It picks up with where he started with satyricon (1969( and roma (1972)- it’s a sprawling exercise in excess, vulgarity and has even less narrative focus- it’s really a series of characters and vignettes more than satyricon or roma (which is more of an anthology film in comparison)
#72 all-time on TSPDT in 2017 which is overrated- it actually hopped ahead of la strada as the 3rd best Fellini film (8 ½ and la dolce vita)
Very personal filmmaking- warm, ripe, and influential-I can see the influences in everything from Woody Allen to Porky’s
Brisk and accessible
Narratively reflexive
Scenes of dancing concubine and massive papier-mache face of Mussolini are part of the mise-en-scene and indelible images that are impossible to erase from your memory
The “posterior intimacy” comment made me laugh
Yet another chance to show off the curves of fellini muse Magali Noël
This level of mise-en-scene flavor and details has rarely been topped in cinema history
Hitchscorstanricosawa
December 5, 2020 at 1:37 pm - Reply
I believe that the urine scene in the classroom is one of the most genius pranks(although the kid could have said that his pants aren’t wet in his defence).Have you seen any film released before amarcord that has this kind of scene or is this original?
What a wild movie this is, it seems like Fellini has so much joy in his film making in a way that is quite different from many of the other top directors, just my impression. So such energy, almost feels like a musical. I loved the episodic nature of Amarcord, I can’t remember the last time I saw a film by an all time great with so much juvenile humor! There are scenes that could have been straight out of a movie like Stepbrothers (2008) or an Adam Sandler movie. Yet as a whole it’s made with impeccable craftsmanship, a very rare combination indeed.
@James Trapp- totally agreed. Great share here James. I only mention it because I just saw it again– but if you liked Amarcord you should check out Woody Allen’s Radio Days (1987). I have a post on that coming soon. Radio Days is clearly inspired by Amarcord.
Well, much of his work is Bergman and Fellini haha.
I couldn’t answer your comment from 1967, because the page disappeared, when you mentioned that you saw Interiors, did you mean the underrated Interiors of Allen?
Sounds good, I haven’t really got into Woody Allen yet but am game. I have seen one of films, Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) and I thought it was incredible.
I believe that the urine scene in the classroom is one of the most genius pranks(although the kid could have said that his pants aren’t wet in his defence).Have you seen any film released before amarcord that has this kind of scene or is this original?
@Hitchscorstanricosawa- haha. I can’t remember ever seeing it before. I think most of this was Fellini’s childhood/memory
What a wild movie this is, it seems like Fellini has so much joy in his film making in a way that is quite different from many of the other top directors, just my impression. So such energy, almost feels like a musical. I loved the episodic nature of Amarcord, I can’t remember the last time I saw a film by an all time great with so much juvenile humor! There are scenes that could have been straight out of a movie like Stepbrothers (2008) or an Adam Sandler movie. Yet as a whole it’s made with impeccable craftsmanship, a very rare combination indeed.
@James Trapp- totally agreed. Great share here James. I only mention it because I just saw it again– but if you liked Amarcord you should check out Woody Allen’s Radio Days (1987). I have a post on that coming soon. Radio Days is clearly inspired by Amarcord.
Well, much of his work is Bergman and Fellini haha.
I couldn’t answer your comment from 1967, because the page disappeared, when you mentioned that you saw Interiors, did you mean the underrated Interiors of Allen?
Sounds good, I haven’t really got into Woody Allen yet but am game. I have seen one of films, Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) and I thought it was incredible.
Funnily enough, given that I just watched this movie (Amarcord), this is also the sole work of Woody Allen’s that I have seen as well!
[…] Amarcord – Fellini […]
This movie has completely ruined Gary Cooper for me. I cannot hear his name without this film coming to mind lol.
What would you say to an argument that the shot with the marriage in front of the giant Mussolini head is the greatest single frame in cinema history?
@Zane- It is a strong one. But I would argue it is not the best in Amarcord. I would argue it is the umbrellas shot at the bottom of the page here – http://thecinemaarchives.com/2019/04/18/the-5th-best-director-of-all-time-federico-fellini/