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Federico Fellini's 8 1/2
- English subtitles
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Reviews
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential video
Federico Fellini's 1963 semi-autobiographical story about a worshipped filmmaker who has lost his inspiration is still a mesmerizing mystery tour that has been quoted (Woody Allen's Stardust Memories, Paul Mazursky's Alex in Wonderland) but never duplicated. Marcello Mastroianni plays Guido, a director trying to relax a bit in the wake of his latest hit. Besieged by people eager to work with him, however, he also struggles to find his next idea for a film. The combined pressures draw him within himself, where his recollections of significant events in his life and the many lovers he has left behind begin to haunt him. The marriage of Fellini's hyperreal imagery, dreamy sidebars, and the gravity of Guido's increasing guilt and self-awareness make this as much a deeply moving, soulful film as it is an electrifying spectacle. Mastroianni is wonderful in the lead, his woozy sensitivity to Guido's freefall both touching and charming--all the more so as the character becomes increasingly divorced from the celebrity hype that ultimately outpaces him. --Tom Keogh From Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
Fellini's unique self-analytical movie casts Mastroianni as a filmmaker trying to develop a new project, amid frequent visions and countless subplots. A long, difficult, but fascinating film, overflowing with creative and technical wizardry. Certainly one of the most intensely personal statements ever made on celluloid. Screenplay by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli, Ennio Flaiano, and Brunello Rondi. Oscar winner for Costume Design and as Best Foreign Language Film.
Copyright© Leonard Maltin, 1998,... read more
Customer Reviews
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an artistic brilliance rarely achieved
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Reviewer:
A viewer
from California
October 25, 1999
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A cinematic exploration into the very thing that makes life worth living. Very few films can lay claim to such a feat; it should be seen for the circus finale alone.
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1
person
found this review helpful.
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Incredible!
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Reviewer:
A viewer
from san francisco
October 18, 1999
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It's pretty hard to explain what is so great about the story in the film. I think what attracts me to the film is the way I can relate to the story in so many inexplicable ways. The weave of dream sequences, to the past, to the present in this film is perfect! On top of that, if you appreciate movies shot in black and white then this one is a must. You will be impressed with the aesthetic quality and the story of this film right from the start. Also, if you like this film then definetly see "Stardust" memories.
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What a Director Dreams of a Masterpiece
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Reviewer:
A viewer
from Massachusetts, USA
October 4, 1999
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Federico Fellini masterpiece hasn’t faded a bit but is as sweeping and lush as it was in the early 60s. Commonly seen as an autobiographical effort, it is more a self-commentary on his own style of filmmaking. Fellini loves caricatures and he clearly paints his women Anouk Aimee as the plain unhappy wife, Sandra Milo as the voluptuous shallow girlfriend, Edra Gale as the monstrous Saraghina, and Claudia Cardinale as the ideal dream girl -- not unlike Dante Aligheri’s Beatrice. As a finale, he gathers all he knows into one big circus ring, another caricature on life’s meaning. Or take the childhood phrase “asa nisi masa” which refers to the feminine soul (anima). Many of his characters appear almost as clowns/caricatures. Guido, like Fellini, does not work from a script, but looks to the changing relationship between his characters as his inspiration for the development of the script and plot. Hence, Guido (Marcello Mastroianni) receives constant criticism and pressure from past figures (priests and his father) and his film colleagues and producers. Only when he actually meets his star (Claudia Cardinale) does idealism turn to realism as the dream girl becomes a material person who tell Guido that he is a “cheat” since he has no script and part for her. Fellini is such a master of the the dream sequences from which he moves so smoothly and effortlessly to reality. Only after being told there is no role (for Claudia) does Guido begin to face reality. This last scene actually approaches the Fellini-Cardinale relationship during shooting. When one realizes this parallel between filmmaking and personal life, it is not surprising that Fellini chooses his wife, Guilietta Masini, (although not in this film) to often be his leading lady. With this film, Fellini moved from neorealism to introspective fantasy which becomes highly apparent in his later films “City of Women,” “Satyricon,” etc. Finally, I feel that his earlier films up to and including “8 1/2” are much better than his later self-indulgent fantasy films.
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1
person
found this review helpful.
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Very elegant, very intriguing
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Reviewer:
A viewer
from New York, NY
October 1, 1999
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Easily Fellini's best work, everything about this film falls perfectly into place, from Mastrioanni's always-perfect acting to the wonderful cinematography. Not a universally loved film, but a must-see nevertheless.
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