contextual studies research

Before WW2 filmmakers were encouraged to make meaningless films, purely for entertainment, most Italian neorealism films didn't do well critically or finically because of showing a realistic version of post war Italy, as many people went to the movies to escape. WW2 destroyed not only Italy's economy, finically and politically but it also destroyed many film studios.


Dialog was made up of everyday conversations instead of over dramatic lines to add realism
They also used un-trained actors as leads.
Long takes
shooting on location
natural lighting
working class protagonist
poverty, crime, social injustice are all common themes
Mussolini

1949-  A law strengthened production and exhibition of Italian films imposed censorship that showed Italy in a negative way or "slandered Italy".

Mussolini rejected the making of realistic films that showed Italy in an negative way.

Bibliography:The New York Times (2009) ‘The bicycle thief’ | critics’ picks | the New York times. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njLcOqW7xV0 (Accessed: 14 November 2016).In-line Citation:(The New York Times, 2009)



Italian neorealism has more of a low budget.