19-11-2012, 11:55 AM
EUROPEAN & ASIAN POST-WAR CINEMA
EUROPEAN & ASIAN.ppt (Size: 149 KB / Downloads: 36)
BRITISH POSTWAR FILMS, 1947
1. Movement away from the semi-documentaries of the war
2. Dominated by Ealing comedies
a. Lower & middle class milieu
b. Location shooting
c. Realistic details & settings
d. Fast paced action, dialogue, etc.
e. Bumbling crooks & policemen
f. Social & political themes
BRITISH POSTWAR FILMS, 1947
3. Used non-glamorous British actors (Alistair Sim, Sterling Holloway, Alec Guiness, etc.) & local extras
4. Examples include Hue and Cry (1947), The Little Island/Whiskey Galore (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), The Man in the White Suit (1951), The Ladykillers (1955), etc.
5. The later, more farcical “Carry On” series copied elements
ITALIAN NEO-REALISM, 1945-1960s
1. A reaction against escapist films, focusing on everyday people & "real-life" problems (no big stars, ordinary locales, etc.)
2. Essential theme--conflict between the common person & the social, economic, & political forces determining his/her existence (esp. the difficulty of keeping home & family together)
3. Location shooting important, leading to advances in cinematography; had a 'documentary" look
4. Less structured, more improvisational, with an episodic structure
5. Downbeat endings but often humanity reaffirmed despite misery
6. Directors include Roberto Rossellini (Open City, 1945) & Vittorio De Sica (The Bicycle Thief,1949)
7. In 1960s, became more psychological
8. Looser narrative structure (e.g. Antonioni’s L’Avventura, 1960 & Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, 1960 & 8½, 1961)
9. More “new wave” in later 1960s-1970s
FRENCH NEW WAVE 1954
1. “La nouvelle vague”--a term for films by new directors in 2 groups:
a. The Cahiers du cinema group of critic-directors (Chabrol, Godard, Rohmer, Trauffaut, etc.)
b. The Left Bank group—more experienced, more serious (e. g. Rasnais, Varda, Malle, etc.)
2. Developed idea of the auteur