THE BICYCLE THIEF (1948, ITALY), PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (1985)

A Comparison of Vittorio De Sica's The Bicycle Thief

and Tim Burton's Pee Wee's Big Adventure

Basic Plot:
The Bicycle Thief: Man’s life spirals out of control after theft of his bike
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Man’s life spirals out of control after theft of his bike

Title in Italian:
The Bicycle Thief: Ladri di biciclette
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Grande esperienza uoma di piccola statura

Importance of bicycle:
The Bicycle Thief: Means of livelihood
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Life itself

Film style:
The Bicycle Thief: Neo-realistic
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Fairy tale/Fable

Protagonist biggest bike fantasy:
The Bicycle Thief: No fantasies, just wants to earn a living
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Wins the Tour de France

Antagonist:
The Bicycle Thief: Poor, epileptic peasant named Alfredo who wears a German cap
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Rich, spoiled man/boy named Francis who wears an ascot

Signature line:
The Bicycle Thief: “Give me my bicycle back!”
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: “I know you are, but what am I?”

Forgotten female lead:
The Bicycle Thief: Antonio’s wife, ignored after the first twenty minutes of the film
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Dottie, ignored by Pee Wee the entire film

Lack of help from the police:
The Bicycle Thief: “You’ve filed a complaint. There’s nothing more I can say!”
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: “Let me be honest with you. Hundreds of bikes are stolen every month. Very few are ever recovered. We just don’t have the resources.”

Musical interlude:
The Bicycle Thief: Three-man band at a restaurant featuring ukulele, guitar and violin.
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Twisted Sister

Is there a scene of the protagonist mourning over lost bike in the rain to show despondency?
The Bicycle Thief: Yes
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Yes

Loyal sidekick:
The Bicycle Thief: Antonio’s little son Bruno
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Pee Wee’s little dog Speck

Favorite scene that made me laugh but I can’t explain why it’s funny:
The Bicycle Thief: Antonio’s son Bruno slips in the rain. Antonio asks, “What happened?” Bruno points at the spot and yells, “I fell down!”
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Mario the magic shop proprietor tries to sell Pee Wee various items culminating with a giant plastic head and Pee Wee screams, “NO!”

Coincidence alert:
The Bicycle Thief: Antonio spots an old man talking to the boy who stole his bike
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Truck carrying the stolen bike goes by Pee Wee while he’s driving down the road

Most surrealistic moment:
The Bicycle Thief: None
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Pee Wee’s movie within a movie is brought to the screen with James Brolin as P. W. and Morgan Fairchild as Dottie. The bicycle has become the ‘X1’ motorcycle.

Most neo-realistic moment:
The Bicycle Thief: Antonio has not only lost his bike, but his dignity, only to comforted by the touch of his son’s hand
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: None

Heroic moment:
The Bicycle Thief: Antonio’s friend Baiocco tries to help find the bike.
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Pee Wee saves some snakes from a burning pet store

Tragic lines said to the protagonist:
The Bicycle Thief: “Criminal! Scoundrel! Fine example you set for your son!”
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: “There’s no basement at the Alamo!”

Director’s use of non-actors:
The Bicycle Thief: Casting of many non-actors in pivotal roles
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Casting of non-actor Morgan Fairchild

Director’s later change of pace:
The Bicycle Thief: Vittorio De Sica later made his own fairy tale/fable in Miracle in Milan
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: Tim Burton later went neo-realistic (to a degree) in Batman

Is this film in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die?
The Bicycle Thief: Often regarded as one of the top ten films of all time. Of course it’s in the book!
Pee Wee’s Big Adventure: No, but it probably ought to be.

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REPORT (1967)

Experimental/Avant Garde Cinema Week Day 7

There are several experimental or avant garde films on the 1001 movie list. In trying to figure out how to deal with them, I have tried to handle these often tough nuts to crack by just watching them and trying to answer ten basic questions about them on my personally devised standardized test. So let us conclude with..

Report

1. What happens?

A news narrative of the day of the Kennedy assassination is reported with images relating to the assassination, but not in the order or in the way we have normally viewed it.

2. Was it heavy? Did it achieve total heaviosity?

It was pretty heavy. Yes, I'm giving this one the official heaviosity label.

3. What was your favorite part?

I liked that the scenes never quite seem to match what is being narrated, and challenges your perception of what you are seeing.

4. What was your least favorite part?

The part with the bullfighting was a bit off-putting at first.

5. Did you get it?

I believe I got this one.

6. Might the viewing experience have been enhanced from either prescription or non-prescription medication of some kind?

No, you need to take this one straight.

7. What about the sex?

You may see some sex appeal from the ladies in the advertisements for refrigerators and such, but these are overwhelmed by the scenes of violence.

8. What about the violence?

There are plenty of violent images during the last few minutes of Report, though the scenes of violence from the actual assassination are missing.

9. Describe this film in one sentence starting with "This is the film..."

This is the film where you may perceive an event you've looked at many times in a new way.

10. Would you watch it again?

Yes. And it would only take me 14 minutes!

                              

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VINYL (1965)

Experimental/Avant Garde Cinema Week Day 6

There are several experimental or avant garde films on the 1001 movie list. In trying to figure out how to deal with them, I have tried to handle these often tough nuts to crack by just watching them and trying to answer ten basic questions about them on my personally devised standardized test. So let us continue with..

Vinyl

1. What happens?

Blonde male in leather lifts some weights to the indifference of those behind him. This blonde guy appears to hold contempt for newspapers and ties up a guy to a pole and tortures him. He says he does bad things because he "digs it." He dances to Martha and the Vandellas. He gets into an altercation with someone he refers to as "scum baby." At this point, he is suddenly on the wrong end of an interrogation. He is strapped to a chair as a doctor examines him and someones reads the cast credits even though the movie isn't over. He is subjected to images that change his way of thinking. He is forced to wear a mask. He is released from his bondage and listens to some Kinks and some Stones and dances.

2. Was it heavy? Did it achieve total heaviosity?

I dug it enough to say it was a little heavy, but I've certainly had heavier.

3. What was your favorite part?

When I recognized the parts that were recognizable as being from Clockwork Orange, I kind of dug that.

4. What was your least favorite part?

I think this story could have been told in half the time. I didn't dig the moments of nothing happening.

5. Did you get it?

It's a bare bones adaptation of the Anthony Burgess novel A Clockwork Orange before Kubrick made an actual movie out of it. I can dig it.

6. Might the viewing experience have been enhanced from either prescription or non-prescription medication of some kind?

Too much of a high may cause the plot of Vinyl to slow down to an intolerable pace. I couldn't dig that. 

7. What about the sex?

I can't say I dug the bumping and grinding sex, though it was more figurative than anything.

8. What about the violence?

I don't dig violence, and tying someone up and putting a mask on them? I really can't dig that.

9. Describe this film in one sentence starting with "This is the film..."

This is the film that Andy Warhol made loosely following the plot of Clockwork Orange, and you're probably not going to dig it. 

10. Would you watch it again?

Probably wouldn't dig watching Vinyl again. Could possibly dig watching Andy Warhol's Bad or Andy Warhol's Dracula again. Or maybe I should just try to dig staring at some pictures of soup cans.                                

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FLAMING CREATURES (1963)

Experimental/Avant Garde Cinema Week Day 5

There are several experimental or avant garde films on the 1001 movie list. In trying to figure out how to deal with them, I have tried to handle these often tough nuts to crack by just watching them and trying to answer ten basic questions about them on my personally devised standardized test. So let us continue with..

Flaming Creatures

1. What happens?

Operatic music plays. Several transvestites try on lipstick. We have a shot of someone shaking their penis. A young lady mocks protest as she is having her breast touched to the tune of Asian music. Halfhearted screaming accompanies an orgy scene. Violin music plays and we see the aftermath of the orgy...I guess. Some laying around...not much happening, frankly. More modern music plays as a drag queen comes out of a box. Nothing much happens before a couple of the people begin dancing Astaire/Rogers style. Sounds like Mariachi music now. The people spin to the dance. Look, a man points to a woman's nipple! Gene Vincent's Be-Bop-A-Lula begins playing before we get a shot of a final jiggling breast.

2. Was it heavy? Did it achieve total heaviosity?

It really wanted to be heavy, but I could pick this one up and toss it across the room with one hand. Sorry, not that heavy.

3. What was your favorite part?

Other than the fact that this was better than Blonde Cobra, I would think the diverse musical selections would be the best part.

4. What was your least favorite part?

I could have done without the penis shaking part...or the mock rape scene for that matter.

5. Did you get it?

I'm afraid I did not, though I can at least understand how someone else might, unlike Blonde Cobra!

6. Might the viewing experience have been enhanced from either prescription or non-prescription medication of some kind?

It could only help. Preferably something to make you very "giggly."

7. What about the sex?

When the characters aren't lying around, it's all about sex.

8. What about the violence?

You could look at the mock rape scene as violence. You could also look at it as farce. Or somewhere in-between.

9. Describe this film in one sentence starting with "This is the film..."

This is the film that I'm giving too much credit to for just not being Blonde Cobra!

10. Would you watch it again?

I seriously doubt it. But I'd certainly re-watch it before watching Blonde Cobra again!

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THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA (1929, SOVIET UNION)

Experimental/Avant Garde Cinema Week Day 4

There are several experimental or avant garde films on the 1001 movie list. In trying to figure out how to deal with them, I have tried to handle these often tough nuts to crack by just watching them and trying to answer ten basic questions about them on my personally devised standardized test. So let us continue with...

The Man With the Movie Camera

1. What happens?
The man with the movie camera invites you into his movie theater and begins to show you a world outside the realm of traditional cinematic language.

2. Was it heavy? Did it achieve total heaviosity?
I weighed it and can officially declare it most heavy.

3. What was your favorite part?
The shots of late the late twenties Soviet Union is even more interesting without the confines of traditional narrative. I like the way Director Dziga Vertov shows the mechanics of society through machinery, trolleys or people just going to work And I like the fact that Vertov appears with his camera throughout reminding us this is a movie in case we begin to forget.

4. What was your least favorite part?
I do admit that I did look at the clock a couple of times while viewing, but I can't blame a particular section of the film.

5. Did you get it?
I believe I got it!

6. Might the viewing experience have been enhanced from either prescription or non-prescription medication of some kind?
Yes, I think medicinal enhancement of some kind might make you appreciate it even more.

7. What about the sex?
A woman in a slip...Some slow female discus throwers and high jumpers...A woman on the beach is topless and puts mud all over her. Yeah, there is some sex here. And 1929 sex at that!

8. What about the violence?
The filmmaker is about to get run down by a train! But he isn't, it's just a trick. Violence is averted here and throughout the film.

9. Describe this film in one sentence starting with "This is the film..."
This is the film that is the grandfather of films that tell a story in a non-traditional way.

10. Would you watch it again?
Yes, and should be one I shouldn't have waited until now to see for the first time. So, thanks 1001 book!...This almost makes up for making me watch Blonde Cobra, but not quite.

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BLONDE COBRA (1963)

Experimental/Avant Garde Cinema Week Day 3

There are several experimental or avant garde films on the 1001 movie list. In trying to figure out how to deal with them, I have tried to handle these often tough nuts to crack by just watching them and trying to answer ten basic questions about them on my personally devised standardized test. So let us continue with...

Experimental/Avant Garde Cinema Week Day 3

There are several experimental or avant garde films on the 1001 movie list. In trying to figure out how to deal with them, I have tried to handle these often tough nuts to crack by just watching them and trying to answer ten basic questions about them on my personally devised standardized test. So let us continue with...

Blonde Cobra

1. What happens?

1001 movie reviewer Marc Siegel says: "Blonde Cobra is perhaps first and foremost a fascinating audio-visual treatment of the inimitable Jack Smith." 

I say: "I have no idea what happens or if anything happens."

2. Was it heavy? Did it achieve total heaviosity?

I'm making the call that it did not.

3. What was your favorite part?

After several minutes of a black screen the sudden rush of an actual image at least made me say, "Aha! An acutal image! That's good, right?"

4. What was your least favorite part?

The fact that I couldn't make out much of the dialogue during the film's thirty-three minutes. But I'm not totally convinced that is a bad thing.

5. Did you get it?

I like to think I'm very open minded about experimental films, but I can honestly say that I totally didn't get Blonde Cobra. 

6. Might the viewing experience have been enhanced from either prescription or non-prescription medication of some kind?

I don't know, but watching this made me want to take a Tums.

7. What about the sex?

No matter what team you play for, any sex to be found here is pretty darn creepy.

8. What about the violence?

Not in the film itself, but I was personally beginning to feel a bit violent by minute thirty-three.

9. Describe this film in one sentence starting with "This is the film..."

This is the film that makes Scorpio Rising look like a masterpiece by comparison.

10. Would you watch it again?

In an attempt to get some meaning out of this I did watch it again (It didn't help).

I think it's safe to say that I won't watch it a third time. Thanks for nothing, Marc Siegel!

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DAISIES (1966, CZECHOSLOVAKIA)

Experimental/Avant Garde Cinema Week Day 2

There are several experimental or avant garde films on the 1001 movie list. In trying to figure out how to deal with them, I have tried to handle these often tough nuts to crack by just watching them and trying to answer ten basic questions about them on my personally devised standardized test. So let us continue with..

Daisies

1. What happens?

These two young chicks named Daisy get into a lot of innocent mischief involving playing with food, manipulating older men, taking baths and cutting up clothes before they get into a Cartesian conversation about the meaning of life itself and whether or not the frivolity of their existence is truly significant or just an existential....never mind, I'm not really sure what happens.

2. Was it heavy? Did it achieve total heaviosity?

There were times that it achieved a bit of heaviness, especially in a lot of the quick cuts and changes in color.

3. What was your favorite part?

The continuous editing kept me on my toes.

4. What was your least favorite part?

The continuous editing kept me off-balanced and confused

5. Did you get it?

Not until the end credit that said something to the effect that "this film is dedicated to those who only get upset over stomped-over lettuce." Thanks for the explanation, otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten it.

6. Might the viewing experience have been enhanced from either prescription or non-prescription medication of some kind?

Hallucinogenics all the way. 

7. What about the sex?

The two Daises do parade around a lot in underwear, bikinis and in bathtubs. All in a coquettish sort of way.

8. What about the violence?

The movie begins with an atomic bomb and ends with the remnants of a burned out city.

9. Describe this film in one sentence starting with "This is the film..."

This is the film that had depth, meaning and subtext and completely baffled me.

So if you are scoring at home, it's Daises 1 Me 0.

10. Would you watch it again?

I think 71 minutes with the Daisies is enough for one lifetime.

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