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Home > Drama >

(1963)

June. 24,1963
|
8
|
NR
| Drama

Guido Anselmi, a film director, finds himself creatively barren at the peak of his career. Urged by his doctors to rest, Anselmi heads for a luxurious resort, but a sorry group gathers—his producer, staff, actors, wife, mistress, and relatives—each one begging him to get on with the show. In retreat from their dependency, he fantasizes about past women and dreams of his childhood.

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SoTrumpBelieve
1963/06/24

Must See Movie...

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Voxitype
1963/06/25

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

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Lucia Ayala
1963/06/26

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

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Marva
1963/06/27

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

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adonis98-743-186503
1963/06/28

A harried movie director retreats into his memories and fantasies. 8½ will definitely please viewers that are fans of slow movies and black and white and general and believe me there's some terrific black and white movies alongside terrific films who are somewhere around 2 and 3 hours long it's just that this film ain't one of those films. I found myself not being invested to any of the characters, the dialogue was pretty bad and the acting not too far behind and overall it's not a film that really deserves to be on this list guys i'm sorry. (0/10)

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e-70733
1963/06/29

The discussion of inspiration exhaustion is not new. But it is valuable to see the mental struggles became a succesful dramatic story. When the course of searching for meaning eventually ends, the artist decides to create an emotional carnival with the fragments of his private memory. Therefore, with strong rhythm and beautiful cinematography, Federico Fellini used the craftsmanship of cinema to restore the essence of spirit, using rational analysis to negate rationality itself. Now that it's a beast in the cage, try to perform a perfect circus.

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classicsoncall
1963/06/30

I've come to understand why this film is called a director's movie, that is, a movie that should be considered must seeing for all directors. Fellini blends dreams with reality, abstraction with rigidity, and parody with truthfulness. The film is largely self referential for the proclaimed director, a movie about making a movie with a director being a director for that movie. I found it interesting that Fellini's own mental block following the success of "La Dolce Vita" was resolved when he decided to change the principal character here from a writer to a director. Fellini was not a writer, he didn't live in that world even though he knew many. But he could relate to a director's frustration and the change allowed him to throw off the shackles to creativity.I have to say, I wasn't getting it at first but the movie managed to grow on me in the telling. Unable to come to terms with the story he was trying to tell, Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) kept putting off everyone associated with his project - the producer, the actresses, the crew, everyone. The stress intrudes into his personal life as well, unable to reconcile feelings for his wife and the women in his past. It all begins to make sense when Guido decides to accept 'what is' during this particular time of his life. He's then able to successfully approach his project unfettered by imaginary constraints.But granted, it's not an easy movie to follow and will not appeal to everyone. There are flashbacks and dreamlike sequences that don't appear to connect to anything. Mostly, the movie is a testament to Man's inner confusion and coming to terms with one's life. At the end of the picture Guido appears to have made his peace with himself, and one is left to wonder whether this condition is permanent or temporary.

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SnoopyStyle
1963/07/01

Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) is a famed film director struggling with his next film. His high-maintenance wife Luisa (Anouk Aimée) comes to visit him at the quiet spa town. He is haunted by surreal dreams, memories, fantasies, and the many women of his life. Claudia (Claudia Cardinale) is his movie starlet. He flails to film a sci-fi movie building giant scaffoldings for a grand scene.This is a wondrously imaginative rambling mess. Fellini is indulging in some self-examinations. Marcello Mastroianni is sophistication personified. I've seen this a couple of times. As a plot, I want him to get the film made. It's frustrating to keep going on detours getting nowhere in the filming. As individual vignettes, they are great to be dissected. There are some terrific surrealism. Taken as a whole, it left me in awe, dizzy, confused and a little frustrated.

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