Federico Fellini

Federico Fellini

Federico Fellini – Fellini began working with Roberto Rossellini on Open City, Paisan, and The Miracle. But his own films (especially his films of the 1960s and beyond) focus on the fantastic and the grotesque. They typically use circuses and theaters as settings, and feature characters that search for love and meaning in their lives. Giulietta Masina, Fellini’s wife, stars in several of his films including La Strada, Nights of Cabiria, and Juliet of the Spirits.

One of Fellini’s best known films, La Dolce Vita (1960), is about the superficiality of modern life and the corruption of spirituality. It is a film about excess. Fellini repeatedly targets the Roman Catholic Church, portraying them as corrupt. He also treats the glamorous world of the rich as grotesque, showing its emptiness through exaggerated characters. 

8 ½ is a film about filmmaking. The protagonist Guido is a director who resembles Fellini himself. He constantly questions his own success at life and art. In 8 ½, Fellini shows memories, narrative sequences, and dreams in a nonlinear way. All of these elements blend into one another.

The following clip is of the opening scene from 8 ½. Notice the surrealist influence and Fellini's recognizable formal characteristics: casting actors with unique faces and presenting worlds that are not grounded in realism.

8 ½ (Federico Fellini, 1963):

See below for opening of 8 1/2 clip we saw in class

(notes from class)

Beginning:
Worked with Rossellini on Open City, Paisan, and The Miracle

His film characteristics (esp from 1960's and beyond):
1)Use circuses and theaters as settings
2)feature characters searching for love and meaning of life
3)Fellini's wife, Giulietta Masina, stars in several of his films
   La Strada, Nights of Cabiria & Juliet of the Spirits

La Dolce Vita (1960) - Fellini's best known film 

Federico Fellini e Marcello Mastroianni 1960

It is about superficiality of modern life
Corruption of spirituality (he repeatedly targets the Roman Catholic Church portraying them as corrupt)
About excess
Treats the glamorous world of the rich as grotesque
Shows emptiness through exaggerated characters. 

8 1/2 (1963)

Guido a director - resembles Fellini himself.
Questions is own success at life and art
Shows memories, narrative sequences, and dreams in a nonlinear way

In class clip of 8 1/2 "Notice the surrealist influence and Fellini's recognizable formal

Click here for opening clip of 8 1/2
characteristics: casting actors with unique faces and presenting worlds that are not grounded
in realism"

Blog Podcast on 8 1/2 Click Here