Open City was a great film. Whether it was the new kind of cinematography that was developed for the film, the use of natural lighting and actual locations, or the use of actors who had a grasp of subtlety and realism all contributed to how good Open City was.
As an actor I saw real leaps made in the craft of film acting for this film. Up until Open City, even in great films such as Casablanca or Citizen Kane, the acting was never quite up to par with later films. The craft of film acting was still in its infancy and much of film acting up until Open City was flamboyant and overdramatic. The choice by the director to use non-actors in this film was a brilliant one and helped show how a realistic performance, as opposed to a theatrical one, could be used.
The use of actual footage that the Nazi’s left as they fled Rome was an absolutely brilliant move on the director’s part and the new style developed by Open City would be used for years to come.
Also, something must be said of the director himself: Roberto Rossellini. Rossellini was able to put together real puzzle of cinematic genius. Every part of Open City slid into place so easily that only a great director could have pulled off so successfully. After seeing this film Ingrid Bergman “Fell in love” with Rossellini, even though they had never met. She then proceeded to divorce her husband, fly to Italy, and marry the director (Those crazy European girls!).
Open City is a great film that will be studied and talked about for years to come. It’s newly developed film, acting, location selection styles would usher in a new age of filmmaking.
No comments:
Post a Comment