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CYCLE CINEMA #01
“The Bicycle Thief”
The era when bicycles were a ray of hope for survival.

Bicycle theft. Everyone would want to avoid this worst-case scenario. We carefully select parts and body materials, striving to reduce weight to the gram, yet chain locks for theft prevention weigh 500 grams, which seems counterproductive. Bicycle thieves are unforgivable. They should disappear from this world.

There is an old film called “Bicycle Thief” (1948). It was directed by Vittorio De Sica (known for ” Sunflower” filmed in the sunflower fields of Ukraine). This film depicts the poignant lives of Italian laborers after the war.

The stage is post-World War II Rome. The aftermath of the war has brought a severe economic downturn, and our protagonist, Antonio, has been jobless for two years. His family is on the brink of starvation, and he desperately needs to find work. Through a referral from the employment agency, he finds a job as a poster hanger, but there’s one condition – he needs a bicycle. Antonio had pawned his bicycle, but with the help of his family, he manages to retrieve it. Filled with hope, he loads his work tools onto the bicycle and sets off to work with high spirits. It’s a chance for a better life.

However, hope is short-lived as, on his first day, his bicycle gets stolen (What a disaster!). Losing the bicycle means losing the job. Together with his son, he searches the town, but the bicycle remains elusive.

Mamma Mia! Antonio is at a loss.

In his despair, he stumbles upon a bicycle without a lock.

“With a bicycle, I can work again,” Antonio realizes.

Unable to resist the devil’s temptation, Antonio commits a sin. Who can blame him for his wrongdoing? Yet, the owner of the bicycle knows nothing of Antonio’s circumstances. Poor Antonio is brutally beaten in front of his son.

Strangely, when watching the movie, one finds oneself feeling sympathy and cheering for the man who committed the crime. Despite being such an unforgivable bicycle thief. How do those who love bicycles feel when they watch this film? I highly recommend finding out for yourself.

🎬CYCLE CINEMA STORAGE🎬
#01 “The Bicycle Thief”
#02 “Project A”
#03 “Shoot for tomorrow!”(origin title “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”)
#04 “The Kid With a Bike (Le gamin au vélo)”
#05 “Izakaya Choji”
#06 “Cinema Paradiso”
#07 “Kids Return”
#08 “PERFECT DAYS”
#09 “Kramer vs. Kramer”
#10 “E.T.”
#11 “Gachi-Boshi”


Text＿Hideki Inoue

I am from Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. I work as a writer and editor. My hobbies include hot baths, skiing, and fishing. Although I have no personal connection, I am independently conducting research on Shiga Prefecture. I prefer an active fishing style called “RUN & GUN,” which involves moving around actively instead of staying in one place. I am planning to purchase a car to transport my bicycle to adopt this style, which might seem a bit counterproductive.

Post Date：2023.07.21

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CULTURE
CYCLE CINEMA #04
“The Kid With a Bike (Le gamin au vélo)”
The boy abandoned by his father searches for hope on a bicycle.

“The Kid With a Bike (Le gamin au vélo)” (2012, directed by the Dardenne brothers) is, as the title suggests, a story centered around a boy and his bicycle. The protagonist is Cyril, a boy living in a Belgian foster care facility. One day, his cell phone with his father suddenly goes offline. When he contacts the apartment manager, they claim that his father has moved away. He can’t believe it. His father wouldn’t just move without telling him. Moreover, his precious means of transportation, his bicycle, is still in his father’s apartment. Cyril runs away from the facility and visits the apartment, but as the manager said, his father has already moved, and there’s no sign of the bicycle. Cyril has been abandoned by his father.

#Column #Cinema
CULTURE
CYCLE CINEMA #5
“Izakaya Choji”
The coolness of Ken-san riding a bicycle on the slopes of Hakodate.

When I was traveling through Hokkaido by train, there was a peculiar announcement. It warned us to be careful because the name of the next station had changed for a drama shoot. The atmosphere in the train buzzed with excitement. It was a popular drama set in Furano, Hokkaido. The train arrived at the station, but we passed what seemed to be the film crew. Then, in the corner of the platform, I saw a tall man. Even though he had a hat pulled down low, I immediately recognized him as Ken Takakura. Perhaps he had come to visit the filming location of an old friend (Kunie Tanaka). Acknowledging our gaze, Ken-san shyly raised his hand in greeting. It was an overwhelming coolness. Since then, although not from the same generation, I started watching films starring Ken Takakura.

#Cinema #Column
CULTURE
CYCLE CINEMA #09
“Kramer vs. Kramer”
The moment I first rode a bicycle, who I was with.

There was a film movement called American New Cinema. It consisted of films released in the late 1960s to the 1970s such as “Easy Rider,” “The Graduate,” “Midnight Cowboy,” ” Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “Apocalypse Now.” Perhaps one of the reasons for the frequent use of young directors was the incorporation of messages or somewhat critical perspectives on society and politics, taking a different approach from traditional entertainment films. American New Cinema was enthusiastically supported by younger generations and had a significant influence on subsequent films. “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979) is also a prod […]

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