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Bicycle Thief | 
| Director: Vittorio De Sica
Actors: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell, Gino Saltamerenda, Vittorio Antonucci
Studio: Image Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 39.99
Buy New: CDN$ 22.56
You Save: CDN$ 17.43 (44%)
New (16) Used (2) Collectible (1) from CDN$ 22.55
Rating:  32 reviews
Sales Rank: 4724
Format: Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Italian (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Region: 0
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Academy Ratio
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.3
MPN: IMED4572D
ISBN: 6305081034
UPC: 014381457223
EAN: 9786305081036
ASIN: 6305081034
Theatrical Release Date: December 13, 1949
Release Date: November 4, 2003
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Ships from the USA. ALL ITEMS ARE BRAND NEW! Delivery takes from 10-14 Working Days.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Essential Video
Vittorio De Sica's remarkable 1947 drama of desperation and survival in Italy's devastating post-war depression earned a special Oscar for its affecting power. Shot in the streets and alleys of Rome, De Sica uses the real-life environment of contemporary life to frame his moving drama of a desperate father whose new job delivering cinema posters is threatened when a street thief steals his bicycle. Too poor to buy another, he and his son take to the streets in an impossible search for his bike. Cast with nonactors and filled with the real street life of Rome, this landmark film helped define the Italian neorealist approach with its mix of real life details, poetic imagery, and warm sentimentality. De Sica uses the wandering pair to witness the lives of everyday folks, but ultimately he paints a quiet, poignant portrait of father and son, played by nonprofessionals Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola, whose understated performances carry the heart of the film. De Sica and scenarist Cesare Zavattini also collaborated on IShoeshine/I, IMiracle in Milan/I, and IUmberto D/I, all classics in the neorealist vein, but none of which approach the simple poetry and quiet power achieved in IThe Bicycle Thief/I. I--Sean Axmaker/I
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| Customer Reviews: Read 27 more reviews...
 100 stars. Nothing Compares. August 25, 2004
Antonio Giusto (Toronto, Ontario Canada)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
I've been holding off reviewing this film for a long time now. I can't put it into words. I get too scared that I might do it injustice by being pretentious and talkng out of my ass. So I'll just sort of kiss this films ass instead cause if it had an ass it would probably smell like roses. pThis is the greatest movie ever made. In my opinion Cinema went downhill after this film cause nothing ever made after this can compare. pI pray that there is one day a DVD re-release of this film that does it justice as so many of you have pointed out. Criterion, where the hell are you? The money you spent on crap like The Rock or Armageddon could have been spent here. pI have never seen a film with so much raw emotion. Watching this film for me is like an emotional rollercoaster. I must have watched this at least 100 times. This film never fades and has the power to change the lives of those who watch it. It's one of my missions in life to get people to watch this film. Every person I have shown this film to has thanked me. pAnybody who disagrees with me can meet me in the Amazon parking lot. Bring friends. pInteresting note: Sergio Leone (The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly) was assistant director on this film. Though he is uncredited for his work.
Neorealism at its most profound! June 5, 2004
Rizzo (Denver, CO)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Imagine your family's livelihood depending on a bicycle. In post-war Italy, you compete with hundreds for a job where 25% of the work force is unemployed. The job is yours but it requires you to have a bicycle, something so simple as a bicycle and that bicycle gets stolen on the first day. pNeorealism - This wonderful Italian 1948 classic directed by Vittorio de Sica is an emotional depiction of degradation of the soul, loss of humanity and dignity. The film, one of the best in cinematic history, captures neorealism at its best. brNeorealism involves the use of location settings, non-actor roles, and conversational dialogue instead of literary dialogue, simple camerawork and editing. Neorealism offers a compassionate point of view with morality. pHere, we wish an innocent man with a family to support could find relief, satisfaction, comfort and justice. As for literary dialogue, there isn't anything great said here, it is simple conversation. No great special effects takes place, no shoot-um up bang bang, just plain old post-war Italy depicting real life, poverty, degradation and humanity. The VHS 50 year-old film is gritty and at times it is difficult to read the words. pDesperate - Antonio, a father and husband lands a job and on the first day posting movie billboard posters, the bicycle is stolen! Antonio frantically scours the streets and his little son Bruno tenderly tags along to recover the stolen bicycle. Now keep in mind that little Bruno is in the picture for one reason, and without him, we, the audience, would have a more callous attitude to the ending. pWe see signs of post-war economic hard times, like the rows and rows of bicycle parts or hundreds of bedsheets that were pawned. The characters are non-actors in the real streets of Italy. You may need to see it more than once to catch everything or to understand its deeper meaning. pNeorealism Director Vittorio de Sica directed 34 feature films and won numerous international prizes. He was honored with four Academy Awards for "Shoeshine" in 1947 and "Bicycle Thief" in 1949 and other film awards for "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" in 1964 and "Garden of the Finzi-Continis" in 1971. He died in 1974. I believe "Bicycle Thief" is one of the best. p"The Bicycle Thief" is emotional, prodding one to think explicitly into the actions taken. ...MzRizz
 Great Film, Okay DVD April 13, 2004
E. Dolnack (Atlanta, GA USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
The Bicycle Thief: a very simple, straightforward story, told straight, no plot-twists or fancy story tricks like false endings, etc. This is a simple story: a man who's work requires him to use his own bicycle or lose his job has his bike stolen from him. The rest of the movie is his and his son's attempt to find the thief and get the bike back.brI understand the plot, but I find it just a little hard to imagine life being so harsh as to put a man out of work for having his bike stolen. I'm not saying it's unrealistic; I didn't live in Italy after WWII. But I found it a tad extreme to be honest. It's a great movie, but I don't think it hits its point home as sharply as Rossellini's Rome Open City.pThe DVD is ok - I agree with some reviewers that it could (and indeed should) be transferred at a higher bit-rate with less compression. This film truly derserves the Criterion Treatment if any Italian classic does! It is a better transfer than Open City, but that's not an excuse. I agree it's time for a quality restoration with more extras and a nice commentary track.pBut overall, this is a wonderful classic film full of heart and is a fine product worthy of inclusion in any tasteful home movie collection.
 Classic needs a re-release February 14, 2004
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
Classic movie about the cruel nature of life, of inescapable fate. The dvd itself is pretty bad, with defects shown in the transfer, along with terrible audio. pHopefully a re release will be offered, with the latest restoration software being used. The dvd came out early on, before the current restoration techniques were used.pAnd the audio/subtitles just suck!
I really enjoyed this movie! May 6, 2003
Randall (Long Beach, California USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I had never heard of this movie when I stumbled on it late one night right before I went to bed. Instead of turning off the TV because it was late and I needed to go to work the next day, I found myself glued to the screen. This movie was unlike any I'd ever seen. Filmed in Italy after WWII, I felt like I caught a glimpse of Italian life in the late 40's. This was not a Hollywood made movie. There was little if no music in the background to manipulate emotions from the viewer yet I was extremely moved by the silence in between the dialogue. There is no Hollywood ending. The movie just ends, but it is not the end of this father and son story. I'm not sure who to reccommend this film too, but I loved it. It was different. I really felt like I was in Rome in the late 40's.
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