8 1/2 [Criterion Collection] [2 Discs]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

What's there to say about Federico Fellini's masterpiece that hasn't already been said? It's a classic, no doubt about it. If you've never had the pleasure to see the film before, feast your eyes on the Criterion Collection's two-disc DVD and enjoy the abundant digital goodies contained in it. Disc one contains the film, which has been appropriately letterboxed (1.85:1 enhanced), digitally remastered, and restored. Also included is a screen-specific commentary by film critic Gideon Bachmann and NYU Professor of Film Antonio Monda, an optional video introduction by director Terry Gilliam, who explains why he enjoys the film so much and why it remains his favorite Fellini experience. The transfer is exquisite, nicely showing off the film's beautiful black-and-white cinematography by the great Gianni di Venanzo. The film has never looked better on home video. The commentary track also makes this disc extremely worthwhile, as Bachmann and Monda detail every aspect of the film's production, as well as all of the many thematic, psychological, and personal layers that make the film so intriguing. As with the best commentary tracks, it's entertaining as well as informative. Think of it as a fantastic two-hour film course. Disc two continues the outstanding supplements by containing the 52-minute documentary "Fellini: A Director's Notebook," which was originally made for television. The documentary is part fantasy, part reality, and all Fellini. It makes a great addition to the set. Also included on the disc is a very nice 48-minute documentary about Fellini's frequent collaborator, composer Nino Rota, that no fan should miss. In addition, the disc includes interviews with several names: famed cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, most famous for his work on Apocalypse Now and his stunning collaborations for many of Bernardo Bertolucci's films; actress Sandra Milo, who stars in 8 1/2; and director Lina Wertmuller, who was responsible for many controversial and much-talked about films of the '60s and '70s. The disc also contains a plethora of behind-the-scenes stills and production photos. Liner notes are also included with the set. So if you're thinking of adding a new DVD to your collection or wondering which Fellini film to start with, 8 1/2 makes for both a perfect addition and a worthwhile introduction to one of the supreme masters of the cinema. ~ Derek Hill, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Number of Discs: 2
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: 5.1, PCM Mono
• Screen: Black and White, Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Subtitle: English
• Features:
  • New digital trasfer of restored film elements, enhanced for 16x9 televisions, with digital image restoration
  • Screen-specific audio essay featuring commentary by film critic and Fellini friend Gideon Bachmann and N.Y.U. professor of film Antonio Manda
  • Introduction by Terry Gilliam, director of "Brazil" and "12 Monkeys"
  • 22-page booklet featuring essays by Fellini, longtime Fellini collaborator and critic Tullio Kezich, and film professor and author Alexander Sesonske
  • Theatrical trailer
  • New and improved English subtitles
  • Optimal image quality
  • "Fellini: A Director's Notebook": a 52-minute film by Federico Fellini
  • "Nino Rota: Between Cinema and Concert": a 48-minute documentary about the maestro behind the music of Fellini's films
  • Interviews with actress Sandra Milo, director Lina Wertmüller, and cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, on the revolutionary art of Gianni di Venanzo
  • Rare photographs from the collection of Gideon Bachmann
  • Gallery of behind-the-scenes and production photos
  • Optimal image quality: RSDL dual-layer edition

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Won Best Black and White Costume Design - 1963 (Piero Gherardi)
•     Won Best Foreign Language Film - 1963 (Federico Fellini)
•     Nominated Best Black and White Art Direction - 1963 (Piero Gherardi)
•     Nominated Best Director - 1963 (Federico Fellini)
•     Nominated Best Original Screenplay - 1963 (Federico Fellini, Brunello Rondi, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli)

• British Academy of Film and Television Arts

•     Nominated Best Film - Any Source - 1963 (Federico Fellini)

• Directors Guild of America

•     Nominated Best Director - 1963 (Federico Fellini)

• Moscow International Film Festival

•     Won Grand Prize - 1963

• National Board of Review

•     Won Best Foreign Film - 1963

• New York Film Critics Circle

•     Won Best Foreign Film - 1963

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Marcello Mastroianni - Guido Anselmi
       Claudia Cardinale - Claudia
       Anouk Aimée - Luisa Anselmi
       Sandra Milo - Carla
       Rossella Falk - Rossella
       Madeleine Le Beau - French Actress

• Director:

  Federico Fellini

• Producer:

  Angelo Rizzoli

• Screenwriter:

  Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Brunello Rondi

• Cinematographer:

  Gianni Di Venanzo

• Composer (Music Score):

  Nino Rota

• Editor:

  Leo Cattozzo, Adrianna Olasio

• Production Designer:

  Piero Gherardi

REVIEWS:

• After his international smash {#La Dolce Vita} (1960), {$Federico Fellini} found himself saddled with a case of director's block, inspiring him to make {#8 1/2} (1963), about fictional director Guido Anselmi's case of director's block, that made visible the intimate workings of creativity. To reveal Guido's state of mind as he struggles with his filmmaking and multiple demands on his private life, Fellini seamlessly interweaves Guido's activities, fantasies, memories and dreams, doing away with any semblance of straight linear narrative structure in favor of Guido's surreally scattered psyche. In so doing, Fellini, like playwright {$Luigi Pirandello}, reflexively examines the artistic process itself; Guido's turmoil paradoxically brings Fellini's eighth-and-a-half feature (the half stood for two shorts), to fruition. Internationally hailed as an innovative masterpiece, and a commercial success, {#8 1/2} won Fellini his third Oscar for Best Foreign Film and inspired a generation of filmmakers with the singularly personal artistry that could only be described by the adjective "Felliniesque." {$Bob Fosse}'s {#All That Jazz} (1979) and {$Woody Allen}'s {#Stardust Memories} (1980) were their own {#8 1/2}s; {~Nine} was the 1982 Broadway musical version. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
• After his international smash La Dolce Vita (1960), Federico Fellini found himself saddled with a case of director's block, inspiring him to make 8 1/2 (1963), about fictional director Guido Anselmi's case of director's block, that made visible the intimate workings of creativity. To reveal Guido's state of mind as he struggles with his filmmaking and multiple demands on his private life, Fellini seamlessly interweaves Guido's activities, fantasies, memories and dreams, doing away with any semblance of straight linear narrative structure in favor of Guido's surreally scattered psyche. In so doing, Fellini, like playwright Luigi Pirandello, reflexively examines the artistic process itself; Guido's turmoil paradoxically brings Fellini's eighth-and-a-half feature (the half stood for two shorts), to fruition. Internationally hailed as an innovative masterpiece, and a commercial success, 8 1/2 won Fellini his third Oscar for Best Foreign Film and inspired a generation of filmmakers with the singularly personal artistry that could only be described by the adjective "Felliniesque." Bob Fosse's All That Jazz (1979) and Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980) were their own 8 1/2s; Nine was the 1982 Broadway musical version. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

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