8 1/2 (DVD, 2001, Criterion Collection)

Frederico Fellini's masterwork 8 is difficult to approach largely because of its reputation. Many critics also state that the film is so complex that it requires multiple viewings to understand, and this is likely to intimidate many viewers. But the truth is that, in spite of its surrealistic flourishes, 8 is more straight-forward than its reputation might lead you to believe.
The storyline itself is very simple. A famous director is preparing a new film, but finds himself suffering from creative block: he is obsessed by, loves, and feels unending frustration with both art and women, and his attention and ambition flies in so many different directions that he is suddenly incapable of focusing on one possibility lest he negate all others. With deadlines approaching the cast and crew descend upon him demanding information about the film-information that the director does not have because he finds himself incapable of making an artistic choice.

What makes the film interesting is the way in which Fellini ultimately transforms the film as a whole into a commentary on the nature of creativity, art, mid-life crisis, and the battle of the sexes. Throughout the film, the director dreams dreams, has fantasies, and recalls his childhood-and this internal life is presented on the screen with the same sense of reality as reality itself. The staging of the various shots is unique; one is seldom aware that the characters have slipped into a dream, fantasy, or memory until one is well into the scene, and as the film progresses the lines between external life and internal thought become increasingly blurred, with Fellini giving as much (if not more) importance to fantasy as to fact.

The performances and the cinematography are key to the film's success. Even when the film becomes surrealistic, fantastic, the actors perform very realistically and the cinematography presents the scene in keeping with what we understand to be the reality of the characters lives and relationships. At the same time, however, the film has a remarkably poetic quality, a visual fluidity and beauty that transforms even the most ordinary events into something slightly tinged by a dream-like quality. Marcello Mastroianni offers a his greatest performance here, a delicate mixture of desperation and ennui, and he is exceptionally well supported by a cast that includes Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimee, and a host of other notables.

I would encourage people not to be intimidated by the film's reputation, for its content can be quickly grasped, and when critics state the film requires repeated viewing what they actually seem to mean is that the film holds up extremely well to repeated viewing; each time it is seen, one finds more and more to enjoy and to contemplate. Even so, I would be amiss if I did not point out that people who prefer a cinema of tidy plot lines and who dislike ambiguity or the necessity of interpreting content will probably dislike 8 a great deal; if you are uncertain in your taste on these points you would do well to rent or borrow the film before making a purchase. For all others: strongly, strongly recommended.

I think you might have to be at least 30 years old and kicked around by life to really appreciate this movie, but what a classic! Anyone who has tried to create something can relate to this story. And the fact that it was a pioneering surrealistic film is almost beside the point - the entire package is extremely entertaining.

I have to admit that I didn't fully understand Federico Fellini's 8 ½. I got a little confused with the constant interchange between Guido's dreams, fantasies, memories, and present events. Although it was easy to distinguish the reality from fantasy, I did not fully understand the reason for these fantasies and what they were about. Having already seen a similar great mind game movie "Mulholland Dr." without a doubt, 8 ½ is one of the best movies made about filmmaking. Many believe that master director Federico Fellini based the movie on himself and his struggles. The movie appears semi-autobiographical because the central character in the movie is also a director named Guido Anselmi, played brilliantly by Marcello Mastroianni. It is about Guido's confusion on what his next movie is about. While trying to reach a decision, Guido also confronts his own personal problems.

Guido is already a successful and famous director. And for his next film, a science fiction one, he asked the studio for a massive construction of a prop spaceship. The construction cost the studio millions of Liras, but they did it anyway because they are confident with Guido's abilities. Before filming starts, Guido had a nervous breakdown that made him think about what he is doing. He then postpones the shoot and tries to rewrite the script. When he could not come up with the story he likes, he believes that he ran out of inspiration. So retreats to his dreams and fantasies to come up with one, while his producer, cast, and crew keep pressuring him to start the shoot.

Aside from his problems with his film's story, he also confronts his problems with his wife Luisa (Anouk Aimee) and his mistress Carla (Sandra Milo). Guido invites Luisa to the set even though he knows Carla is there. Guido is even careless enough to let the two women be present at the same place. Luisa knows about Guido's affair with Carla, but Guido keeps insisting her that its over. Fellini's directing is excellent. He gracefully guides the audience inside what is clearly a troubled man's mind. Sometimes, Fellini does not show a transition from the realities to the fantasies, but we know that it's only a fantasy because it couldn't have happened in reality. We take a journey through Guido's mind. From his memories of dancing with a prostitute as a child to a fantasy where he has all the woman in his life in the same room. Fellini's camera work is amazing, and he also added some entertaining dance sequences.

My only criticism here is that it takes the movie too long to get off the ground. It seems to be stuck in its launching pad at some times. Some scenes and sequences are a little too long and extended. Nonetheless, 8 ½ is still amazing and captivating. It exhibits and plays gently with the mind. 8 ½ is one of the stalwarts of foreign cinema, and I recommend this movie to movie lovers who want to see the works of Fellini.

I knew I was going to be excited about being able to get this on DVD, but I had no idea how great the quality of this 'Criterion Collection' is. The only way I can describe the picture is it is like a 'blue ray' DVD quality in a non-blue ray format and in the original black and white version!!! AWESOME!!!
And about the film itself, this is for anyone that likes unusual real films (fat women, fat men, gorgeous men & women, the real stuff) you can't find here,in superb acting roles. I used to rent these kind of movies from Torentino before he became a well known director/writer and at that time he had a whole wharehouse full of films from all over the world and I would discuss this director (Federico Fellini) among others with Torentino (Manhattan Beach Video Store).
So, I highly recommend this unique true telling tales by Federico Fellini and if you can get them in this format, that's even better.

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