8 1/2 (1963)
95%RT Audience Score: 92%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Inventive, thought-provoking, and funny, 8 1/2 represents the arguable peak of Federico Fellini’s many towering feats of cinema.
If you’re looking for a movie that’ll make you think, laugh, and scratch your head all at the same time, then 8 1/2 is the one for you. This flick is like the Everest of Federico Fellini’s epic filmography – it’s the one that’ll leave you gasping for air at the top.
With its wild and wacky storyline, 8 1/2 is a true masterpiece of cinema. It’s got everything you could ever want in a movie – drama, romance, comedy, and even a little bit of weirdness thrown in for good measure.
But what really sets this flick apart is its inventiveness. Fellini was a true visionary, and he brought all of his creative genius to bear in 8 1/2. From the stunning visuals to the mind-bending plot twists, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
So if you’re in the mood for a movie that’s both thought-provoking and hilarious, then 8 1/2 is the one for you. Just be prepared to have your mind blown – this flick is a true work of art.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Kino Pictures, Embassy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1963
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:2h 15m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:Italy
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 25, 1963 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 4, 2001
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, Madeleine Lebeau, Mario Pisu, directed by Federico Fellini, written by Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, Brunello Rondi, Fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Eric Rhode, James Powers, Ian Mantgani, Kate Muir, Peter Bradshaw, Derek Malcolm, Brian Eggert, Dennis Harvey, Allen Almachar, MPAA rating, produced by Angelo Rizzoli, Kino Pictures, Embassy Pictures, Guido Anselmi, Luisa Anselmi, Carla, French Actress, Mezzabotta, autobiographical, creative stasis, personal life, romantic, fantastical, childhood, dreams, memories, film-making, self-interrogation, surreal, neorealism, artist, self-doubt, ego, love story, Black & White, anti-comedy, anti-structural, powerful performances, effective storytelling, enthralling, rich in character, imagery, problem, author, story
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Claudia Cardinale – Claudia
Anouk Aimée – Luisa Anselmi (as Anouk Aimee)
Sandra Milo – Carla
Madeleine Lebeau – French Actress
Mario Pisu – Mezzabotta
Director(s)
Federico Fellini
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Angelo Rizzoli
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (1)
Though he can’t face up to the total case, we must be grateful to Fellini for having presented so much of it, and with such flair and exuberance.
February 11, 2020
Eric Rhode
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Fellini keeps a grasp on his difficult form, creating some penetrating, witty, tragic moments.
June 26, 2018
James Powers
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
A carnival of the soul.
May 1, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Ian Mantgani
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Marcello Mastroianni becomes an avatar for the great Italian director Federico Fellini in the surreal cinematic self-interrogation that takes place in 8 1/2.
April 30, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Kate Muir
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It exerts an irresistible pull.
April 30, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
8 1/2 is probably the most potent movie about film-making, within which fantasy and reality are mixed without obfuscation, and there’s a tough argument that belies Fellini’s usual felicitous flaccidity.
January 6, 2014
Derek Malcolm
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
With every screening, you discover more layers and further understand the film’s purpose, and its filmmaker.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It remains dazzling and original, as ambitiously unfettered an exercise in navel- gazing as the movies have ever offered…
August 30, 2021
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
It successfully portrays the passions, contradictions, and pressures of being an artist.
May 21, 2021
Allen Almachar
The MacGuffin
Overall 8 1/2 is a strange film but I like it and what it has to say about inspiration and film. It was a challenging to movie to watch and keep everything straight but I like movies that challenge me and make me ask questions.
March 24, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
No director has been as personal or vulnerable as Fellini is here– he taps into his past, his dreams, his quirks, faults and failures, to find the meaning in the madness of life.
January 10, 2021
Asher Luberto
L.A. Weekly
Made me prick up my eyes. After twenty minutes I began to suspect I might be in on a masterpiece, and after thirty I was sure of it.
August 13, 2019
Dwight MacDonald
Esquire Magazine…
Plot
A troubled Italian filmmaker struggles with creative stasis as he attempts to get a new movie off the ground, retreating into his thoughts which often focus on his loves, both past and present, and frequently wander into fantastical territory, in Federico Fellini’s inventive and thought-provoking film, 8 1/2.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast includes Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, and Anouk Aimée.
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