The Maestro

[Johann]

With some current talk about Fellini, I thought a new thread would be appropriate.

Federico Fellini is in my top 5 of favorite directors and his films have huge reserves of humanity, theatricality, and surreal power.

My favorites (in order):

La Strada
Toby Dammit
La Dolce Vita
8 1/2
Satyricon
Amarcord
I Vitelloni
Juliet of the Spirits (time for sangria!)
..And the ship sailed on
Casanova (Donald Sutherland is UNRECOGNIZABLE)

All of the maestro's films impress me, and any discussion re: the above titles is welcome. I have seen most of them multiple times, and will continue to do so until I stop breathing.

[miseenscene]

I agree fully, though I haven't seen all of the above films. I'm glad to see someone else believes La Dolce Vita is better than 8 1/2, though only marginally. (8 1/2 is wonderful, but the ending feels pointless and cheap compared to the depth of the rest of the picture... someone could throw that back at me the way I've stuck up for the ending of Adaptation, though...)

I actually didn't get much out of Satyricon during my only viewing of it, but I admit it was a fabulous cinematic spectacle. It just felt like Fellini had a huge amount of money, spent it all on set design and a great cinematographer, and skimped on making anything gripping from it, settling for eye candy instead. Maybe that was the point.

[Johann]

La Dolce Vita is better than 8 1/2 to me because of the characters.Outrageous! Guido (Mastroianni)is a joy to watch in the throes of "film block" and there is a lot to like about him, but for my money Marcello was in much finer form in "Vita". The term "paparazzi" was coined in this flick, btw.

I might add that both of these Nino Rota scores are his best. For those who thought that "The Ride of the Valkries" first appeared in Apocalypse Now, think again.
Satyricon is very difficult to absorb after one viewing, and as I've said before, SEE IT AGAIN to understand fully what the man from Rimini was up to.

[miseenscene]

Papparazzo, who knew you'd start a whole new career subclass?

I'm also not pleased with the gigantic misogynistic dream sequence that weighs down the last third of 8 1/2. It just seems like a huge masturbatory session by Fellini, but maybe it had to be there. At any rate, I'm glad he gave in to the urge since the film seems harshly honest.

[anniedoa]

wow!!! some real fellini fans!!!! i can't believe it!!!! i thought you guys would laugh me out of here!!! i've seen all his movies more than once each. it has been a long time since i've seen one. you guys have reminded me how much i loved them and now i'm gonna go watch some fellini so i can keep up with you guys.

[Johann]

Great! I look forward to some discussion..

[Johann]

The understated Terence Stamp in Toby Dammit- part of the Poe trilogy of "Spirits of the Dead"- is my second fave of Fellini films. Make sure the lights are off for this one. A mind-melding short, it is better than any David Lynch film. (and I love Lynch)
Toby the anguished actor doing Shakespeare is my fave scene:

"All our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusky death. Out! Out brief candle..."

Oh rapture...

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by miseenscene
I actually didn't get much out of Satyricon during my only viewing of it, but I admit it was a fabulous cinematic spectacle.
Juliet of the Spirit represents Fellini's abandonment of story for spectacle. For the first time, the director's persona becomes more prominent that the characters in his movies. Soon he'd start including his name in the titles. Fellini as flamboyant showman took over when he abandoned b&w for color. He directed for a quarter century after 8 1/2, but only Amacord came close to the impact of his early films. Along with genuine invention, there are plenty of instances of shameless pandering. I personally would rather watch IL BIDONE or WHITE SHEIK. I consider 8 1/2, Dolce, Cabiria, Vitelloni and La Strada to be his masterpieces.

In the 50s and 60s, Ms. Masina's acting style and Fellini's direction of her became a source of controversy. Some wrote about her mugging and grimacing as dated pantomime aimed at manipulating audience sentiment, while others saw it as an homage to Chaplin and a return to the purity of the silent era.

[Johann]

I agree that Fellini bought into Fellini with mixed results.

If someone were to compare The White Shiek with 8 1/2, you'd wonder if the same man directed them. He had to "make it" before he "made it", so to speak. For me at least, I'm glad he went the "bizarre" route. Just like how I'm happy Kubrick made films that had him blazing trails again and again and again. If he stopped at Killer's Kiss, he would be but a speck in film history books.
Thank god for hungry filmmakers...

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Johann
I agree that Fellini bought into Fellini with mixed results.
I haven't seen them since a traveling retrospective stopped here in '85 but I remember thoroughly enjoying Casanova and Roma, but not Satyricon and Juliet. Wish I could remember why.

[anniedoa]

it has been so long since i've seen any fellini films, that i am at a loss. cabiria is the only one i've seen in the last year.... and i've seen it about a dozen times. i do remember that i always defended everything he did... thought everything was justified and necessary. you guys are great to read. better than the "pros"!!!!!


i think i agree that messina in juliet of the spirits was a huge let down...

[Johann]

Roma was the hardest Fellini film for me to sit through. I couldn't get into it for some reason. I tried a second shot at it and shut off the VCR after 20 minutes. It just seems to coat me in boredom.
I'm always willing to find redemption in a film I don't like- especially Fellini films.
What am I missing, oscar?

[oscar jubis]

Who knows Johann, maybe if I saw ROMA now, it'd bore me too. By the way, a documentary which includes Fellini's last interviews and plenty clips opens tommorrow at Film Forum. Wish I lived in NYC sometimes, y'know. Doc is called FELLINI: I'M A BORN LIAR

[Johann]

That sounds interesting. Yeah, NYC is a city I would like to visit as well. Maybe I'll go next year, PMW & I can hook up for a pint.......

[Johann]

Once again, the Criterion co. has announced another Fellini DVD release: The White Sheik-a great early work from the Maestro. Keep 'em coming, guys.....

[Johann]

In all the interviews I've read with Fellini, he only expressed his appreciation for one American film: 2001: A Space Odyssey.

I like that.

[Johann]

I know that Spielberg met Fellini in the early 70's, along with Scorsese, but can anyone explain to me how Robin Williams got to meet the Maestro? Was Fed a fan of Mork? What gives?
This has been plauging me for years..