretti is an Italian filmmaker who has garnered great fame and prominence from his unique style of filmmaking which tackles Italian political and social issues which are riddled with a strange, quirky style of humor. Moretti over the years has challenged Italian filmmaking norms and has become a forefront in the discussion of Italian politics. His fame, however, does not exceed that of his country, where in the United States he is relatively…

The two post World War Two movements that affected the development of film narrative and style were neorealism and the new wave. Neorealism was not as original as historians once thought, but it did create a distinct approach to fictional filmmaking that had an enormous influence on cinema in other countries (FH 330). One of the most vivid Italian films to represent postwar suffering was Vittorio De Sica’s Ladri di biciclette (The Bicycle Thief) in 1948. This story is of a worker whose…

Rosellini’s Portrayal of Marina as Everywoman, Ingrid As A Wicked Temptress, In Rome, Open City Roberto Rossellini’s neorealist film, Rome Open City, is reflective of the turbulent climate in Italy during Nazi and Fascist occupation in World War II. His use of costuming, body language, and mirror shots give rise to a tongue-in-cheek reflection at all the difficult moral and economic sacrifices people had to make during the war. Rossellini not only makes Marina and Ingrid, but also his…

Have you ever wondered what makes a film so successful? Or what sets a film aside, allows it to stand out from the rest? How can one film connect to many people around the world and appeal to their emotions in an immense way. With the use of the Italian Neo-Realism films did just that. This movement allowed filmmakers to represent life as it is lived by the people. Normal people were given to chance to watch real world problems on the big screen. The movement Italian Neo-Realism was born at the…