But on your second point I absolutely agree: it seems to me that many of the films you mentioned (at least the ones I've seen), obliquely or otherwise, reflect on the continuities between Ceausescu's regime and today's, all refracted through a neo-realist heritage, but with specifically local inflection - in particular an intense concern with the ways language reproduces power relationships.
Interestingly, my favourite young director, Jia Zhangke, has spoken about the influence Bicycle Thieves had on his work. The influence is particularly apparent in his first film Xiao Wu, which is classically neo-realist.
On 17 December 2010 12:27, <123hop at comcast.net> wrote:
> I thought I had made a mistake, so I looked up the Romanian title: it is
> "Politist, adjectiv." Now "politist" in Romanian (my native language) means
> either "policeman" or, as in "roman politist," police story or detective
> novel. So, really, the english translation is not exactly correct.
>
> Also, having seen the movie, I'd argue the reference is to the continuing
> reality of Romania as a police state.
>
> But, thanks for piping up for the Romanian new wave. These films are even
> grittier and less overtly composed than the classic neo-realist films, but I
> do think that they are the best films being made in the world today by a
> given nation.
>
> Joanna
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rory Dufficy" <rory.dufficy at gmail.com>
> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
> Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 5:14:45 PM
> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Open City
>
> I'd second the recommendation of what has inevitably been called the
> Romanian 'new wave'. Although I'd translate the final film as 'Police,
> Adjective' ie the title is a reference to Romania's past as a 'police
> state'.
>
> On 17 December 2010 11:53, <123hop at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > I do understand your objection to ranking. But there are different
> impulses
> > behind praise.
> >
> > When I praise a movie, it is because I am in love, not because I want to
> > build another canon.
> >
> > By the way, if you have never seen the following movies by Satyajit Ray,
> > try and do so before you die (preferably on a real screen.)He was the
> > neo-realist director of India:
> >
> > The Apu Trilogy
> > Devi
> > The Middleman
> >
> > Also, recent films from Romania are the next chapter in neo-realism and
> > deeply interesting. They're ok on video:
> >
> > The Death of Mr. Lazarescu,
> > Four months, three weeks, and two days
> > Bucharest 12:08
> > Policeman, adjective
> >
> > Joanna
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Carrol Cox" <cbcox at ilstu.edu>
> > To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
> > Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 4:15:00 PM
> > Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Open City
> >
> >
> > But I definitely don't remember it as one of the great Neo-realist films:
> > it
> > pales in comparison to Bicycle Thief, Umberto Di, Bitter Rice, or La
> Terra
> > Trema.
> >
> > =====
> >
> > My own kneejerk response has always been something like "The Bicycle
> Thief"
> > is one of the two or three greatest films ever made.
> >
> > But I've been trying since 1960 or so to beak myself of the foolish habit
> > of
> > "evaluating" movies, novels, etc. One finds oneself going back in one's
> > thought to Bitter Rice or Monsieur Verdoux or Birth of a Nation or
> Streets
> > of Sorrow-- but attempts at formal ranking or saying this is the
> greatest,
> > that doesln't measure up, etc is a distraction from actually thinking
> about
> > the item.
> >
> > Carrol
> >
> >
> > ___________________________________
> > http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
> > ___________________________________
> > http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
> >
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