Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present

by Peter Bondanella

Voted an "outstanding academic book" by Choice, and winner of the Presidential Book Award from the American Association for Italian Studies, this classic book on Italian films and filmmakers has now been revised and brought completely up-to-date.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Italy, Art, History, Italian Literature

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Peter Bondanella (1943–2017) was Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Italian, Comparative Literature, and Film Studies at Indiana University, United States.

Reviews

[Ramey Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed with great information. The only lament that I have is its high-culture focus. There is almost no mention of Italian popular cinema, which was a significant portion of the Italian film industry. These so-called trash films were what funded the artistic excesses of the major Italian directors. What a shame that in Bondanella's haste to cover up these other films he ignores how integral sleaze and filth is to his vaunted neo-realists.

[Dominic Lawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. The best non-fiction I’ve read so far, easily: so comprehensive and insightful and it also reads so easily. I don’t agree with all of Bondanella’s reviews but for the most part he explained the movies perfectly.

[Igor Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Houve um momento em meio a minha jornada cinematográfica em que percebi que entre todos os filmes que havia visto, os italianos eram os que mais se conectavam comigo. Por isso, fui atrás de algo que me ajudasse a entender mais as razões de meu gosto, mais sobre o próprio cinema italiano — e foi nesse momento que encontrei o livro de Bondanella.

Lembro-me de assistir mais de 60 filmes enquanto lia a obra. Foi uma dessas experiências completas que me fez entender detalhes sutis dos filmes dos mestres do neorealismo italiano: das dificuldades de Luchino Visconti na pequena vila de pescadores em La Terra Trema (1948), do realismo chocante de Roma città aperta (1945) de Roberto Rossellini e dos detalhes que amplificam a emoção em Ladri di biciclette (1948) e Umberto D (1951), ambos do gigantesco Vittorio de Sica. Mas o livro não se reserva ao neorealismo; passa por todas as fases do cinema italiano, indo do cinema maravilhoso de Federico Fellini até as comédias de Mario Monicelli, indo das imagens maiores que a vida e incomunicabilidade de Antonioni até os westerns de Sergio Leone.

Nesse caminho, descobri o porquê do cinema italiano ser o meu favorito: era a sua temática recorrente de infância, de nostalgia, de saudade e amizade que me capturava.

Esse é pra quem ama o cinema.

[Ty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covers immense amounts of italian cinema history from Neorealism right through to the modern geni through Spaghetti Westerns and Fellini of course. It's not intended for a single sit down read though, definitely meant to be treated much like a dictionnary.

[Ietrio · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was about the violent change of regime. Neorealism was possible because of the decades of film control by the State. This change is the story of the State taking back its propaganda machine from the unruly kids who thought they can make their own stories.

Now will Bondanella say this story? Against it:
- he is a bureaucrat working for the State, so he has all reasons to bamboozle the audience with mysticism for the gains of his master
- he received a few prizes for his work from the State, as proof of recognized loyalty

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to clarify that I’m reading the 2nd edition, not the third.

I found this book really interesting as I love learning about cinema history in other countries. I was disappointed to not read about Giallo films but that’s on me for not looking into the book before purchasing.
There was also some typing and spelling errors throughout the book that I hope was corrected in the next edition. All in all, it was good read.

[Dom Perry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got bored a lot but it was informative.

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bondanella's book is quite a thorough look at Italian cinema from the end of World War II until "the present." Of course, when I read it and used it in classes, "the present" was some time around 1984, almost 35 years ago. That leaves out many intervening years since then. Still, even if it has not been revised and updated, the original volume stands on its own merit. Bondanella is an informative and readable writer. And those two qualities rarely go together in academic film criticism.

[Jared Busch · Rating 4 out of 5]

only caveat with this book is that it pretty spoils the ending of every movie it discusses. I read it in an Italian film class, and really enjoyed it.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to read this for a class, but I've kept it ever since. Great reference when writing papers, especially on Fellini, etc....

[Lukas Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eccelente.

[lindy]

By far the most relevant-to-my-interests book I've ever found in my building's garbage! Enjoying it so far.