374 - Bicycle Thieves

[criterionmaster]

SPECIAL EDITION DOUBLE-DISC SET FEATURES

- New, restored high-definition digital transfer
- Working with De Sica, a collection of new interviews with screenwriter Suso Cecchi D'Amico, actor Enzo Staiola (Bruno), and film scholar Callisto Cosulich
- Life as It Is, a new program on the history of Italian neorealism in cinema, with scholar Mark Shiel
- Documentary on screenwriter and longtime Vittorio De Sica collaborator Cesare Zavattini, directed by Carlo Lizzani
- Optional English dubbed soundtrack
- New and improved English subtitle translation

[captainofbeef]

YES!!!!!!!! I can't wait to buy this.

[ie]

This is also known as the Bicycle Thief, isn't it?


If so, it's not an insta-buy because I haven't seen it yet, but it's about fucking time for the Criterion Collection. Well, I guess we can think of this as the second edition from Criterion, because if they had released it as say #5, then it may not have been as expansive as it is now.

I definitely need to watch this one sometime. Definitely.

[sidehacker]

Been meaning to see this for quite a long time, but dear god, that cover is terrible.

[criterionmaster]

Agreed, I really hate that cover. But I think the recent covers have, for the most part, been great other than this. Woman Ascends, Green for Danger, Monster and Madmen whole set, etc. are all amazing.

[ie]

I might also add that during an episode of Conan O'Brien with Scorsese, guess what he called this movie?

The Bicycle Thief


Which is the only title I've known it as until the Criterion Collection comes up and says "hey, guess what? Now it's plural."

[criterionmaster]

Yeah, I also found that odd. I had never heard it called anything besides The Bicycle Thief either.

[kiddo]

It's the same film, at least. And it's a wondeful film, that's for sure! I also think Biciclete Thieves is most suitable.

[jumpingjackflash]

'The Bicycle Thieves' is a much better title in my book. Not only is it closer to the literal translation...

SPOILERS

...but it suits the film. There is not just one 'thief'. There are two. The title has you wondering throughout who is the other thief? By the end when he steals the bike it becomes clear. When reflecting the film this poses so much more interesting points. The 'thieves' are bracketed together, but they couldn't be more different, their motivations etc, but are they really? I'd say so but the line between right and wrong is not clear.

Great film by the way.

[ie]

I'm gonna have to do the switch.

The Bicycle Thieves switch.


I'm not going to insta-buy it, or even buy it, but at least I gave it an 8/10.

[criterionmaster]

www.dvdbeaver.com/film/Reviews/bicycle_thief.htm

"This could successfully be argued as the greatest film of all time..."

[captainofbeef]

Great, great film. Probably going to be in my top 100 soon...

Anyway, some clearance about the title switch. Apparently, the title in Italian is literally translated Bicycle Thieves. My mom said that "ladri" literally means thieves in Italian. So Ladri de biciclette would mean "Thieves of the bicycle" or Bicycle Thieves. So Criterion didn't manipulate the title after all, they just used the literal (not to mention more fitting) translation.

[Clark Nova]

ah yes, the age-old Bicycle Thief vs. Bicycle Thieves argument. It's the original equivalent of today's Bäbel vs. Bâbel argument (have no idea if those are the right accents, but you get the idea).

[wkw]

Well, Babel comes from the old testament, so whatever it's written there is right.