Bicycle Thieves, also referred to as The Bicycle Thief is a film that tells the story of a father seeking to find a bike that has been stolen throughout Rome. The film has often been considered to be one of the most well-respected in the neorealism genre. Specifically, because of its depiction of harsh realities of life post World War II, and its effects on the conditions and psyche of individuals. A horror thriller masterpiece, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is noted for its distinctive subject matter and for spawning what is considered to be an extremely successful subgenre of the horror genre - the slasher flick. Recognized for its aesthetics, the film set and continues to set the standard for what should be included in a psychological thriller. Directed by F. W. Murnau, Nosferatu is recognized for being one of the most impactful films with the subject of vampirism ever created. Based on the novel, Dracula, by Bram Stoker, the film is silent but does offer a musical score that provides a significant depth to the characters and overall tone. Each of these films offer a substantive viewpoint on the wide-ranging dynamics of cinema, while providing something different to both moviegoers and critics alike. This paper discusses the similarities and differences between the three films with an emphasis on the music that each offers to the plotline.
The Directors
Arguably, each of the directors of the three films are renowned, well-known and respected. Their names carry substantial weight when discussing film history and film theory. Vittorio De Sica, the director of The Bicycle Thief is noted for offering a considerable depth to the neorealism movement. Writer Bert Cardullo comments that De Sica's films are intriguingly precise and spirited in their illustrations of the mundane. The director can make even the drabbest of stories come to life. While neorealism is known to explore the subject of the lower and working class, De Sica bring an intensity to the plots of the movies that he works on to the point where something the viewer might call minute, De Sica feels enhances the film's style and substance (41). Murnau is perhaps best known for his craftsmanship in the concept of dual personalities.
Nosferatu illustrates the duality of man within the character of Count Orlok, played by Max Schreck. Schreck takes on both a combination of good and evil in his depiction of the character. Since the character is centered on or rather based off of Dracula, the idea that Murnau seeks to capture through dolly moves and panning shots, this duality. A key scene in the film where Murnau uses the techniques he became known for is the shadow scene where Orlok climbs the staircase. Here, Murnau pans across Orlok as he climbs using what is known as the unchained camera technique, which is considered to be one of his specialties as a director. The technique is widely used in much of modern cinema because it provides the audience an opportunity to see through the characters’ eyes. In the staircase scene with Orlok, while the camera is panning as he climbs, there is a sense in the viewer of Orlok’s emotions with respect to seeking out his latest victim.
Alfred Hitchcock is a household name. It would be difficult to find an individual, who enjoys film that has not at least heard of the director. Hitchcock movies tend to convey the concept of voyeurism and provide heavy psychological subjects. The audience is engaged because of the camera movements as he tends to offer ingenuity. From close up shots to silence and rack focus, Hitchcock once stated that "people don't always express their inner thoughts to one another [and so] the focus of the scene should never be on what the characters are actually saying" (Borgus 1). Known as the master of suspense, Hitchcock films are similar to Murnau’s in their fast paced action and intensity. Nosferatu is fast paced and almost takes on a life of its own in terms of portraying Orlok as a duality character. Moreover, Hitchcock’s films are like De Sica, in that he is able to bring even the most mundane of subjects to life.
Something as simple as stopping one's car because of the rain becomes a vehicle for moving the plot of Psycho along. Where Hitchcock shines the most is in his ability to engage the audience through knowing when and when not to cut a particular sequence. Where a typical director might yell cut or move to another scene in a succession type sequence, Hitchcock revels in it. His sequencing is carefully crafted - and nothing shown in the films is done by happenstance. In contrast to the other two directors, they create films that are carefully crafted but there is a lot more leniency in the films.
The Music
The music in the three films is also very different from each other. In the De Sica film, the juxtaposition of the guitar against the backdrop of poverty provides a significant depth to the overall plot and the intensity behind the main character, Antonio Ricci and his family's pursuit of the thief. The score is provided by Alessandro Cicognini. Nosferatu's score is composed by Hans Erdmann. It is orchestral in its construction. There is an eerie dread that moves each of the scenes along, especially the scene with Hutter dashing back to his room after seeing Orlok and of course, the infamous staircase scene. The title sequence to Nosferatu is also intense. The violins present a kind of melancholic vibe to the film's subject matter.
The music in Psycho is equally intense. According to Borgus, sound is an important element to Hitchcock’s films. It operates more than to just pull the viewer into the universe of the director, but to move the plot along (1). For example, in Psycho, the music that plays behind Marion as she is driving away after stealing the money allows a backtrack to unveil the voiceovers of her boss and the client. Moreover, the title sequence music is complex because there is a focus on the title itself as well as the swiftly moving font of the details of the film.
Borgus continues by stating that the sound in Hitchcock films is almost visual because it expresses emotion, and tends to manipulate the audience in to feeling suspenseful. The intertwining of dialogue and sound is not necessarily for Hitchcock in its usual sense. He can convey a message through the background (1). This is key because after the backdrop music is quieted in the scene with Marion escaping, the rain provides a spine-tingling escalation to the film. There is a seriousness about Marion that the rain relays, while it also helps to keep the audience on the edge of their seat in terms of wondering what will happen next.
Regarding The Bicycle Thief, the score plays a key role in moving the plot along. This is especially the case when Ricci sees the thief and pursues him into a brothel. Ricci screams "thief, thief" and the sound is executed in such a way where all that can be heard is the backdrop of the traffic, and the rumbling of a taxi that the thief gets into after being spotted. De Sica shoots it in such a way as to focus on the innocent aspects of the townspeople who seem ignorant of what is actually happening. There is also a focus on Ricci's face that is sweating from chasing after the thief. The score also plays a prominent role in the last scene of The Bicycle Thief. Ricci spots the bicycle and is initially mistaken for the thief. De Sica focuses on the interaction between Ricci and his son, Bruno - and the tension between Ricci and the cops, who decide ultimately not to bother charging him with anything. The sound of the townspeople can be heard in this scene, whereas before De Sica focused on the interplay of the chase. The camera also focuses heavily on Bruno's crying and wiping of tears.
The music in Nosferatu also assists in intensifying the light and dark concept of the film. Since Murnau is limited as far as what he can do given it is a silent film, he turns the drawbacks into exceptional sequences. The light and dark concept is experimented with throughout the film, with the night scenes that are a combination of brown and blues. The music offers an amplification in the audience finding both empathy in Orlok as well as sympathy. The shots associated with Ellen sleepwalking are also conveyed in such a way where the music helps to showcase Orlok's powers and their effects on her. There is a serenity in the music in the opening shots where the audience sees Ellen in the garden. The music helps to relay a kind of innocence to her. The score then switches when Hutter plucks the flowers and she comments that he has killed them. It helps to provide a foreshadowing of her fate.
Conclusion
Each of the films is a masterpiece in its own right. The directors offer their style in uniquely convincing ways. Music operates in both providing significance to the visuals as well as enhancing the way in which the viewer sees the film's narrative unfold. Without a musical score, film does not have as much of a communicative stimulus in terms of expressing the true nature of the plot. Even with the masterful directors behind the cameras in each of the films, they would not be as memorable or noteworthy without the music serving as a prominent backdrop to the various scenes that are depicted within them. Simply put, the music accentuates the themes and contexts of the movies.
Works Cited
The Bicycle Thief. Dir. Vittorio De Sica. Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche, 1948. Videocassette.
Cardullo, Bert. Vittorio de Sica: Director, Actor, Screenwriter. McFarland & Company, 2002. Print.
"Film Techniques of Alfred Hitchcock." Borgus, n.d. Web. 7 May 2016. <http://www.borgus.com/hitch/>.
Nosferatu. Dir. F. W. Murnau. Film Arts Guild, 1922. Film
Psycho. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. Paramount Pictures, 1960. DVD.
