I've come to understand why this film is called a director's movie, that is, a movie that should be considered must seeing for all directors. Fellini blends dreams with reality, abstraction with rigidity, and parody with truthfulness. The film is largely self referential for the proclaimed director, a movie about making a movie with a director being a director for that movie. I found it interesting that Fellini's own mental block following the success of "La Dolce Vita" was resolved when he decided to change the principal character here from a writer to a director. Fellini was not a writer, he didn't live in that world even though he knew many. But he could relate to a director's frustration and the change allowed him to throw off the shackles to creativity.
I have to say, I wasn't getting it at first but the movie managed to grow on me in the telling. Unable to come to terms with the story he was trying to tell, Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) kept putting off everyone associated with his project - the producer, the actresses, the crew, everyone. The stress intrudes into his personal life as well, unable to reconcile feelings for his wife and the women in his past. It all begins to make sense when Guido decides to accept 'what is' during this particular time of his life. He's then able to successfully approach his project unfettered by imaginary constraints.
But granted, it's not an easy movie to follow and will not appeal to everyone. There are flashbacks and dreamlike sequences that don't appear to connect to anything. Mostly, the movie is a testament to Man's inner confusion and coming to terms with one's life. At the end of the picture Guido appears to have made his peace with himself, and one is left to wonder whether this condition is permanent or temporary.
I have to say, I wasn't getting it at first but the movie managed to grow on me in the telling. Unable to come to terms with the story he was trying to tell, Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) kept putting off everyone associated with his project - the producer, the actresses, the crew, everyone. The stress intrudes into his personal life as well, unable to reconcile feelings for his wife and the women in his past. It all begins to make sense when Guido decides to accept 'what is' during this particular time of his life. He's then able to successfully approach his project unfettered by imaginary constraints.
But granted, it's not an easy movie to follow and will not appeal to everyone. There are flashbacks and dreamlike sequences that don't appear to connect to anything. Mostly, the movie is a testament to Man's inner confusion and coming to terms with one's life. At the end of the picture Guido appears to have made his peace with himself, and one is left to wonder whether this condition is permanent or temporary.