Studying Italian Cinema

Intended for students of Italian and film studies, Studying Italian Cinema clearly introduces one of the most influential centers of European film production. Beginning with a survey of postwar Italian neorealism, Adalgisa Serio provides detailed coverage of such classic films as Rome Open City (1945) and Bicycle Thieves (1948) before considering neorealism’s legacy in The Battle of Algiers (1966) and Amarcord (1973). A section on contemporary Italian cinema treats depictions of the family in such films as The Ignorant Fairies (2001) and The Last Kiss (2001); representations of women in Bread and Tulips (2000) and Respiro (2002); and film as social and political comment, in recent award winners Gomorra (2008) and Il Divo (2008). Many other influential films are discussed, ensuring that Studying Italian Cinema supplies a fresh, contemporary perspective on a vibrant national tradition.