8½ (1963)

Film: 8½

Director: Federico Fellini

Country: Italy

Released: January 1963

Runtime: 138 minutes

Genre: Drama

Studio: Cineriz

Influenced: Truffaut, Woody Allen, Bob Fosse, Todd Haynes, Charlie Kaufman, Paolo Sorrentino

Fellini and Mastroianni teamed up again just three years after La Dolce Vita to produce another masterpiece, this time focused on the theme of writer's (or, in this case, director's) block. So many similar films about the jammed up creative process have been inspired by this movie, from the Coen Brothers' Barton Fink (1991) to Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze's Adaptation (2002). Mastroianni stars as Guido Anselmi, a famous Italian film director who is struggling to find inspiration for his next film while also dealing with personal and professional issues. The film follows Guido as he navigates his way through a series of memories, dreams and fantasies that blend together in a surrealistic and nonlinear narrative. Whereas La Dolce Vita was a physical journey through the city of Rome, 8½ is a mental expedition through the creative process.

The film opens with a dream sequence where Guido is seen stuck in a traffic jam – an obvious but powerful metaphor for creative block that inspired the video for REM's title track Everybody Hurts (1993) – and then he is suddenly lifted up in the air by a rope and unable to control his movements. The dream sequence is a prelude to the film's overall theme of Guido's lack of control over his life, both personally and professionally. Guido is seen as a successful director who is expected to deliver a new film, but he is struggling to find a way to make his vision a reality. An early working title for 8½ was The Beautiful Confusion, which seems perfectly apt, but Fellini instead went for a self-referential title that gives a nod to the number of films he had directed up to that time.

Throughout the film, we see Guido interact with various characters, including his wife, mistress, producers, actors and crew members, who are all trying to help him get his new film off the ground. However, Guido seems to be more interested in indulging in his fantasies, and he spends a lot of time daydreaming about his childhood, his sexual encounters and his desires. One of the most significant scenes in the film is the masquerade party, where Guido is seen as the centre of attention, but he is also unable to connect with anyone. The scene is a metaphor for Guido's inability to relate to others on a personal level, and he is seen as a man trapped in his own thoughts and desires.

In making 8½, Fellini was supported by assistant director Lina Wertmüller, who would later become the first woman to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar, and cinematographer Gianni Di Venanzo, who was responsible for the film's delicious black & white visuals that add to its dreamlike quality. Another standout feature is the score, composed by Nino Rota, which perfectly captures the film's mood with its innovative combination of traditional Italian music along with jazz and avant-garde elements. The film went on to win numerous awards, including two Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Costume Design, and the influence of its surreal and meta approach to cinematic narrative can be seen in so many movies since.