Comments on: Roberto Rossellini and World War II: Part Three http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/06/21/roberto-rossellini-and-world-war-ii-part-three/ John Bailey's thoughts on cinematography and artistic expression Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:12:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Frederic Goodich, ASC http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/06/21/roberto-rossellini-and-world-war-ii-part-three/#comment-211 Frederic Goodich, ASC Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:56:23 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1605#comment-211 John, inspired by your recent blogs, after viewing Rossellini’s War Trilogy last month, I moved on to Andrzej Wajda’s ground-breaking War Trilogy: GENERATION, KANAL and ASHES AND DIAMONDS. Poland’s Wajda acknowledges his debt to Rossellini and the Italian Neo-Realists. Their films inspired Wajda to tell stories based on the WW II experiences of his fellow countrymen, including people he knew personally. Wajda’s sensibilities were shared by others of his generation. They were consistent with a Poland that despite the domination and censorship of a culturally and politically repressive Soviet-styled officialdom, which promoted the tenets of Socialist realism, was attempting to re-define itself by speaking more openly about Poland’s recent history in the aftermath of WW II. Wajda’s visual style is less documentary-driven than the Italians’, being primarily expressionistic. Solid, deep-space compositions; a chiaroscuro lighting approach of strong black/white tonal contrasts; a careful blocking of actors within each wide-angle-lensed frame. His masterful cinematographers were Jerzy Wojcik and Jerzy Lipman, the latter, Wajda’s classmate at the Lodz Film School in the early ‘50s. There are framings that suggest Orson Welles’, as in Gregg Toland’s CITIZEN KANE and Russell Metty’s TOUCH OF EVIL. The new “Polish School” of filmmaking, which emerged in the ‘50s with its emphasis on the role of the individual as opposed to the collective, attributes Wajda as a key figure. For fans of B&W cinematography as it depicts existential angst, his War Trilogy is definitely worth the viewing. John, inspired by your recent blogs, after viewing Rossellini’s War Trilogy last month, I moved on to Andrzej Wajda’s ground-breaking War Trilogy: GENERATION, KANAL and ASHES AND DIAMONDS. Poland’s Wajda acknowledges his debt to Rossellini and the Italian Neo-Realists. Their films inspired Wajda to tell stories based on the WW II experiences of his fellow countrymen, including people he knew personally. Wajda’s sensibilities were shared by others of his generation. They were consistent with a Poland that despite the domination and censorship of a culturally and politically repressive Soviet-styled officialdom, which promoted the tenets of Socialist realism, was attempting to re-define itself by speaking more openly about Poland’s recent history in the aftermath of WW II. Wajda’s visual style is less documentary-driven than the Italians’, being primarily expressionistic. Solid, deep-space compositions; a chiaroscuro lighting approach of strong black/white tonal contrasts; a careful blocking of actors within each wide-angle-lensed frame. His masterful cinematographers were Jerzy Wojcik and Jerzy Lipman, the latter, Wajda’s classmate at the Lodz Film School in the early ‘50s. There are framings that suggest Orson Welles’, as in Gregg Toland’s CITIZEN KANE and Russell Metty’s TOUCH OF EVIL. The new “Polish School” of filmmaking, which emerged in the ‘50s with its emphasis on the role of the individual as opposed to the collective, attributes Wajda as a key figure. For fans of B&W cinematography as it depicts existential angst, his War Trilogy is definitely worth the viewing.

]]> By: Frederic Goodich, ASC http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/06/21/roberto-rossellini-and-world-war-ii-part-three/#comment-210 Frederic Goodich, ASC Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:54:37 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1605#comment-210 John, I’d not seen Germany: Year Zero until inspired by your blogs several weeks ago. I was drawn to watch the first two films of the ‘trilogy’, as well. I’d seen those two in theaters years ago, but not thought of them as part of a trilogy. To view the three in this context is a rich and telling experience. The three films share a theme of sacrifice and redemption: Rome: Open City and Paisan are told from the Allies’ perspective, while Germany: Year Zero is told from the enemy’s, at the War’s aftermath. Each of the three ends with tragic death. In the first two, there is a joining together to fight a common external enemy; the films offer the hope of renewal. But Part 3, which examines an enemy within, suggests that in order for the defeated to heal they must heal themselves. Unfortunately, the boy, Edmund, who might represent the hope of his country, cannot. He’s a child who’s been severely traumatized. The shock of seeing his father’s coffin taken away, leads Edmund – in an impulsive, irreversible moment - to commit suicide. No chance for renewal. Although Germany: Year Zero was made over 60 years ago, it has relevance today. The wounds of that period still haunt. After seeing GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO recently, I was drawn to read the hugely popular Stieg Larrson trilogy, the plot of which hinges on a “…strain of Nazism still festering away in Swedish society.” From Larrson, I’ve moved onto novels (all thrillers, by the way) set in Europe during the period of the ‘30’s, ‘40’s and ‘50’s where the main characters are sympathetically-drawn Germans caught up in the mayhem of the Nazi rule. The authors seem intent on letting the reader know that not all Germans of the time, including soldiers, were brutal killers. The recent film THE WHITE RIBBON, which examines sadistic impulses among German children in the first decades of the 20th Century, is another example of a need our artists have to examine the roots and consequences of Nazi brute force and hegemony. In Rome: Open City and Paisan, Rossellini holds out hope that through the efforts of a new generation change is likely to come. However, Germany: Year Zero suggests a Rossellini staring into a deep emotional abyss after the death of his child. If there is hope for change in Germany: Year Zero, unlike in the first two films, it is not obvious. Questions remain. Although Rossellini went on to make at least 37 more films, I don’t believe he ever achieved the artistic heights and profound relevance embodied in his World War II Trilogy. John, I’d not seen Germany: Year Zero until inspired by your blogs several weeks ago. I was drawn to watch the first two films of the ‘trilogy’, as well. I’d seen those two in theaters years ago, but not thought of them as part of a trilogy. To view the three in this context is a rich and telling experience.

The three films share a theme of sacrifice and redemption: Rome: Open City and Paisan are told from the Allies’ perspective, while Germany: Year Zero is told from the enemy’s, at the War’s aftermath. Each of the three ends with tragic death. In the first two, there is a joining together to fight a common external enemy; the films offer the hope of renewal. But Part 3, which examines an enemy within, suggests that in order for the defeated to heal they must heal themselves. Unfortunately, the boy, Edmund, who might represent the hope of his country, cannot. He’s a child who’s been severely traumatized. The shock of seeing his father’s coffin taken away, leads Edmund – in an impulsive, irreversible moment – to commit suicide. No chance for renewal.

Although Germany: Year Zero was made over 60 years ago, it has relevance today. The wounds of that period still haunt. After seeing GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO recently, I was drawn to read the hugely popular Stieg Larrson trilogy, the plot of which hinges on a “…strain of Nazism still festering away in Swedish society.” From Larrson, I’ve moved onto novels (all thrillers, by the way) set in Europe during the period of the ‘30’s, ‘40’s and ‘50’s where the main characters are sympathetically-drawn Germans caught up in the mayhem of the Nazi rule. The authors seem intent on letting the reader know that not all Germans of the time, including soldiers, were brutal killers. The recent film THE WHITE RIBBON, which examines sadistic impulses among German children in the first decades of the 20th Century, is another example of a need our artists have to examine the roots and consequences of Nazi brute force and hegemony.

In Rome: Open City and Paisan, Rossellini holds out hope that through the efforts of a new generation change is likely to come. However, Germany: Year Zero suggests a Rossellini staring into a deep emotional abyss after the death of his child. If there is hope for change in Germany: Year Zero, unlike in the first two films, it is not obvious.

Questions remain.

Although Rossellini went on to make at least 37 more films, I don’t believe he ever achieved the artistic heights and profound relevance embodied in his World War II Trilogy.

]]> By: juan namnun http://www.theasc.com/blog/2010/06/21/roberto-rossellini-and-world-war-ii-part-three/#comment-209 juan namnun Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:27:24 +0000 http://www.ascmag.com/blog/?p=1605#comment-209 this movie( with i have the blessings of seen it a the cinema" la cinemateca dominicana"; for the first time last year) made an impact so profound(tears come near my eyes just reading this post) in my life; that was almost a prophecy...months latter that prophecy proves itself to be truth as i found myself shooting the behind the scenes of a tv show on the destroyed streets of port au prince; (that was on the Saturday 16; just for days after the tragedy that struck Haiti) much latter; when i could think a bit about what i saw without shrouding in fear(and after reading: "le lumiere au cinema") i came to realize what a great movie "Germany year zero" really is...the great movie of modernity and is godless search for meaning amidst a world in chaos. this movie( with i have the blessings of seen it a the cinema” la cinemateca dominicana”; for the first time last year) made an impact so profound(tears come near my eyes just reading this post) in my life; that was almost a prophecy…months latter that prophecy proves itself to be truth as i found myself shooting the behind the scenes of a tv show on the destroyed streets of port au prince; (that was on the Saturday 16; just for days after the tragedy that struck Haiti)

much latter; when i could think a bit about what i saw without shrouding in fear(and after reading: “le lumiere au cinema”) i came to realize what a great movie “Germany year zero” really is…the great movie of modernity and is godless search for meaning amidst a world in chaos.

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