Tag: Federico Fellini

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When I heard that Paolo Sorrentino’s La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty, 2013) was “Felliniesque,” that didn’t recommend it at all. By “Felliniesque,” I mean the most stunning and unconventional traits of such films as La Dolce Vita, 8½, and Juliet of the Spirits: basically, a person undergoing a personal crisis in an increasingly surreal, carnivalistic setting that suggests an oncoming psychotic break—or divine intervention—or both; a liberal use of the grotesque sweetened with a Christian-humanist compassion; (more…)

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Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life, 1960) is one of the most hailed and fêted films of all time. It was both a commercial and a critical success. It had an immediate and enduring influence on film, fashion, and popular culture in general. It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1960. It was nominated for four Oscars and won Best Costume Design. Nino Rota’s music is also iconic. To this day, La Dolce Vita is regularly included in lists of the greatest films of all time. (more…)