I Vitelloni

I vitelloni was a decent film, and I definitely appreciated Jacqueline's lecture earlier today to help me understand it better. As she said, the beginning sequence has been copied by other film directors, such as Martin Scorcese. By moving the camera in such a way, the audience feels a part of the film.

I had a lot of ideas to write in here during the film, but I keep forgetting my notebook. The thing that jumped out at me during this film was Fellini's use of comic relief/"real-life" comedy. For instance, when Alberto is dressing up for the festival and is wearing all the make-up, it's hard for the audience to take him seriously when he tells his sister they will have it out. Similarly, it's also hard to take him seriously the next morning, when he's yelling after the car.....and he's wearing a dress...and has a stuffed bra. It's supposed to be a dramatic sequence, but his costume balances this with comedy. Also, when Fausto's father beats him, the drama of this event is contrasted with Signor Michele being happy about the beating. Use of this device also occured in Lo sceicco bianco, when Wanda attempts to commit suicide.

My favorite part of the movie is the festival, when Alberto gets incredibly drunk and is dancing with the clown head. Then, he brings the clown head with him, and when his friend drags him home, he's still dragging it behind him.

The White Sheik

The White Sheik was an amazing movie....and surprisingly funny. This movie made me understand why Fellini liked the "communal" film viewings...it definitely would not have been as funny had I not been with everyone.

Question: So, why did Wanda just keep going with the strangers? She must have had some strange yearning for something she couldn't have, or else she was simply curious.

I now see what the movie we saw in class was saying....Fellini never has normal characters in his movies. Wanda: total nutcase. Her husband: doubly concerned about his family's good name.

When Wanda first came on screen, I honestly thought she was slightly special. She hardly answered her husband's questions, and all she did was stare out the window. I didn't know if she was not-so-smart or if she was simply nervous from waiting to meet the relatives. However, she definitely had her mind elsewhere I guess. She was enraptured with someone who was, quite honestly, a chubby loser. Her husband was a much better catch.

The image most stuck in my head from this film was when Wanda was attempting to leave her husband and kill herself. The hilarity balanced out the sincerity of the moment, such as the hotel manager writing down her "last words." The best shot of the entire movie is when Wanda goes down to the river to kill herself, and she keeps almost doing it and stopping, then finally she plunges and the water is only an inch deep. Talk about comic relief. The dramatic acting of Wanda and the music make us wonder if she's going to do it, only to end up laughing.

Variety Lights

Okay, so honestly I have no idea what to write. I am not a film student, nor have I ever studied film before........

Variety Lights

Okay, so when Liliana boarded the train and sat down next to Signor Ceccho, I knew there would be trouble. What a slut, to wink at him as he's sitting there with his fiancee....not to mention hiking up her dress to show him her legs.

What I don't understand: Why did Liliana "put herself out" to other men, but not Ceccho? It makes me wonder if she actually did have feelings for him. But, she still ruined it by running away.

The image stuck in my head from Variety Lights is Liliana leaning her head on Ceccho's shoulder, while Melina (?) was right next to them. Then, when her father fell, Ceccho didn't even help Melina pick him back up again. It was incredibly sad, watching her hoist him up from the ground.

The other thing I remember most is, strangely, the audiences from the troupe's performances. All the men were so disrespectful....and human. They were so loud and obnoxious. Ugh.