BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

avik-basu1889 'La Dolce Vita' is a film which very noticeably showcases Fellini's transition from his neo-realist roots to the outrageously surrealist style of filmmaking which became his quintessential style later labeled with the word 'Felliniesque'. This is a really, really interesting film. 'Interesting' in the way that although I absolutely understand its appeal, its richness and its philosophical depth, but I can't help but feel a sense of emotional detachment and sense of boredom every time I watch the film. The funny thing is, the emotional detachment is very much deliberate because Fellini clearly wants the viewer to be kept at a distance reflecting Marcello's constant sense of alienation from his surroundings.I read somewhere once (which I agree with) that 'La Dolce Vita' is a reverse retelling of Dante's 'Divine Comedy' since in this case, the protagonist makes the journey from heaven to hell in the thematic sense as is very overtly symbolised in the opening as well as the ending scenes which act as mirror images to each other in the way they both use Christian imagery as well as a gap in communication(in the opening scene Marcello can't be heard, while in the closing scene it is Marcello who can't hear someone else's words). 'La Dolce Vita' uses such Christian imagery and thematic expressions to reflect the hollow state of existence in the midst of the rampant consumerism and materialism during the economic boom of urban Italy during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The superficiality of the shallow life in urban Italy at the time is very explicitly depicted in the film, again very overtly symbolised by the constant presence of the paparazzi that suffocates most scenes. It is a film that clearly makes fun of the aristocratic class as well as the upper elites and socialites with the ridiculous loudness and extravagance, but every little vignette in the film also includes moments of silence which juxtapose the over-the- top loudness. It is in these moments of silence that Fellini spells out the loneliness and pointlessness of their lives. The central character of Marcello is a tabloid journalist who is leading his life in the most passive manner possible. He is constantly on the search for something or someone(Steiner or the women) that will show him that secret happiness and sense of fulfillment. But unfortunately that secret, that magical spiritual connection constantly eludes him throughout the film. The cinematography is absolutely spectacular. The black & white visuals are incredibly vibrant, the use of lighting is absolutely meticulous and the frame compositions are extremely visually appealing. Marcello Mastroianni's performance is brilliant as he perfectly captures the passive nature of his character with spurts of emotions from time to time. What keeps me from completely embracing the film is what I have already mentioned is actually deliberate. 'La Dolce Vita' deliberately uses excess. The debauchery goes on an on, one segment after another. Just like Scorsese does in 'The Wolf of Wall Street', Fellini uses decadence, excess and debauchery in a very repetitive, almost oppressive and unsubtle way. Now even though I can understand what it signifies and I can also understand why the 7 day sequence might have been essential in the narrative if the 'Divine Comedy' structure was being rigidly implemented, but every time I watch 'La Dolce Vita', I can't help but feel a little bored by the monotony of the circus- like visuals and the 3 hour length of the film adds to the overbearing boredom.

elkabousmehdi ***Spoilers Alert*** I''m enchanted and more than happy to watch one of Federico fellini's masterpiece, It was a film of 3hours that for me has never preached, It was a movie striving to find a sense to human life as long as the minutes proceeded. The era in which the movie was shot was in Italy (Europe) Post-war, tracing painstakingly nonsense of a decadent life. At the beginning of the movie there was a helicopter flying out high carrying a statue of Jesus, in which the semi-naked girls reacted once they saw it by saying ''look look it's Jesus'' .Fellini is certainly subtle, but we can infer that Marcelo presence high on the helicopter was considered as a form of highness considered to be valuable and appreciated in the naïve and materialistic eyes of his friends. Fellini is this movie breaks the rules of conventional narrative style, the film was told over Seven Days, the story follows a suave, ostensibly charming Journalist of the right-wing party tabloid, through his frantic yet boring nightlife. He is the epitome that Fellini chose to depict the meaninglessness of a post-war Italy, that have succumbed into social chit-chat cafés and hectic boredom between the new rich and old aristocrat, prostitute, to single out the spiritual crisis that the society is suffering from despite all the superficialities that is shown off. Marcelo suffers from it as he goes from his faithful Emma that wants to have a stable life with him, to the American superstar Sylvia that has nothing but fame and plastic beauty to attract the attention of self-exhibitionist society. Marcelo realizes that his life is vapid and it lacks meaning ,that was his inspiration from his friend Steirein that he admired for the stability and he has a family , two kids, he organizes intellectual meetings with his friend. The latter poignantly said '' Sometimes at night the darkness and silence weighs upon me. Peace frightens me; perhaps I fear it most of all. I feel it is only a facade hiding the face of hell. I think, 'What is in store for my children tomorrow?' 'The world will be wonderful', they say. But from whose viewpoint? If one phone call could announce the end of everything? We need to live in a state of suspended animation like a work of art, in a state of enchantment. We have to succeed in loving so greatly that we live outside of time, detached....detached. Steirn on the contrary has a family, money, success, stability but still is trapped in the same turmoil as Marceliono. Thus the latter couldn't believe it when he knew about Steirn killed his two kids and then himself, therefore it affected him so much that he decided to Instead of moving from journalism to the higher realm of writing he contemplated, he sells out to become a public relations hack, a drunk, a decadent party boy, now within the milieu that he previously saw as the outsider, the reporter observing. He just couldn't settle himself down and think about; he nevertheless carried and continues with his glamorous but hollow life style. The film moved from the cabaret dancing and glamour celebrations to a somber dawn of day, the lights were dull, that Fellini hardly gives morning events much importance. His father would push us to think that he'll brings us some family feeling throughout his presence. This wasn't the case as his father easily plunged in the bitter sweetness of that exhibitionism night life, but it was ultimately his stamina that didn't afford him to. The film spans an era that seems not that new for us (now), it's a movie that struck me with its vividness and it still grows with time, that's one of the major marks of a truly great work of art. People don't believe in La dolce vita, they just join each other in a social-spectacular self-esteem, which is the symbol of decayed society. Something that society has built to undermine its own proper values. Marcelo our protagonist in la dolce greatly embodied all the questions that occurred in Fellini's mind, He was carried away by the greed and glamour and fictive-sophistication. He is the wasted-intellect in the middle of a boring yet spectacular irresponsible society. One of the marvelous scenes in La dolce vita is the orgy party, where there was different people from different ranks and stances in society, they tried to enjoy themselves, but none of that could happen, wherein our drunkard protagonist indulged himself in a series of disrespectful behavior towards the girls that nothing sensual nor affectionate could be felt from. Fellini juxtaposed the opening with a great final sequence, after the nasty party, the revelers poured out onto the beach at dawn, where a group of fishermen captured a dead big ugly mysterious Fish. At the same time an innocent young girl whom Marcelo had met early in the film catches his eye, she started to wave and mimicking to him to come to have a walk with her but Marcello either doesn't understand or refuses to understand. And if he did make contact to her he may have corrupted her too. This was an end from innocent eyes, an end asking for question to be asked, an end that is asking for honesty and true emotions, an end that has left us nevertheless somewhat clueless about what really Fellini wanted to entail by it. I'm leaving out so much more, including Marcello's relationships with his suicidal fiancée and his strangely devoted relationship to his father, each of which only further underline Marcello's emptiness. This films is one that will need more than just one viewing to fully grasp its meaning, it'll keep dazzling you every time you watch it.

grantss Rome, 1959/60. Marcello Rubini (played by Marcello Mastroianni) is a writer and journalist, the worst kind of journalist - a tabloid journalist, or paparazzo. His job involves him trying to catch celebrities in compromising or embarrassing situations. He tends to get quite close to his subject, especially when they're beautiful women. Two such subjects are a local heiress, Maddalena (Anouk Aimee), and a Swedish superstar-actress, Sylvia (Anita Ekberg), both of whom he has affairs with. This is despite being engaged to Emma (Yvonne Furneaux), a rather clingy, insecure, nagging, melodramatic woman (this explains his affairs!). Despite his extravagant, pleasure-filled lifestyle, he is wondering if maybe a simpler life wouldn't be better.Explores some interesting themes, but is a bit hit-and-miss. The examination of the intrusiveness and fabrication of the news by the media was good, highlighted by a few powerful scenes (the Virgin Mary kids and the bus stop scenes especially). There is also the idea of longing for a simpler life. However, these themes aren't explored very thoroughly, and there is no profound conclusion to them.The main problem is that the powerful scenes get diluted by some pretty dull, pointless ones. Too much time is spent on random stuff that has no bearing on the plot. Not only does this make the movie unnecessarily longer, but minimises the impact of the more profound sub-plots. Too many powerful scenes followed up by meaningless scenes.On the plus side, there's Anita Ekberg. She is stunningly beautiful and provides the movie's iconic moment - the fountain scene. Her role did not require much acting talent but she makes up for this by having great...presence. Unfortunately, she only appears for about 1/6th of the movie. Once she is out of the picture, the energy level of the movie reduces significantly.Interesting to note that the supporting cast includes Nico, later of The Velvet Underground and Nico fame. She appears as herself, sort of.

Thanos Karagioras "La dolce vita" is a drama movie in which we watch a series of stories in just a week of the life of a paparazzi journalist who lives in Rome and he just wants to find his true place in the world. We also watch him trying to become a successful writer but he has some difficulties no this which he has to surpass in order to succeed on this.I liked this movie because of the plot in which for one more time the direction was the best from Federico Fellini and I can only compare this direction with the direction of 8 ½. In which I believe the direction of Federico Fellini was equally good. I also liked this movie because of the great interpretation of Marcello Mastroianni who played as Marcello Rubini and he was simply outstanding for one more time as I expected from him to be. Another interpretation that I liked was the beautiful's Anita Ekberg's who played as Sylvia.Finally I have to say that "La dolce vita" is maybe a different kind of movie from this that you are used to watch but it is really worth seeing. If you liked the 8 ½ movie then I am sure that you are going to love this one.