Two Fellini
and I realized that what I love about Woody Allen movies aren't their Fellini-like moments. What I love are the Marx Bros-like moments...so I should just explore that influence, right?
La Dolce Vita:
When I was done with this 3 hour epic, I said, "I don't get it." Then I watched the commentary that came with the DVD and said, "Nevermind, I DID get it." It's just that most of it didn't mean anything to me. The opening scene with the Jesus-helicopter; the ennui of the rich; the quest for tail; yeah, I understood all that. But I don't see how any of this can hold a fascination for us unless we are inherently fascinated by the rich and glamorous. More on that later.
A few episodes that I thought were really powerful. The Sylvia episode, of course. Who can not relate to that dream of falling in love with a magnetic, elusive person one can never have and never understand, and yet spend one magical night with? The Trevi fountain looked exceptionally beautiful, as did Anita Ekberg. The Madonna episode: merciless, cynical, an incisive portrayal of modern hope. The night out on the town with Marcello's dad: thoroughly uncomfortable (realistically so), but deep in pathos and full of yearning. And finally, the last scene with the girl from Umbria. That was the one time during the movie where I was able to say, "I get it!"
Satyricon:
NOW I was able to say with confidence, "I don't get it." Whereas I found the individual scenes of La Dolce Vita to be coherent - even though I couldn't stitch together any meaning from the pieces - with Satyricon, I sometimes couldn't even figure out what was going on. I'd say I'm pretty well primed to approach that film; as a classicist, all that stuff about ancient pederasty, courtesan culture, orgies, and recreational violence is old fucking hat. And yet, when I was watching Satyricon, I was thinking the whole time, "I got NO frame of reference." If it weren't for the movie Gladiator, in which the same thing happens, I wouldn't have ben able to figure out why Encolpio gets captured as a slave. Note to self: never fall asleep in an unknown place, because you're sure to wake up a slave. There are many other wherefores, however, that I couldn't figure out. Why does that building start crumbling? Why is Ascilto friends with everyone? Why do they decide to kidnap Hermaphrodite?
As for the strengths... Actually, I can't think of any off the top of my head. I guess that part about art/poverty vs. hackery/wealth was kind of neat. Encolpio and Ascilto were very handsome (my preference still for the brunette).
La Dolce Vita:
When I was done with this 3 hour epic, I said, "I don't get it." Then I watched the commentary that came with the DVD and said, "Nevermind, I DID get it." It's just that most of it didn't mean anything to me. The opening scene with the Jesus-helicopter; the ennui of the rich; the quest for tail; yeah, I understood all that. But I don't see how any of this can hold a fascination for us unless we are inherently fascinated by the rich and glamorous. More on that later.
A few episodes that I thought were really powerful. The Sylvia episode, of course. Who can not relate to that dream of falling in love with a magnetic, elusive person one can never have and never understand, and yet spend one magical night with? The Trevi fountain looked exceptionally beautiful, as did Anita Ekberg. The Madonna episode: merciless, cynical, an incisive portrayal of modern hope. The night out on the town with Marcello's dad: thoroughly uncomfortable (realistically so), but deep in pathos and full of yearning. And finally, the last scene with the girl from Umbria. That was the one time during the movie where I was able to say, "I get it!"
Satyricon:
NOW I was able to say with confidence, "I don't get it." Whereas I found the individual scenes of La Dolce Vita to be coherent - even though I couldn't stitch together any meaning from the pieces - with Satyricon, I sometimes couldn't even figure out what was going on. I'd say I'm pretty well primed to approach that film; as a classicist, all that stuff about ancient pederasty, courtesan culture, orgies, and recreational violence is old fucking hat. And yet, when I was watching Satyricon, I was thinking the whole time, "I got NO frame of reference." If it weren't for the movie Gladiator, in which the same thing happens, I wouldn't have ben able to figure out why Encolpio gets captured as a slave. Note to self: never fall asleep in an unknown place, because you're sure to wake up a slave. There are many other wherefores, however, that I couldn't figure out. Why does that building start crumbling? Why is Ascilto friends with everyone? Why do they decide to kidnap Hermaphrodite?
As for the strengths... Actually, I can't think of any off the top of my head. I guess that part about art/poverty vs. hackery/wealth was kind of neat. Encolpio and Ascilto were very handsome (my preference still for the brunette).
posted by Rex at 9:18 PM
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