08/06/2023: Italian Film “8 ½ ” directed by Federico Fellini
Overview: 8 ½ (Italian title: Otto e mezzo) is a 1963 surrealist comedy-drama film directed by Federico Fellini. Struggling to find inspiration for his next project, acclaimed director Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) wrestles with his dreams, memories and desires in his search for creativity. Blending visions with reality, Fellini’s exquisitely shot 8½ – now restored by Gaumont and Éclair – offers a unique portrayal of a restless creative talent battling with his past and the distractions of the present, as he fights to determine his future artistic voice. Elaborate and self-reflexive, 8½ is an impeccable example of Fellini’s unique style, a bravura and extravagance that has influenced countless generations of filmmakers – from Woody Allen to Wes Anderson. No. 4 in Sight & Sound’s Directors’ Poll of greatest films of all time (No. 10 in Critics’ Poll), 8½ is an undisputed classic of world cinema awaiting discovery by a new generation of cinemagoers.
Trivia:
- During the rehearsal scene, the love theme from The Godfather can be heard on the piano. The music for 8 1/2 was composed by Nino Rota, who composed the music for The Godfather – among numerous other films.
- 8½ was shot, like almost all Italian movies at the time, completely without sound recording on set. All dialogue was dubbed during post production. Fellini was known for shouting direction at his actors during shooting, and for rewriting dialogue afterwards, making a lot of the dialogue in the movie appear out-of-sync.
“8 ½ is one of the classic films about the art of cinema. There is something about the make-believe of movies, and our buying into the dreams they foster, which suggests reflection and self-referencing, as if films offered a mirror to our inner lives and the stories we tell on the big screen. ” – The Arts Desk
“A masterpiece by cinema’s ultimate dreamer” The Guardian
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