"The Man with a Movie Camera" vs "Bicycle Thief"

comparison

Being able to compare the two exclusive genres (formalism and realism) is like being able to compare a dog to a cat in great detail. Both films were revolutionary movies that provided the foundation for different elements of filming. As Bazin later states in his work, he believes that film should not stick to one simple style of film but encompass different perspectives and types of story telling. The two films were criticized at time because their concept was indifferent and strange, since both movies share a sort vague ambiguity to it that many thought as either too hostile or indiscernible. 

It was the individuals during this time period, who often watched movies with already deciphered plots and structures, that could not use their own mindset to uncover the meaning behind the story. "The Man with a Movie Camera" and "Bicycle Thief" although very different, relied heavily on the audiences' perception of the movie to retell a story. 

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contrasting

In the "Bicycle Thief" it conveys a depicted scene of a man and his son resting on a curb. Through the long establishing shot, the connection between the man and the boy are maternal, and we see from their clothing design that both are rather poor. This is also conveyed through the use of Kueleshov Effects. The man often glances from the football stadium, his son, to bikes, to a police car, to a solitary bike. The interesting aspect is that the shots in-between barely change, and his face remains just as the same as before. The only contrast is the shot it is juxtaposed to, often creating a new emotion based on what the audience sees. In this we see the man's desire to steal a bike. 

This film is an example of realism because it captures this entire scene in a very natural realistic sense. Let me explain, editing had been controlled to where cuts where made only to show a change in the action/setting. Fast paced cuts were used sparing during the chase scene, but it focused on deep focus and wide shots that captured the entire setting. 

The story we truly heart rending towards the end when both are seen walking down the street. The influx of people and distracting sounds, actually creates a field of vision that mainly focuses on the protagonist and his son. When the son clutches the father's hand, after being told that his father was a disgrace, the conclusion provided a resolution of acceptance and perseverance. A realistic end to a very powerful film. 

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The "Man With a Movie Camera" provided a complete twist of what Realism was. In the movie there were many fast paced clips, ranging from 1-2 seconds at most, that were seemingly compiled together (by A god-like editor) and structured so that the audience could interpret the meaning behind it. There are a lot of close-ups of objects and individuals quickly like how it changed from a chair to a baby… or an old man to a young boy. 

The integration of rapid juxtaposition between complimentary shots creates a deep meaning behind the editing. In the Soviet Montage, it was believed that each shot itself should make a new point that related back to a common theme. I believe what Vertov was trying to aim for was capturing the real life, the many aspects of life at this time. He wanted to combine different ideas to make a high energy and moving film, that would add to the main theme of Formalism. Formalism, in context, is the symbolic and stylized manner of production. Everything in life is crazy and chaotic, and that is why the best way to convey reality is to show the unorganized and jumbled up parts of life itself.