"8½" is an Italian film released in 1963 and was directed by Federico Fellini (La Strada, La Dolce Vita). It's about a famous Italian director, Guido Anselmi, as he delves into the making of his next film, which is set to be a science fiction epic. However, Guido's progress in the making of the film is hindered by his marital issues and his "directors block." Guido's memories and a series of flashbacks, as well as dreams, are interwoven throughout the film.
"8½" is considered by many to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, films of all time. It's top five in my opinion, but I have a hard time ranking it. Now, this is a very difficult film to try and breakdown. Mainly because this film is divided into two realms. The external and the inner mind of Guido(Internal). The external nature of this film is Guido dealing with making his science fiction film, his problems with women and his wife, fidelity and desire. Intertwined with these are Guido's flashbacks and involuntary memories. By the end of the film, you have a vivid sense of who this character is.
Federico Fellini is clearly one of the most outstanding and exceptionally gifted minds to ever consider themselves a director. Filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, David Lynch and Woody Allen have all cited him as a major influence. But when watching "8½" you must realize that it is semi-autobiographical of Fellini himself. Fellini, after the huge success' of his previous films, was under constant pressure to produce yet another masterpiece. This is the same pressure Guido goes through in a sense. Fellini used this film in a cathartic manner to express his pressures and turmoil as a director. And he does it through one of the most beautiful films ever created.
As I stated in an post I did about the film "Taste of Cherry", self reflexivity of film, or the act of making the audience conscious that they are watching a film, is present here. Fellini does not hold back in this regard. He wants you to see what it takes to make a film. The struggle of creating something of such magnitude from the ground up. He shows you the camera, sets and even the audience. In fact, we are ALL in the film, in a sense.
"8½" is one of the greatest films ever made. Period. It's visual beauty is a marvel and a pleasure to watch. The storyline is difficult to follow due to Fellini interweaving dreams and memories without notice. But I can guarantee absolute satisfaction from viewing this film. It's filled with symbols and themes and it engages you like no other. On a final note, the ending scene is simply brillant.
So please go watch this. You won't regret it. Till next time. (And I apologize for the delay of this post.)
Here's the IMDB page:
Here's the trailer:
P.S. This is a comic film. And try and figure out why it's called 8½.
