Le Amiche

Based on the novella Tra donne sole by Cesare Pavese, Le Amiche is the story of a woman who goes to Turin to start a new shop as she meets with a group of wealthy women as they all cope with the troubles of a friend amidst the turmoil in their own lives and in the world around them. Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and written by Antonioni and Susu Cecchi D’Amico with contributions from Alba De Cespedes, the film is an exploration of five women dealing with their own identities in Turin as they deal with their own world and growing changing times around them. Starring Eleonora Rossi Drago, Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Fabrizi, Valentina Cortese, Yvonne Furneaux, Madeleine Fischer, Anna Maria Pancani, Luciano Volpato, Maria Gambarelli, and Ettore Manni. Le Amiche is a riveting and somber film from Michelangelo Antonioni.

The film revolves a group of upper class women in the city of Turin as they deal with the suicide attempt of one of their friends just as a woman who is part of the social circle returns to the city from Rome to open a fashion salon. It’s a film that is more of a study of a group of women who live in the posh world of fashion and posh surroundings as one of them becomes despondent over her existence while another returns to her hometown as she ponders if she really fits in with this social circle. The film’s screenplay by Michelangelo Antonioni and Susu Cecchi D’Amico features a straightforward narrative that does focus on these five women that are part of this social circle of upper-class women living in Turin wearing expensive clothing and such. For Clelia (Eleonora Rossi Drago), returning to her hometown to open and manage a fashion salon from Rome allows her to look back at the town but also see the chaos in the social circle that she’s in as it relates to Rosetta (Madeleine Fischer) whose suicide attempt has disrupted a lot of the social activities in these women.

The script does feature a lot of dialogue that play into Rosetta’s despair and her need to find meaning in her life as it play into the faults of the upper-class world. Even as she find herself attracted to the artist Lorenzo (Gabriele Ferzetti) who is married to another artist in Nene (Valentine Cortese) who is also part the social circle of women with Momina De Stefani (Yvonne Furneaux) and the shallow and flaky Mariella (Anna Maria Pancani). Clelia is aware of Rosetta’s troubled emotional state as she finds herself at odds with Momina and Mariella with Nene becoming suspicious of Rosetta’s attraction towards Lorenzo. The film also showcases Clelia beginning a relationship with the architect’s assistant Carlo (Ettore Manni) who is an outsider due to his working class background yet Clelia is still fascinated by him since she doesn’t care about his social standing while Momina gets involved with Carlo’s boss Cesare Pedoni (Franco Fabrizi) who is building Clelia’s salon for this major event to occur that would attract Turin’s upper-class.

Antonioni’s direction is filled with striking and evocative compositions and settings that would play into the visual style that he would hone in later films as it play into the theme of alienation and loneliness that revolves around these characters. Shot on location in and around Turin, Antonioni uses the city as a character as a place that is changing where there a lot of these posh places emerging and such while there are places that the middle and working class go to but also the lower class as it play into Clelia’s return as she looks back at this place that was once her home. A scene where she and Carlo walk to find furniture where they walk to a street that she used to live is key to who she is as it was a place she knew she had to leave but has a fondness to it while knowing it’s different now and can’t fully return. Especially as she’s already in a world that has a lot to offer and has so many things but she does maintain a sense of reality in comparison to the likes of Momina and Mariella.

Antonioni’s usage of wide and medium shots not only play to the locations but also in the air of disconnect as it relates to these women and reality though Nene is someone who is given an immense opportunity that only a fool would turn down. Yet, she is troubled by Lorenzo’s failings as an artist as well as his attraction to Rosetta where there is a scene where she confronts Rosetta but not in a heavy dramatic way since Nene is aware of Rosetta’s mood swings. The confrontation takes place in its third act where it is about Clelia’s presentation that is followed by a troubling aftermath where all five women and a few of their dates go to eat dinner and things unravel. Especially at it all relates to Rosetta who is yearning to be fulfilled as its ending revolves more around Clelia and her own pursuits as she is aware of the faults of the posh world she lives in. Antonioni maintains that air of conflict in Clelia as well as her own feelings about Rosetta’s despair in a world that has so much but offer little salvation. Overall, Antonioni crafts a compelling yet heart-wrenching film about a group of posh women in Turin who deal with their world and the suicide attempt of one of their own.

Cinematographer Gianni Di Venanzo does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white cinematography in the way many of the daytime exteriors are presented from the natural look of the scene on the beach to the greyer look of the city while the exterior scenes at night feature some unique lighting to maintain its atmosphere. Editor Eraldo Da Roma does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward to play into the drama as well as the conversation between characters with some rhythmic cuts for dramatic effect. Production designer Gianni Polidori does amazing work with the look of the salon that Clelia is overseeing as well as a few of the homes of the women to play into their posh environment.

Costume designer Enzo Bulgarelli does fantastic work with the costumes in the design of the many dressed the women wear as it represents their unique personalities as it has a lot of life as well as the world that they represent. The sound work of Giulio Canavero, Emilio Rosa, and Ennio Sensi is terrific for its natural approach to the sound in many of the film’s locations as well as capturing the atmosphere of some of the gatherings including the fashion salon presentation. The film’s music by Giovanni Fusco is wonderful for its mixture of somber guitar-based pieces as well as heavy piano themes that play into the drama.

The film’s superb cast feature a couple of notable small roles from Maria Gambarelli as Clelia’s boss who appears late in the film and Luciano Volpato as Mariella’s boyfriend in the film’s third act. Franco Fabrizi is terrific as the architect Cesare as a man whom Momina becomes attracted to as she tries to start a relationship with him while Gabriele Ferzetti is fantastic as Lorenzo as Nene’s husband who is trying to make it as an artist while is becoming attracted towards Rosetta leading to some major trouble for everyone. Ettore Manni is excellent as Carlo as Cesare’s assistant who is a working class man that befriends Clelia as he would fall for her but is aware of their social class differences despite their fondness for one another. Anna Maria Pancani is amazing as Mariella who is this shallow woman that seems to care more about herself and whatever man she can get with little regard for people’s feelings as well as just getting everyone to join her in some gathering.

Yvonne Furneaux is brilliant as the pessimistic Momina as a woman who often says the wrong things and prefers to be the one to run things as if she maintains this air of importance unaware of the things she says about Rosetta. Madeleine Fischer is incredible as Rosetta as a young woman who is recovering from a suicide attempt as she questions about her own existence in the upper class world as well as her feelings for Lorenzo along with all sorts of things as it is a dramatic-heavy performance from Fischer. Valentina Cortese is phenomenal as Nene as Lorenzo’s artist wife who is given an opportunity to have a show in New York City where she also watches from afar in what is going on with Rosetta as she delivers a low-key yet effective performance as a woman who knows what is going on but prefers to not cause trouble nor create a scene. Finally, there’s Eleonora Rossi Drago in a sensational performance as Clelia as a woman who returns to Turin from Rome to open a fashion salon who finds herself in a posh circle of friends where she copes with trying to get a business started as well as Rosetta’s own issues where she tries to help her as it is a tender and engaging performance from Drago.

The 2016 Region 1/Region A DVD/Blu-Ray release from the Criterion Collection presents the film in a new 2K digital restoration in its original 1:33:1 aspect ratio and a remastered Italian mono soundtrack (uncompressed in its Blu-Ray release) as well as improved English subtitles. The DVD/Blu-Ray set also feature two featurettes that relates to the film as the first of which is a 27-minute conversation piece from scholars David Forgacs and Karen Pinkus on the film and its themes. Especially in what Antonioni changed from the novella, which had a more post-war environment, as well as what he wanted to say about the women in those times. Even in a place like Turin which was this city that was modern and attracted people from the south of Italy going north because there’s job opportunities there. Forgacs and Pinkus also talk about the importance of women in the film and all of those characters with the latter revealing that the film in some respects was ahead of its time in its exploration on a group of women being friends as it relates to shows like Sex & the City and Girls yet it’s a more cynical film set in a crueler environment.

The twenty-two and a half-minute interview with film scholar Eugenia Paulicelli on the film’s usage of fashion where Paulicelli discusses the importance of fashion in post-war Italy. Even as it helped create a new identity for the country following the aftermath of World War II where a new group of costume and fashion designers emerged as Antonioni was aware of this growing wave as he would use it in his films. Especially where Paulicelli talks about how the clothes play up the personality of the women in the film as well as analyze the women in who they are.

The DVD/Blu-Ray set also features an essay from film scholar Tony Pipolo entitled Friends-Italian Style that discusses the film and how it would serve as a preview of the films Antonioni would do in the 1960s that would garner him a lot of fame. Pipolo talks about how the film version differs from Cesare Pavese’s novella which was set a few years after the war where Turin was rebuilding itself whereas Antonioni chooses to set the film on Turin as it was becoming a thriving city that attracted the upper class. Pipolo also talks about Clelia’s return to the city that she used to live in and how much it changed but also what hasn’t changed as well as how fashion is used as a façade to the world that Clelia’s friends are in. Particularly a world that is disconnected from the real world that has the middle and working class wanting to be part of this new Italy whereas the rich begins to see this façade in this amazingly-written essay.

Le Amiche is a sensational film from Michelangelo Antonioni. Featuring a great ensemble cast, ravishing visuals, themes of alienation and identity in an upper class world, and a rich music score. The film is definitely an enthralling and evocative film that doesn’t just showcase a woman returning to her home city where she becomes part of a troubled social circle of friends but also watch as a young woman in that circle falling apart in a world that demands so much. In the end, Le Amiche is a phenomenal film from Michelangelo Antonioni.

Michelangelo Antonioni Films: (Story of a Love Affair) – (I Vinti) – (The Lady Without Camelia) – (Il Grido) – L'Avventura - La Notte - L'Eclisse - Red Desert - Blow-Up - Zabriskie Point - (Chung Kuo, Cina) – The Passenger - (The Mystery of the Oberwald) – Identification of a Woman - (Beyond the Clouds) – Eros-The Dangerous Thread of Things

© thevoid99 2020

Repulsion

Directed by Roman Polanski, Repulsion is the story of a Belgian woman who lives in London with her sister as she starts to inhabit strange behaviors in her apartment as she’s left alone. Written by Polanski and Gerard Brach with adaptation and additional dialogue by David Branch, the film explores the world of a woman’s fragility in her surroundings as it’s the first film of a trilogy set in apartments. Starring Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, Yvonne Furneaux, John Fraser, and Patrick Wymark. Repulsion is a terrifying yet engrossing film from Roman Polanski.

The film is essentially the story of this Belgian manicurist named Carol (Catherine Deneuve) who lives in London with her older sister Helen (Yvonne Furneaux) who spends a lot of her time with her boyfriend Michael (Ian Hendry) whom Carol doesn’t like. When Helen goes away to Italy with Michael, Carol is left all alone in her apartment as she starts to unravel by he surroundings as she’s being pursued by a young man named Colin (John Fraser) while seeing things that could real or fiction. By the course of the film, many questions become asked about Carol’s mental state as she’s haunted by all sorts of things including people who could be real or fiction.

The film’s screenplay by Roman Polanski and Gerard Brach isn’t very plot-driven though it does have a traditional structure to play out Carol’s deteriorating state of mind. The first act is about Carol’s life where she is this very shy, quiet manicurist who is kind but not willing to interact with people as she’s pursued by Colin who is interested in her. Yet, she remains unsure as she spends a lot of her time with her older sister who definitely has a more fulfilling life with Michael as Carol has to endure hearing her sister having sex at night. Once her sister leaves in the second act, the film definitely becomes less plot-driven as Carol starts to behave in a very strange way as she often stares around her surroundings as she sees cracks in the apartment, leave the place a mess while a rabbit that was supposed to be cooked is left out of the refrigerator for the flies to soak into.

Things become much darker in the third act where Carol’s sexually-repressive behavior and her state of mind becomes far more questionable where reality and fantasy collide. Even as she would do things that become far more menacing in her behavior as if she has no control of what she’s doing or be totally unaware of her activities. Polanski and Brach create a story that is an intriguing piece of character study as they follow this very fragile woman who definitely has demons around her as it features a very ambiguous ending which raises a lot of questions about what might’ve happened to her.

Polanski’s direction is very entrancing in the way he captures the life of this young woman just as she’s starting to unravel. Through these eerie close-ups, hypnotic medium shots, and all sorts of stylish compositions. Polanski creates this very intimate yet evocative portrait of a woman on the verge of a mental breakdown as he slowly takes his time to watch this woman unravel. Polanski also creates shots as it’s shot on location in Kensington where he follows Carol around the city as she is always looking at her surroundings taking the same route on her way home. In one moment, he takes a shot of a crack on pavement floor as she just notices where Polanski places her feet around this crack and later has her staring at it much to the bemusement of Colin. It is a key moment that plays to her sense of unraveling as she starts to talk less and become more frightened by her surroundings.

Polanski’s direction also plays up the film’s suspense and horror without delving into conventions as he is aware that this is more based on psychological elements. Notably as he continually creates these stylish compositions while making sure certain things like Michael’s razor and toothbrush are in Carol’s bathroom glass just to annoy her as they would later play a key part to her state of mind. Even the clothes that Carol wears represents this repressed state as she barely reveals any kind of sex appeal except one moment when she wakes up naked or another moment as she puts on red lipstick. It plays to Carol’s deterioration from herself as she becomes more out of step with the real world as Polanski would play up that sense of terror in the apartment she lives in. Overall, Polanski creates a film that is intriguing but also harrowing in its exploration of a woman’s descent into madness.

Cinematographer Gilbert Taylor does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from some very straightforward shots in the film‘s locations to more stylish yet radiant shots inside the apartment at night including an amazing lighting set-up that establishes Carol‘s warped view of the world. Editor Alastair McIntyre does some excellent work with editing to play up the film‘s suspense with rhythmic cuts along with fade-outs to play out its structure as it becomes more chaotic as the film progresses. Art director Seamus Flannery does fantastic work with the look of the apartment as it becomes more disarrayed in its look and surroundings along with cracks and strange things at a wall that Carol touches.

The sound work of Leslie Hammond is marvelous for the atmosphere it creates from the intimacy of the apartment with low-key sounds of flies being heard to the sound of the church bell near the apartment that always bring out a sense of terror that is to occur in Carol‘s mind. The music of Chico Hamilton is great for its mixture of various music forms such as orchestral-driven suspense, snazzy jazz cuts, bombastic percussion pieces, and low-key piano cuts to play up the sense of terror and horror as Hamilton’s score is a major highlight of the film.

The film’s ensemble cast is incredible as it includes some notable small roles from Renee Houston as a regular customer at the manicure places Carol works at, Valerie Taylor as Carol’s boss, Helen Fraser as Carol’s co-worker Bridget, James Villers and Hugh Futcher as friends of Colin, director Roman Polanski in an un-credited cameo as a man playing spoons with a music trio, and Patrick Wymark as the landlord who meets Carol as he is shocked by the state of the apartment while intrigued by her troubled appearance. John Fraser is wonderful as Colin who tries to pursue Carol in hopes to talk to her as he’s confused by her behavior. Ian Hendry is terrific as Helen’s boyfriend Michael who is baffled by Carol’s disgust towards him. Yvonne Furneaux is excellent as Carol’s older sister Helen who is frustrated by Carol’s odd behavior as well as Carol’s resistance to do more with her life.

Finally, there’s Catherine Deneuve in a performance that is truly for the ages. In the role of Carol, Deneuve displays the beauty that she’s known for but it’s with a great sense of restraint as she doesn’t have a lot of dialogue as she has to use her physicality to express this young woman’s unraveling. Even in the way she looks at things or how her eyes do the acting, it’s Deneuve being fearless to playing this shy woman who is mentally collapsing as she would also exhibit violent behaviors. It’s a performance that is simply unforgettable as Catherine Deneuve goes all out in what is definitely one of her greatest works of her career.

Repulsion is an outstanding film from Roman Polanski that features a magnificent performance from Catherine Deneuve. It’s a film that truly explores the world of madness and repression set in an apartment where it adds to the element of terror that a young woman is surrounded by. It’s also a compelling character study to explore this woman’s descent as she starts to lose grip on reality. In the end, Repulsion is a phenomenal yet fascinating psychological-horror film from Roman Polanski.

Roman Polanski Films: Knife in the Water - Cul-de-Sac - The Fearless Vampire Killers - Rosemary’s Baby - Macbeth (1971 film) - (What?) - Chinatown - The Tenant - Tess - (Pirates (1986 film)) - Frantic - Bitter Moon - Death and the Maiden - The Ninth Gate - The Pianist - Oliver Twist (2005 film) - The Ghost Writer - Carnage - (Venus in Fur) - (Based on a True Story) - (An Officer and a Spy) - (The Palace)

© thevoid99 2012

La Dolce Vita

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 9/22/04 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Federico Fellini and written with Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, and Brunello Rondi, La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) is the story of an Italian reporter whose life of decadence leads to tragic consequences and realization after encounters with an actress, a socialite, a religious commune, and his suicidal girlfriend. While the film conveys realism, Fellini also brings mayhem to the screen where there are moments that questions morality, sexuality, socialism, and humanity itself. Shot in black-and-white with cinematographer Otello Martelli, the movie plays like a circus with surreal images that seem to bend the world of reality and fantasy. Starring Marcello Mastroianni, Yvonne Furneaux, Anouk Aimee, Anita Ekberg, and Alain Cuny. La Dolce Vita is a brilliant, sensational masterpiece from one of the greatest filmmakers ever put in the face of the earth.

Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) is a reporter riding on a helicopter that is carrying the statue of Jesus Christ above Rome as he later joins his photographer friend Paparazzo (Walter Santesso) at a nightclub. After meeting with a bored socialite in Maddalena (Anouk Aimee), Marcello takes for a ride and sleeps with her only to return home to deal with his self-destructive love Emma (Yvonne Furneaux). To report on the arrival of an American actress named Sylvia (Anita Ekberg), Marcello attends a press interview with the charming but not-so-bright actress who brought her boyfriend Robert (Lex Barker). Marcello takes Sylvia on a tour of Rome where they later go to a party with her friend Frankie Stout (Alan Dijon) and the alcoholic Robert. Leaving the party with Marcello, Sylvia frolics onto the Trevi Fountain as Marcello is in awe of her.

Despite having a life with all of its glamor, Marcello seeks to become a serious writer as he seeks the advice of his friend Steiner (Alain Cuny) who invites him to a party. Taking Paparazzo and Emma on an assignment on a sighting of the Virgin Mary claimed by two children. The event becomes an emotional turning point for both Marcello and Emma as they later attend Steiner's party as they meet his wife (Renee Longanni) and various friends. Envious of the life that Steiner has, he takes a job offer from Steiner only to realize that not everything is as it seems. In his attempt to write a novel and be away from Rome, Marcello meets a young waitress named Paola (Valeria Ciangotti) who gives him an idea of a life outside of the world he's lived in.

Reluctantly returning to Rome, Marcello takes his father (Annibale Ninchi) for a night on the town where they meet another of Marcello's friend in Fanny (Magili Noel). The night seems to be fun until his father had a brief heart attack prompting Marcello to question his own lifestyle. Attending another party with Maddalena and some friends to a strange party at a ruined home, Marcello starts to deal with his own faults as his relationship with Emma crumble. After another party and some tragic news, Marcello begins to question about the world he's lived in.

What makes La Dolce Vita such a rapturous film is Fellini's whimsical approach into taking a man's simple odyssey of life through a world of decadence. The film both plays itself to the point where things are way off and doesn't seem right yet at the same time, its lavish tone makes the film seem to make everything go crazy where it almost falls apart, but in a grand, Fellini way. The film truly belongs to Fellini since he's a man who likes everything to be a spectacle with the opening scene and all the cabaret things going in the night club to the decadence of the parties, including the final one where Marcello forces a woman named Nadia (Nadia Gray) to strip down. Every image, every frame, every thing that goes on in that movie clicks where it might seem too much for a three-hour movie but there was never a dull moment going on.

Fellini, the director, is a man who seems to love an image. With cinematographer Otello Martelli, the film has this evocative, wondrous black-and-white look where everything is huge, especially if you're watching it in the theater. Martelli brings a lush, romantic look to the film, notably the Anita Ekberg scene at the Trevi Fountain with Marcello. Still, the film is Fellini where he seems to fall in love with every image and there's always a great shot in that film where everything is going on. The film's screenplay doesn't lose itself to its excess since it plays to a simple story but is expanded by its excess. The film also has many questionable themes with characters of homosexuality and heterosexuality and also questions of spirituality, morals, and humanity itself.

Really, it's a story of a man trying to find answers to move forward and seeking love while wondering if he can move away from his playboy lifestyle. It's also an existential film of sorts while this man commits sins around him as he is helpless in his own faults as a man. The film is also a satire-of-sorts that would later foreshadow the world of fame with paparazzi and celebrities so this movie is isn't just a satire but it's also a romantic, comedic, dramatic film that really has no defining genre.

With Martelli bringing in a masterful photography to the film, credit also goes to the film's crew like production designer and costume designer Piero Gheradi for bringing in a detailed perspective of upper class Italian family homes. Even with its costumes ranging from the rich, lavish clothing of the socialites to the artier clothing that the character Nicollna (Nico) wears. With the a nice, stylized editing from Leo Cattozzo that helps brings the film a nice rhythm while playing true to its story. The film's music is also diverse ranging from rock n' roll, pop, and classical musical along with a comical and romantic film score from composer Nino Rota.

Then you have the film's huge cast of actors with small and memorable performances from Nadia Grey, Lex Barker, Alain Dijon, and Polidor as the clown in the nightclub scenes. Even future Velvet Underground vocalist Nico makes a memorable appearance as a model along with Ida Galli as the American debutante in the ghost search scene. Valeria Ciangottini brings a small, charming performance as Paola in her brief moment in the film while Renee Longanni and Magali Noel brought wonderful performances in their respective supporting roles. Annibale Ninchi is a standout as Marcello's father who seems to be the kind of man who is loved despite the fact that he wasn't around for Marcello very much. Walter Santesso is memorable as Paparazzo as a man who is just seeking for the right photographs while he has to forget the morality of his job since his job is to simply, take the pictures and don't ask questions.

Alain Cury gives a haunting performance as Steiner as a man who has everything but doesn't seem to have enough as he brings darkness to Marcello's mind. Anouk Aimee is lovely as the bored socialite Maddalena with her sexiness and manipulation, notably the ghost party scene where she asks for Marcello to marry her in a strange scene where's in one room and she's in another. Anita Ekberg is probably the most memorable performance of the entire group of actresses since she frolics around in the Trevi fountain as this actress who isn't very bright. While it's not a really a great character, Ekberg gives a defining performance that would be the inspiration for starlets consumed by their fame and wonderfulness. The film's best female performance is Yvonne Furneaux as the suicidal Emma who is a woman often neglected while believing she can save Marcello from his droll lifestyle. Furneaux brings a desperation to her performance as she seeks spiritual guidance while in the film's final act, she confronts Marcello as we also get the feeling that she may not save him because she barely save herself. It's a performance that doesn't get a lot of credit in the film.

The film's greatest and most iconic performance clearly goes to the late Marcello Mastroianni as Marcello Rubini. Mastroianni delivers a performance full of charisma and cool with his big-shade sunglasses and cocky swagger. Even after this movie, Mastroianni hasn't aged even when you see him in later fares. Mastroianni also brings emotional depth to a character that may look superficial but in his search for fulfillment, we see how much Marcello struggles. It's a performance that is defiant and by the end of the film, you love him and hate him at the same time as he accepts his own destiny where at the end, you wonder what will really happen to him. It's truly one of the greatest performances in cinema.

***Updated DVD Tidbits for 9/21/06***

Ever since the 1960 release of Federico Fellini's classic film La Dolce Vita, the film for the past 35-years has been a staple on not just an essential list of great films but also one of the greatest international films of all-time. In 2004, to coincide with a DVD release from Koch Lorber, the film was re-released for a brief period of time in the theaters as the 2-disc DVD presented the film in a new, digital remastered and restored edition for a new audience. A year later, Koch Lorber released a new box set of La Dolce Vita taking everything from the 2-disc set and added a lot more for this 3-disc Deluxe Collector's Edition which includes several collectible materials and new material of special features that runs at more than two-and-a-half hours.

The first disc of DVD includes a five-minute introduction from Sideways director Alexander Payne. Payne discusses on the film's influence and how he saw the film in the early 80s when he was just a film student in Spain. Notably talking about the influence of Fellini and how it would inspire him as a screenwriter and director where the film would show its influence for his 2004 classic film Sideways, notably the protagonist of Miles portrayed by Paul Giamatti. The film is shown in its 16x9 widescreen format along with original mono and 5.1 Stereo Surround Sound. Featuring English and Spanish subtitles in yellow and white letters, the film is presented both in English and Italian.

The feature-length audio commentary by noted film critic Richard Schickel reveals on the film's themes as Schickel gives his own interpretation on scenes, characters and such. Schickel takes break at times to watch a scene while giving his interpretation of the scene while giving insight into Fellini's background and the uproar he caused upon its release. Schickel's expertise in films really is educational on how he talks about the way Fellini shoots to the relationships Marcello has with all of the major characters. It's overall some of the best commentary of the film.

The second disc is filled with an hour's worth of material that starts off with a 35-minute collection of shorts and vingettes known as Fellini TV. Anyone aware of Fellini's work will get the idea. Everything from a puppet playing Dante selling watches, women in decadent, medieval clothing selling shoes, facial aerobics, a rock band going nuts, a singer executed, an Islamic heading mixed in with a debate on feminism to a funeral where it's a wine commercial. All of these little shorts and mock-commercials that are produced by the legendary Alberto Grimaldi are sometimes enjoyable and sometimes, purely self-indulgent. Still, they're very fun to watch right to the end about a joke involving a cow taking a dump. The four-minute Cinecetta-The House of Fellini is a musical montage that takes a tour of the offices and possessions of Fellini that reveals everything from statues, drawings, photographs, and chairs that is like a museum of sorts but shows his contribution to the famed studio.

The 12-minute Remembering the Sweet Life-Interviews with Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg includes a 1987 interview with Ekberg, a 1990 interview with Mastroianni at the 1990 Venice Film Festival, and an old footage of the two actors watching La Dolce Vita in the film Intervista. Ekberg recalls Fellini's sweetness along with the making of the film which she enjoyed. She admits that it didn't help her career since she got badly typecasted though she still enjoys being around Fellini and Mastroianni who at the time of making the film spoke little English and she spoke little Italian by then. Mastrioianni recalls how he worked with Fellini in the film and where originally, he wanted Paul Newman for the role but couldn't get him. The interview also showed a rare clip at the Venice Film Festival where Mastroianni is awarded a lifetime achievement Golden Lion presented by Fellini himself.

The six-and-a-half minute Fellini, Roma, and Cinecetta is a rare TV interview with Fellini in the 1980s as he discusses his love for Rome and his contributions to Cinecetta where he shot all of his films there. He recalls that Cinecetta is a part of Rome while shots of the city itself including the famed Trevi Fountain are shown as it reveals Fellini's love for Rome and his roots where his mother's family lived there for several generations.

The 8-minute Restoration Demo shows three important scenes on the film its old, 1960 film to its restored, remastered form. The first scene is the famous helicopter scene with the statue carrying where the original footage is light in black-and-white but with some spots on the film while on the other side of the same footage shows the restored version. The restored version is clearer yet a bit darker in its grey to show how the film looks now where it looks even better. Two other sequences for the second party scene with Anita Ekberg and the famed Trevi Fountain sequence reveals the difference in audio. The original footage shows the audio in full splendor where its loud yet some of the dubbing is off-track. In the restored version, the audio is fuller yet is aware of everything else that goes on while the dubbing is more on track while the force of the fountain in the Trevi Fountain scene is felt more.

The last major feature of the second disc is a large photo gallery feature that features stills from the film and the making of the film to present the richness and joy into the making of this masterpiece. The biographies section features the bios of Fellini along with composer Nino Rota and actors Mastroianni, Ekberg, and Anouk Aimee. The filmography section reveals the extensive work of Fellini, Mastroianni, Ekberg, Aimee, and Yvonne Ferneaux. The second disc also includes a link to the Koch Lorber label along with several trailers of films from the company including Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Five Obstructions from Lars von Trier and Jorgen Leth.

The third disc begins with one-hour documentary on film composer Nino Rota. Entitled A Musical Friend-The Maestro Nino Rota, the documentary explores his background as a child prodigy who made orchestras and operas by age 11 while considered to be one of the most gifted composers of his young age. Born in 1911, Rota came into films by the late 30s at a time when Italy was under the rule of Fascism and was only doing it to keep working. After World War II, Rota took his time away from his operas, film scores, and orchestral pieces to be a teacher at a conservatory where two of his pupils are interviewed about his work method and how he can create melodies through a theme he often uses. Directors Lina Wertmuller and Franco Zeferelli discuss his collaboration with directors, notably Fellini, Luchino Visconti, and Zeferelli himself who is aware that when he was making Romeo & Juliet, Rota took his time into making a score that was in tune with the time of the story. Wertmuller talks about his collaboration with Fellini where despite their different approach to creativity, it was magical as the two loved each other's company as Rota worked on nearly every film of Fellini since 1952 when they first met. The doc also discusses briefly on his work in other films including his most famous work for The Godfather movies.

Another interview with Anita Ekberg arrives in a new 2004 interview. The 19-minute interview reveals Ekberg talking about her film career and how she became an actress working in a production company for John Wayne. She also talked about her role in La Dolce Vita where she admits, wasn't much of a stretch as she played a bit of herself and other movie stars at the time. She also talked about how she often liked to go barefoot where she cut her foot on the night they were going to prepare the famous Trevi Fountain scene. When they went to prepare that scene before production in the winter, it was very cold and she felt very sorry for Marcello Mastroianni who was scared to go into the water and actually fell into the fountain flat on his face. She nearly got sick in that fountain while was more worried for Mastroianni. She also discussed her friendship with Fellini where his wife had suspected that they had an affair which she claims was untrue that she and Fellini were great friends. She also talked about the film's release where it nearly got banned by the Vatican in its release and for 20 years in Spain, the film was banned.

The next interview is an old 1960, four-and-a-half minute interview with Fellini about the film's controversy where he talked about an irate couple who tried to kill each other after watching the movie. He also talked about why his film shouldn't be taken seriously since it's a work of fiction while responding to the criticism he's received including from directors like Luchino Visconti and Roberto Rossellini. The 1960 Cannes Film Festival interview with Marcello Mastroianni is a two-and-a-half minute spot where Mastroianni tries to talk about the film's reaction at the Cannes Film Festival. Mastroianni is aware that the film has divided audiences while he does his best to respond to what people think and stuff.

Two more interviews arrive from colleagues of Fellini. First is an 8-minute discussion with one of Fellini's close friends in Rinaldo Gelend. Gelend discusses the themes of the film while doing a lot of the casting and talking about Fellini's own relationship with his often absent father. Geland also had claims that Fellini did have an affair with Ekberg along with other actresses because he loved women too much. The second interview is rare footage from Tullio Pinelli, one of the last surviving screenwriters behind the film. The six-minute interview revealed how Pinelli met Fellini and their collaboration on a script that eventually became La Dolce Vita. Pinelli discusses themes, notably about two characters he created, the girl Paola and the character of Steiner. A bonus interview comes from a recent documentary about Fellini from actor Donald Sutherland where he briefly talks about Fellini and La Dolce Vita and how Mastroianni almost didn't do the film. Sutherland also talked about when he was making Casanova, Fellini received a telegram from Universal who were honored to work with him and wanted to please him where Fellini gave a response.

Added to the box set which is presented in a large, leather-like packaging with a gold drawing of Anita Ekberg walking around are two different essays on the film. The first is a 40-page collector's booklet featuring an essay from Peter Bondanella, an expert in the works of Fellini. Bondanella discusses Fellini's career and the uproar of La Dolce Vita when it was released since it challenged a lot of moral behaviors and images that angered the Catholic church. The essay talked about the filming details which began in March of 1959 and finished shooting in August of that year before its official release in Italy on February 1960. Bondanella discusses the themes and character development that is in the film and its importance to cinema.

The second essay from Dennis Bartok discusses the film's impact on culture and media along with its success in giving Fellini international prestige. Though much shorter than Bondanella's essay, Bartok does revel in its impact along with its testament that when Marcello Mastroianni died in 1996, the famed Trevi Fountain was shut down and draped in black to mourn the famed superstar. Bartok also briefly discusses on the film's impact on fashion where the film has reveled in its decadence and such. Finally, there's two collectibles that fans of the film would enjoy. First is a large, 11"x17" poster of the film itself. The second collectible are five 5"x7" photographs in black-and-white that reveals the iconic images of the film. In the end, this 3-disc Deluxe Collector's Edition is a must-have for anyone who is a big fan of the film.

***End of DVD Tidbits***

La Dolce Vita is an extraordinary yet exciting film from Federico Fellini featuring an outstanding performance by Marcello Mastroianni. With dazzling yet surreal images, Nino Rota's sumptuous score, and an amazing ensemble cast. It's a film that remains very lively and hypnotic more than 50 years since its release. For anyone wanting to figure out who Fellini is, this is the best place to start. In the end, La Dolce Vita is a timeless yet magnificent film from Federico Fellini.

Federico Fellini Films: (Variety Lights) - The White Sheik - I, Vitelloni - (L'amore in Citta-unagenzia matrimoniale) - La Strada - Il bidone - Nights of Cabiria - (Boccaccio '70-Le tentazoni del Dottor Antonio) - 8 1/2 - Juliet of the Spirits - Histoires extraordinaire-Toby Dammit - (Fellini: A Director's Notebook) - Fellini Satyricon - (I Clowns) - Roma - Amarcord - Casanova - Orchestra Rehearsal - City of Women - And the Ship Sails On - Ginger and Fred - (Intervista) - (The Voice of the Moon)

© thevoid99 2012