Federico Fellini: an Analysis

Two of the legendary Italian film director Federico Fellini 's films, OTTO E MEZZO, also known as 8 ½, which was filmed in 1963; AND THE SHIP SAILS ON, which was filmed in 1983, demonstrate significantly different aspects of this great director 's cinematic talent. Separated in time by two decades, created in distinctly different social and cultural environments, and products of very different stages in Federico Fellini 's career, the two films reflect contrast much more than they feature similarity. One is very good, and the other is not. In the early nineteen-sixties Federico Fellini was at the height of his creative power and genius. LA DOLCE VITA in 1961 and OTTO E MEZZO in 1963 were in my opinion his best films. By the time he filmed AND THE SHIP SAILS ON in 1983, Fellini had lost much of his inspirational and innovative talent, and but for a few lingering moments of inspiration now and again in the later films of his career, he was but a shadow of his former self. His last notable success was in 1974, and his decline was well evident by 1983 in AND THE SHIP SAILS ON. Focusing our attention at this point upon specific elements of the first film up for discussion, Federico Fellini 's 1963 film OTTO E MEZZO, or 8 ½, is considered by some cinematic historians to be one of the best films ever made. It is largely a product of the revolutionary, exciting, and dynamic nineteen-sixties, for in every camera shot in the entire film the bodies of women, the eyes of the characters, the shadows of old men 's faces, and the bright whiteness of childhood memories threaten to trigger sensory overload in the audience. Every new image and line of dialogue in the film either brings a smile or a new, startling revelation. (Burke 78) In addition to its vigorous and energetic visual style, OTTO E MEZZO is also characterized by the labyrinthine quality of its plot lines. For example, the protagonist wanders about, seemingly without any direction or

Bibliography: Alfieri, Carlos. Federico Fellini. New York: Mestas, 2000. Burke, Frank. Fellini 's Films: From Postwar to Postmodern. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1996. Chandler, Charlotte. I, Fellini. New York: Random House, 1995. Harris, Mason. The Films of Federico Fellini. New York: Citadel Press, 1988. Strahan, Miles. Federico Fellini. Online. Available: http://www.filmref. com/directors/dirpages/fellini.html. 5 April 2001.