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Created Jan 13, 2010 11:50AM PST • Edited Dec 18, 2020 06:16PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Federico Fellini’s 8½ is self-referential in the extreme, as his fever-dream of a movie-about-the-making-of-a-movie parodies the self-indulgence of its maker. Nice work if you can get it.

   Still, it is a classic, widely acclaimed to be amongst the greatest and most influential movies of all time. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

   Is it worth 2¼ hours to watch today? Yes, for art movie buffs, those interested in Jungian psychology, and anyone thinking of seeing the new movie Nine, which is crafted as its sequel. 8½ also makes apparent the meaning of “Felliniesque.”

   Everyone else – which is to say mainstream movie fans – should steer clear of this baroque extravaganza.

   Speaking of Nine, what’s up with these numeric names? Fellini had made 7½ movies – two shorts plus six features plus a collaboration on another feature – prior to 8½. Nine follows this progression, apparently.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   Marcello Mastroianni’s iconic performance as Fellini’s alter-ego has become encrusted in legend.

   His women are equally compelling, especially Claudia Cardinale’s Ideal Woman (perfect casting, yes?) and Sandra Milo’s voluptuous mistress. Less impressive is Anouk Aimée as his wife.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    Perhaps the ultimate art film, 8½ stands as one man’s unconscious brought to life. Fellini had encountered a creative block in creating his next movie, was about to give up, and then decided to make the movie about a director who’s encountered a creative block. Brilliant!

    Thus it is the ideal of the form for fans of auteurs. To them, most movies since have been corporate crap. Ah, art.

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

12. Play Good 3.0

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Good 3.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Tame 1.4

17. Sex Titillating 1.8

18. Violence Gentle 1.0

19. Rudeness Polite 1.3

21. Reality

    Glib 1.4

    Much of the movie occurs in dream sequences, where the rules of reality don’t apply. How convenient.

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.1

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0