Federico Fellini is considered by many to be one of the greatest and most original filmmakers of all time. Having never seen one of his films, I needless to say was very excited to watch La Dolce Vita. This film was definitely not what I was expecting. Its epic length of two hours and forty seven minutes is rather difficult to get through, however not nearly as challenging as Last Year At Marienbad, a film that I will frequently use in comparison. Bridging the gap between Fellini’s Neo-Realist stage (where he co-wrote the classics Rome, Open City and Paisa) and his Surrealist stage, La Dolce Vita seamlessly blends these two completely different cinematic styles, creating a unique spectacle of celebrities and larger than life society.
The nearly three hours of La Dolce Vita are almost in no way plot driven. While there are various moments that result from established situations, the scenes, which are hardly connected, ultimately leave us feeling unfulfilled and carry on far too long for us to focus on a coherent or meaningful plot. Rather, the scenes are connected because of the main character, Marcello Mastoianni, a gossip journalist whose progression or lack of progression primarily drives the film. The film is in many ways a character study about a man whose obsession and decadent behavior consumes him, creating, for me, one of the most unlikeable and (as far as I can tell) static characters ever put on film.
In the article The Catholic Irrationalism of Fellini, Pier Pasolini discusses the idea of decadence and how Fellini’s established style reflects the film’s subject matter. This concept of decadence is extremely interesting when looking at Fellini’s choices regarding cinematography. La Dolce Vita’s camerawork is superb in both its composition and bold contrast between lights and darks. As Pasolini points out, Fellini’s cinematic vocabulary “is highly colored, out of the ordinary, bizarre…” and the film’s aesthetic elements are “always excessive, overcharged, lyrical, magical, or too violently veristic.” Fellini frequently uses long tracking shots to establish his gigantic sets and complex blocking of characters, which at times almost makes us feel as if we are watching scenes from an epic Hollywood musical. However, although he employs exaggerated elements of mise en scene and a lavish execution of blocking, Fellini never calls attention to the camera itself. Unlike Last Year At Marienbad, Fellini forces us to focus solely on the scene and not the manipulation of that scene through camerawork or editing. One might say then that Fellini, who has not yet reached his full stage of surrealism, has not yet reached his full state of decadence (in terms of style), an unrestrained and overtly obvious use of cinematic manipulation. (Not to say that one would need to use these techniques to establish decadent behavior for Fellini’s slight use of neo-realism makes these lavish situations look as if they were captured first hand without alteration.)
La Dolce Vita is fascinating to me. It, much like Last Year At Marienbad, is a beautiful and complex piece of artwork that is more impressive than the majority of films being released today. Sadly however, I think that most of the film is over my head. I am going to try to watch this film and publish another post on it by the end of the semester because it bothers me that I can’t quite figure out where Fellini was trying to go with it. I think what bothers me the most is that while watching the final moments of the film I do feel something, I just don’t know what it is. It’s very strange. We go through the entire film wondering why Fellini is showing us these moments of a man’s life and by the end he provides us with no obvious answers. I actually think that’s what I enjoy most about the film. I like not necessarily knowing what I’m seeing. It makes the film more enigmatic, more like a puzzle, which, to me, is more like real life. And ultimately, it allows me to truly connect with something even if it is so abstract that I can’t quite put my finger on it.
I agree with you on the fact that although this movie was really, really long, it was more bearable than the, what, hour and a half of Marienbad?
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that Marcello is one of the "most unlikeable characters ever put on film". When I truly think about it, I feel like I might agree. I felt like I was tricked into almost liking him just a couple of times, because he is handsome and came off as charming in a couple of instances. As the movie went on, I couldn't stand him. His life revolved around parties, alcohol, women-- the "celebrity" life. There are moments scattered throughout the film when it seems like he might be second-guessing his lifestyle, questioning his values, etc.-- then he just kind of gives up on it and continues with his life as it is. I thought he only seemed worse in the end-- the last scene where he was out-of-his-mind wasted, trying to have an orgy, floating around like an idiot scattering feathers. Then we see him on the beach, seemingly detached and alone, and it again seems as if perhaps he will change himself somehow, but we are left watching him walk back to the rest of the party-goers.
Good job! :)
I also agree with the fact that Marcello was one of the "most unlikeable characters ever put on film." I did see a sort of charming side to him and why people may end up liking him. He actually reminds me of some people i know, all the partying, women, alcohol and those are the only things that matter to them. They don't realize, or at least use this lifestyle to mask the empty, meaningless lives they lead. I saw Marcello eventually realizing this but I don't really think he cared in the end about changing. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteI felt the exact same way in a lot of the cases that you presented. Such as the whole layout of being a long film with what seems to be episodes of this mans life. I myself had a hard time connecting Marcello because of the layout. These little glimpses of Marcello and how we see him deal with this society leaves me unfulfilled and unsatisfied. I really wish they somehow gave more information about him or just something to make me connect more, but it just never happened.
ReplyDeleteOver all I really enjoyed your comparison with Last Year at The Marienbad. It really gave me some deeper perspective on how Fellini separates his types of films from being more of an artistic type of peace.
Your posts are always well done! I have to say i think that Marcello is a crazy character to analyze. His philosophy on women is stereotypically weird. I think the whole point of his character is to emphasize how we objectify and gloss over the women that are important to us in favor of women that will not benefit us completely. I think the young blonde he talks to that is running the diner he is eating at is an example of this. His incommunication at the end of the movie represents the lack of a 'bridge' between men and women. This may seem alittle cliche but with Marcellos actions throughout the movie this could very well be the case.
ReplyDeleteSome really good observations all around.
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation, my first viewing of this movie left me cold and a little disappointed too, but this time around, I was completely mesmerized. I was fascinated by the ways he used neo-realist cinematography--stuff like all those post-war concrete apartment blocks, poor people and hookers--right up against the extreme fashion shoot look of the party crowd. And what's with those stadium/klieg lamp looking things where the Visitation spectacle was happening, and also where Marcello had the vicious fight with his girlfriend? That was just oddly stagy/backstage looking. This time around, I loved the odd and continued dialectic between traditional faith, ritual, and spectacle, all framed between all eyes on a monstrous flying Jesus and the clear gaze of an innocent dying monster.
I'm wondering if Marcello's ultimate failure with women has to do with his ultimate failure to connect with anything at all. He does try though. He seems to be looking for....something. That scene in the Trevi Fountain, where suddenly everything goes completely still, seems somehow to have do to with that.