Viewed in
2012
Formats
HDTV
Premise
Federico Fellini's classic tale of an Italian gossip writer slumming it with celebrities and intellectuals.
Loved
Unforgettable fountain, Virgin vision, and paparazzi scenes.
Disliked
Unlikable characters.
Thoughts
I respected it, but there's little chance I'll ever want to see it again.
Between the mumblecore-like conversations were some haunting and sometimes trippy scenes. One of these amazing sequences was the famous fountain scene, in which the main character chases after the extremely buxom Anita Ekberg in one of the most sensual movie moments I've ever experienced. She could've given Marilyn Monroe a run for her money.
Two other scenes stuck with me: when two kids lead bloodthirsty media and hopelessly-religious on a goose chase after claiming to have seen the Virgin, and when the paparazzi swarm the poor unsuspecting wife before she learns of her husband's homicide-suicide. Both were incredibly painful, heart-breaking, sharp, and shockingly still relevant today.
Fellini clearly had a great understanding about the seedy aspect of celebrity and tabloids. This film was a somber reminder that paparazzi were always this desperate and opportunistic, and their behavior has been the same even since the 1960's. Not exactly a great history lesson to learn about.
This movie was three hours long, and unfortunately, it felt longer than that. The artsy-fartsy stuff was fun for a while, but I started to get tired of them, along with the mumblecoreness. Aside from the visuals, diving into that world, I was uncertain if there was a strong message underneath all that. There's clearly a theme of unhappiness and lost souls contrast with the lifestyles of the rich and famous, but was it trying to be more? It didn't help that I didn't find any of the main characters to be sympathetic as they spout philosophical poetry.
La Dolce Vita definitely had some great memorable moments. But overall, it was only mildly enjoyable, even for the elitist art snob in me. For film buffs, it's worthy watching it once out of respect.
