Evolution of Neorealism

 Daniel Lavigne

Professor Saphire

COM126

6 November 2020

The Evolution of Neorealism

The medium of film has long been used to showcase the hardships, emotions, and conflicts of human beings. Through the history of motion pictures, various movements have organically been created, often juxtaposed with the state of the world around it. One such film movement is neorealism. This particular film movement aims to portray the honesty of life, with an emphasis on holding a “mirror” up to society to depict authentic hardships. Since its inception in post-war Italy, neorealism has evolved and influenced through the ages. Three films in particular have cemented neorealist elements, and progressed the movement far beyond its Italian roots. These films are Bicycle Thieves, Killer of Sheep, and Moonlight. Though the evolution of neorealism is evident in these movies, the elements of humanity's struggle, locations, and message have remained.

First, Bicycle Thieves and Killer of Sheep show the advancement of neorealism, while still having many things in common. First, both films are set in locations where people are generally poor, and struggling to get by. Bicycle Thieves does a great job at immersing the viewer into the suffering of an ordinary guy, with the backdrop of post-war Italy. Shots are wide, and the composition illuminates the struggles of the entire country during this time. This is similar in Killer of Sheep, however, this film builds upon the use of setting, and aims for much tighter shots to convey human emotion. With neorealism in mind, Killer of Sheep takes ingredients from Bicycle Thieves. The setting of South Central Los Angeles shows the struggles of inner city life. The viewer is subjected to an experience of a black family trying to retain their dignity, self worth in the face of poverty, and the impossibility of meaningful employment. The blending of naturalistic elements makes this film feel like a documentary at times. This makes the emotion present in these films amplified with a thick coating of societal fueled suffering. This was prevalent in Europe at this time. For example, Ingmar Bergman, a Swedish director, would incorporate philosophical, existential, and internal struggles onto the big screen. These elements were inspired by the neorealist movement. Neorealism does a great job at intertwining the viewer into the hardships of people. 

As the medium progressed, contemporary films have incorporated elements from neorealism. One such film is Barry Jenkins Moonlight. This film takes cinematic elements from many genres, but does a fantastic job of sprinkling in neorealist characteristics. Unlike the previous two films, Moonlight uses vibrant color to enhance emotion. Furthermore, Barry Jenkins captures life within the drug ridden housing projects, but from the perspective of Chiron. Since the film is a coming of age story, it blends many cinematic tools used in Bicycle Thieves and Killer of Sheep. Moonlight is the closest a film in recent memory has come to striking a balance between what we know to be real about the world around us and how we feel about our place in it. In the end that is the effect a neorealist style has on a film. It engulfs the viewer into a setting, explores the struggles of people within it, and captures it as raw as possible. The beauty of this is that they are products of their time, but each film remains dynamic and universal in its transparent perspective on how life truly is.