Essential Fellini #2: 8 1/2 (1963)

8 1/2 is one of the most celebrated films within the international/art house cinephiles. It was influential for many filmmakers and inspired a Broadway musical/movie musical. I'm at the beginning of my Fellini discovery, having little knowledge of his background. From what I can tell, 8 1/2 is one of his most self-reflexive films and a piercing look into his psyche. And it's not all pretty. Now I don't really love when filmmakers make movies that are about themselves in a literal way. Many have done it successfully but something about it just rubs me the wrong way. However, the main issue in my opinion is that none have done it as successfully as Fred Fellini. 8 1/2 is a masterpiece, and a film that is shockingly personal and naked. 

8 1/2 is a movie that feels freed from the physical. It's a meta exploration of the creative process, and all the barriers and gates that hinder inspiration. Our Fellini stand-in is Marcello Mastroianni as Guido, a filmmaker with writer's block as his new film goes into production. What follows is a journey into his mind through memory, fantasy, dreams, and surreal experiences. The main figures in Guido's life are the women: mother, wife, mistress, muse, a prostitute. The film plays with reality and fiction as elements of Guido's film show up in Fellini's film. It's really hard to describe the experience of watching 8 1/2 because it feels like a fever dream that culminates in such an emotional and bizarre sequence. 

8 1/2 comes right after La Dolce Vita, the film that brought Fellini to the mainstream. And after making the thematically rich and visually groundbreaking film, he looked inward for inspiration. Guido repeats that he has nothing to say, and maybe Fellini felt that way too after La Dolce Vita. All this musing inward, and still Guido feels empty. Blank. But I think Fellini goes a lot deeper than he claims to go. Guido's creative block doesn't just come from his own failures or confusion. But there's a disconnect between artistry and the demands of modern society. Guido's movie is science-fiction, which reflects the tug of war between art and commerce. 

The disconnect plagues Guido, who searches for answers but does not get anything meaningful. This is one of the reasons why 8 1/2 hits so hard in my opinion. It's an existential movie with dream logic that feels like a puzzle. I have to say again that the finale is so moving and precisely calibrated, and elevates the movie to its classic status. 8 1/2 has some mysteries and curious sequences, but it presents Fellini at the peak of his filmmaking powers. It is such a mesmerizing film that rewards repeat viewings. For all its reputation and prestige, it really holds up as a classic.