janesbit1

Along the line of The Game of Thrones, this series dramatizes the story of Buddha, his family, and followers thoroughly. Not only do we gain the more commonly known stories and myths, but we gain insight and context about the period, political situation, and personal jealousies of family and foes.

I volunteer occasionally at a monastery in Nepal, and the older monks who have seen this series also think highly of its quality and recommend it.

All through grade school we did the various drills and I remember seeing the film during that time. After all that trained paranoia, it made the Cuban Missle Crisis far scarier than it looks like today in Thirteen Days.

Of course the film appears comical today, but I do remember being cynical about the duck and cover drill back in 4th grade. I distinctly remember telling my desk partner (Pam) that I didn't think the drill would do any good if the bomb actually drops cause we'd all be killed anyway.

It's fun to look back on this film and have a good laugh though. Even more ludicrous are the governmental lies and denials--on the second sequence they state that "thousands of lives at Hiroshima could have been saved if they had known to 'Duck and Cover'"

It's been many years since I first watched 8 1/2... too many years. I become thoroughly engrossed from the opening dream sequence to the final dance on the beach. No one does black and white imagery as effectively as Fellini, and this film is his most definitive.

8 1/2 is also the most autobiographical film that Fellini has done. Marcello Mastroiani plays a self critical and analytical filmmaker who is trying to develop a new film project. The film often goes inside Mastroiani's mind and we see the brilliant visual artist at work. One of more humorous sequences is one in which the various women in his life all operate as a "harem" to serve his needs and then stage a revolution against the tyrant.

Towards the end we see the filmmaker have doubts about his film and himself, wondering if he has anything to say. One of the women says to him "Why piece together the tatters of your life--the vague memories, the faces--the people you never knew how to love."

Fortunately for us, Fellini did leave us this most personal film, and a number of others afterwards, including Juliet of the Spirits, Satyricon, and Amarcord. We are fortunate that he resolved any self doubts he may have harbored, but we are especially blessed with 8 1/2, which definitely ranks among the best films ever created.