Muerte de un Ciclista 1955
aka Death of a Cyclist
directed by Juan Antonio Bardem
cinematography by Alfredo Fraile
What a fantastic film.
Its a seamless link between film noir and Italian neo-realism, a combination of Bardem's Hollywood and European influences.
But here, as in most cases, I'm more interested in a visual reading of a film. For instance, I noticed after I had gathered these that most of these shots are divided into open spaces and closed spaces. Generally, the male protagonist is granted a lot of space while the femme fatale is often in more confined surroundings. Indeed, all the women are more shut in than he.
her exit:
his exit:
woman's shoes against the floor:
man's shoes against the distance:
Really, how often does a close-up of boots also include the sky?
She wastes away sulking on the bed or enjoying herself in a crowded party, while he teaches in a huge lecture hall:
His world is more open than hers because he can see the opportunities.
Possibly he can see them because he has a wider field of vision.
Either way, even their final resting places echo their placement in the rest of the film.
