Fellini - I'm a Born Liar
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Movie Reviews of Fellini - I'm a Born Liar
Movie Review: Fellini & Collaborators Wax Poetic on Film, Art and Life
Summary: 3 Stars
This was an interesting documentary that I liked, and I wished it would have revealed more. However--as other Amazon reviewers have noted--what is most essential in Fellini is revealed in his films. When I have watched the occasional and rare interview with Fellini, I've always been impressed with his explanation of the various motives and reasons for his visions; his process is "multi-spectral", as he is interested in the psychological, the psychoanalytical, the intuitive, the instinctual. Regarding the creative process, he doesn't want to know too much; nor, he advises, should artists in general want to know too much. In essence: "Get out of your own way, be an empty vessel that is willing to be filled, and most importantly--Believe. Believe in everything, throw caution to the winds, cast aside your doubts and skepticism--Be a magician." According to Fellini, an artist with too much freedom will end up accomplishing little; the artist is a natural rebel who needs to set up obstacles that he / she will ultimately defy. In this documentary, Fellini comes across as as person who is self-assured, and yet not arrogant; confident, and yet not seemingly egotistical.
Conversely, Terence Stamp discusses his frustrations working with Fellini as a very young actor; he does a funny impression of Fellini directing him which made me laugh. Donald Sutherland reveals this: "Tormenting his actors, tormenting his cameramen, is an intricate part of Fellini's process". [Roberto Benigni, who I find to be incredibly annoying, manages to make one coherent comment]. Stamp and Sutherland describe Fellini as a difficult, demanding director who gave them little guidance and made the creative process challenging for them. Perhaps Fellini drove his actors insane on purpose to extract good performances from them--he wouldn't be the first to have done so. Sutherland also admitted that he felt more comfortable making films, as Fellini did, where the sets are fake (-IE- the "plastic trash bag ocean" of "Casanova"). Fellini confesses that he loves actors; he loves their childish side, their extroversion, their capriciousness. But then, in light of the commentary by Stamp and Sutherland--Can we really be sure of that? After all, "Fellini [Is] A Born Liar". And yes actors are puppets; Sutherland admits to being a mannequin; he refers to Fellini as the catalyst who helped him create his performance. In a picture, the role of an actor is limited; he is just one of many components, especially in films as detailed as Fellini's. And in the end, the director gets all the glory. In closing--The channeling of all of Fellini's contradictions into his work is what made his pictures interesting; as it is discussed with several of Fellini's collaborators in this documentary--the process was made to look like improvisation, and yet it was all supremely calculated.
Stephen C. Bird, author of "Hideous Exuberance: A Satire"
Movie Review: Passing time
Summary: 3 Stars
It is a work of interest for interested in cinematography, its history and alike.
Not much for an ordinary viewer your author is.
Movie Review: Just watch a Fellini film instead
Summary: 2 Stars
Instead of watching this, just watch 8 1/2. The same themes and ideas are expressed, but 8 1/2 is beautiful and expressive. This movie, while referencing and showing clips to other movies, generally takes most of its inspiration from 8 1/2 and, honestly, I feel if I hadn't had watched 8 1/2 previously I wouldn't have been able to care about this documentary.
Another thing is that this documentary lingers in heavy close-up on Fellini's face a lot, which isn't composed well and is kind of annoying. About the only really good original imagery in the film is long takes of the Italian countryside, but even those aren't technically necessary... especially since Fellini and some of the others in the movie discuss how sometimes sets are more preferable anyway.
All I got out of this movie was the feeling that I could have much better spent my time watching one of the films presented in this essay. So I think I'll go do that now instead of lingering any longer on it.
--PolarisDiB
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