Fellini of Rome

I have not matured enough to discuss Fellini or Rome, but I visited Margutta street where Fellini I lived with Giulietta Masina, so I decided to jot some things down.

Fellini left his home Rimini, which he depicted in Amarcord, and came to Rome when he was 17 under the Mussolini government.

It was inevitable to enter the movie industry from the scenarios of Rossellini’s “Roma città apert.

The atmosphere here is well depicted in the vulgar scenes of Trastevere neighborhood in “Fellini’s Roma.

“Fellini’s Roma” shows chaos and freedom.

The confusion of war, hippies in 72, motorcycles racing by, or the bizarre and brilliant fashion shows by priests, they are all the same Roma.

The scene where the old Fresco drawings disappear as soon as it touches modern air is an homage to uncertainty of beauty.

“La Dolce Vita”.

From the intro when the helicopter hangs the statue of Christ to the scene where Silvia and Marcello climb up the stairs of St. Peter's Basilica, it represents the chaos of modern and old times.

(When I visited St. Peter's Basilica, the “holy gates” which only opens once every 25 years was open. Apparently, having gone through the gate, all my sins have been forgiven.)

Fatigue and depravation. You reach for the elegant lady but you can’t get her.

The intelligent elite professor kills himself, taking his family with him.

Cannot be saved. Cannot be saved.

Fellini says the Rome he draws in “La Dolce Vita” is “The town in my imagination”.

The monument that remains on Veneto street.

Tired from the party, Marcello finds a dead body of an ugly fish/stingray.

What awaits us past disorder and despair.

The screaming voice of the beautiful girl on the shores do not get to him. Marcello says “Chao” and turns around.

Suburbs of Rome, Ostia shores.

Today, these are shining resorts.

Similarly at Ostia shores, Guido, impersonated by Mastroianni, is told “Chao” by Saraghina, a strange girl dancing the Rumba at “8 1/2”.

A beautiful and sad parting from boyhood.

A beach that shines on the history of film.

In “8 1/2” Fellini filmed himself.

The title came from the number of pieces he had shot up to that point. He thought of the structure while he was driving to Ostia.

He filmed it on site and he improvised based on instinct.

You could say it was Nouvelle Vague.

This shore is known as a place where Pasolini was killed after filming “Salò”.

“Life is a festival”

The last scene of “8 1/2” where he runs in circles is one of the best 3 ending scenes (for me) next to Ferdinand exploding in Godard’s “Pierrot Le Fou” and the long take on the beach in Kenji Mizoguchi’s “Sansho the Bailiff”. Although apparently “Pierrot Le Fou” is an homage to Mizoguchi.

They are all shot on the beach.

Fellini uses plazas like these very preciously.

Anita Ekberg walks into an empty Trevi Fountain with a kitten on her head.

A famous scene from “La Dolce Vita”.

Drew the holy plaza with strong paintbrush strokes.

Renzi Park is where the boxing match takes place in “Fellini’s Roma”.

Plazas like these are what makes Italy, Italy.

I visited a village called Bagnoregio in Lazio, where “La Strada” was shot.

Was Gelsomina here, or Zampano...?

I could not find out,

Right across from there, the “Castle in the Sky” called Civita was enshrined.

I hear it is the model for Miyazaki Hayao’s “Castle in the Sky”.

The white spa in “8 1/2” was Chianciano Terme, near Siena, Toscana.

It was a sad village.

Fellini kept drawing elegant women.

But maybe he was looking for tranquility.

Yes, just like Marcello and Guido.