Realist Film Theory and Bicycle Thieves

The Film Theory in Practice series fills a gap in film theory by marrying explanation and interpretation, providing discrete examples of how film theory can serve as the basis for textual analysis. Hilary Neroni's Realist Film Theory and Bicycle Thieves offers a concise introduction to realist film theory, exploring the original realist film theorists from the 1940s and analyzing neorealist film movements that challenge mainstream realism with a more radical form. Her in-depth investigation of Bicycle Thieves provides a realist methodology that reveals the radicality of its combination of realist techniques, a melodramatic story, and humanist values.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

The Film Theory in Practice series addresses a significant gap in the field of film theory by combining the explanation of film theories with the interpretation of films. These volumes offer concrete examples of how film theories can be applied to textual analysis. Realist Film Theory and Bicycle Thieves, authored by Hilary Neroni, offers a concise introduction to realist film theory in a non-technical language, demonstrating how this theory can be utilized to interpret Vittorio De Secas 1948 Italian neo-realist masterpiece Bicycle Thieves. Neroni delves into the works of original realist film theorists from the 1940s, including André Bazin, Siegfried Kracauer, and Cesare Zavattini, among others. However, the book goes beyond viewing realist film theory as merely a theory of the past, arguing that the prevalence of realism in various forms within practice and theory suggests the need for an updated understanding of realism. Throughout the book, Neroni analyzes neorealist film movements, such as Italian Neorealism, Parallel Cinema of India, and the Iranian New Wave, which challenge mainstream realism with a more radical form that exposes the social order rather than hiding it. Her in-depth exploration of Bicycle Thieves provides a realist methodology that reveals the radicality of its combination of realist techniques, a melodramatic story, and humanist values.

Weight: 212g
Dimension: 127 x 198 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501378591