It starred anthony rudolph oaxaca quinn as zampano, a brutish but phoney itinerant strong man, and masina as the waif who loves him. Federico fellini, italian film director who was one of the most celebrated and singular filmmakers of the period after world war ii. It is based on the 1954 film of the same name by federico fellini. It is being rereleased, in a restored print presented by martin scorsese, at a poignant moment. Initial critical reaction was harsh, and the films screening at the venice film festival was the occasion of a bitter controversy that escalated into a public brawl between fellinis supporters and detractors. Initial critical reaction was harsh, and the films screening at the venice film festival was the occasion of a bitter controversy that escalated into a public brawl between fellini s supporters and detractors. Giulietta masina and anthony quinns pitiable pair of outsiders provide a poignant contrast between gentleness and might in federico fellinis unforgettable. A welcome 2k rerelease of federico fellinis punishing 1951 road movie about an abusive circus strongman. Set in a seedy travelling carnival, this symbolismladen drama revolves around brutish strongman zampano anthony quinn, his simple and servile girlfriend gelsomina giulietta masina, fellini s wife, and clownaerialist matto richard basehart. I struggled with it and i would say i respect the movie more than i liked. Federico fellinis oscarwinning masterpiece heads back to theaters watch the first movie in history to win the oscar for best foreign language film. Bart wrote the score in 1967 and made a demonstration recording, although the musical was not produced until 1969, when it was famously cancelled after just one performance.
Fellini once described this masterpiece, which marks his break with the strictures of neorealism, as the complete catalogue of my mythical world. The road is a 1954 italian drama film directed by federico fellini from his own screenplay cowritten with tullio pinelli and ennio flaiano. The studio was bombed during the second world war and went through a period of reconstruction. Mar 19, 2020 federico fellini, italian film director who was one of the most celebrated and singular filmmakers of the period after world war ii. The road, fellini returned to the world of showmen. Fellini received an honorary oscar at the 1993 academy awards, with his wife giulietta masina applauding tearfully in the front row. Try to sense, like a kind of echo, the extra meanings fellini makes possible for simple objects, like the drum, the trumpet, the cigarettes, the chain, the dinosaur of a truck, and so on. Fellinis oscarwinning weepie is moving not only for the cruel fate of its lead characters at the hand of a brutish man, but for how we can see.
The movie has a fairly standard story arc with a beginning middle end, but this is no ordinary movie. Fellini received an honorary oscar at the 1993 academy awards, with his wife giulietta masina applauding tearfully. It tells us that it is commendable to imagine, for it is the world that is cruel. As with much of the work of director federico fellini, man is viewed as suspended between the heavens and the earth, adroitly symbolized here by il mattothe fool richard baseheart, a highwire circus performer. A few of the alltime hit films directed by him include lo sceicco bianco the white sheik 1952, i vitelloni 1953, ii bidone the swindlers 1955, and variety lights 1965. And precisely thats the reason i have chosen it to begin of my eulogy on fellini s lifelong masterful works. It is also an important transitional work in italian cinema because its poetic and lyrical qualities set it apart from the literalness of the neorealism school which had dominated postworld war ii italy. Gelsomina giulietta masina, who was fellini s wife is walking along a bright and uninhabited beach.
Set in a seedy travelling carnival, this symbolismladen drama revolves around brutish strongman zampano anthony quinn, his simple and servile girlfriend gelsomina giulietta masina, fellinis wife, and clownaerialist matto richard basehart. V i didnt know as much as i have learned this time around and how poor the italians were at that time. His distinctive methods superimposed dreamlike or hallucinatory imagery upon ordinary situations in such movies as. I decided to buy it because when i was a little girl i saw it and wanted to see what i didnt see back then on t. The film was shot on desolate locations between viterbo and. And precisely thats the reason i have chosen it to begin of my eulogy on fellinis lifelong masterful works. There has never been a face quite like that of giulietta masina. In 1956, the film won the academy award for best film in a foreign language. The film tells the story of gelsomina, a simpleminded young woman giulietta masina bought from her mother by zampano anthony quinn, a brutish strongman who takes her with him on the road. One of italys great modern directors, federico fellini was a largerthanlife maestro who created an inimitable cinematic style combining surreal carnival with incisive social. There are only about 100 theaters in america that will book a serious, subtitled film, even if its by ingmar bergman or federico fellini. Giulietta masina and anthony quinns pitiable pair of outsiders provide a poignant contrast between gentleness and might in federico fellini s unforgettable.
Already, word has come from the worlds film centers a great picture is coming. Acclaimed italian filmmaker federico fellini drew on his own circus background for this classic film. Special edition 1954 starring anthony quinn and giulietta masina on dvd and bluray. Fellini met rota at cinecitta, the italian equivalent of hollywood that was founded in rome in 1937 by benito mussolini. Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor federico fellini is known for his style of blending fantasy with baroque. Gelsomina giulietta masina, who was fellinis wife is walking along a. In particular, i find the ending frustrating because it is an excellent ending in its own. Ive been fascinated with fellini movies since i first saw juliet of the spirits. Fellini films ive seen, a list of films by captain quint. Film buffs will have noted the recent death of the great scholar of italian cinema, peter bondanella, whose work on federico fellini helped to.
31 377 1631 734 280 558 1306 1038 1499 673 1318 216 727 1442 723 406 716 951 577 337 1024 1244 998 445 1104 85 1062 1244 1085 1406 1410 682 178 1291 1433 1269