Rating: 
Summary: FELLINI IS THE MASTER
Review: Everyone has already said everything that can be said other than hearing it from the horse's mouth. Fellini is the man and this is his finest work.
Rating: 
Summary: Please God Not Again!
Review: Every time I watch this movie- or try to watch it- I fall asleep in self-defense. Terrible, boring, not the great masterpiece everyone seems to claim.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Confusion
Review: The first time I saw 8 1/2, I grasped bits of its structure but didn't really understand it. It challenges you to understand it. Then I listened to the commentary track, and everything fell in place, more or less. The story, if we can say there is one, follows Guido, a movie director, staying at a health spa while trying to organize his next movie. His problem is that he has no idea what the movie is about, nor does he know what he is doing. Everything in his life lacks balance and he cannot admit the truth to himself or others, so he looks inwards to try to find answers, while being hounded by disgruntled actresses and journalists. 8 1/2 has a multitude of narrative levels, even its own critic. At a first viewing, you have an utter but "Beautiful Confusion", as the movie was first supposed to be called. But there *is* a method to this madness, and if you are very patient and have the DVD commentary track, you can understand it, I promise you. I think I managed that, but it's difficult (I don't want to give it away, however tempting it is). There is a reason why it's called an art students' favourite. Contrarily to what some ignorant critics have said, 8 1/2 is not about creativity or making a movie or somesuch nonsense. There is strictly no movie-making in this movie, as Guido has no screenplay, and no idea where he is going. Trying to explain this movie cannot be done, unless you simply tell the truth - that it is an exploration of Fellini's psyche and problems. The movie itself feels more like a sustained emotion than a movie, because we are basically exploring one gigantic theme, and we just don't know it. It is not an easy movie to watch emotionally or to remember, because the storyline is fragmentary. It's more like a dream than an actual story. From the opening dream scene of Guido trapped in a car, to the bath house (the most inspired scene I've ever seen), to the unfinished spaceship structure, 8 1/2's style is the equal of its content. This is a beautiful movie to look at, and its black-and-white cinematography is not only great, I didn't even notice it was black-and-white unless a commentator mentioned it !
Rating:
Summary: Spiral To Amazement With The Best Fellini DVD Out There
Review: As soon as I saw E ½E I fell in love with it. Possibly it was because I completely related to the main character's pain of being trapped in a reality that made him paranoid, or that every problem that he had would topple down his other problems like dominoes, pressure from the people who surrounded him, personal and professional alike. Or maybe since it was directed and written by Fellini. In any way, this vision only Fellini could take on, a director who had no idea how to finish his own film, with his personal struggles surrounding him at the same time, was destined to be the film that Fellini should be remembered for. You may want to scream at yourself after watching this film. But do you exactly know why? Criterion put together the ultimate package for E ½E supplements galore. Commentary is fun for the enthusiasts, along with Terry Gilliam's intro. But all the fun to me lies in the autobiographical film that Fellini made for television. Just sit back and watch this after the movie. You'll see what I mean by it. Or maybe you won't. The documentary on the amazing Nina Rota from German television is also included, the composer behind many of his films, possibly this one being the most memorable of his film scores. They also held back at nothing and included many essays for the booklet inside, which I still have no idea why other companies feel this is not a 'supplementE If you don't own any of Fellini's films on DVD, this is the one to start off with. This has the best extras of any out there. On a side note, the audio seemed to be slightly off, but it might be a defect on my copy, I haven't seen anything on Criterion's website that says anything about it. Best shot/sequence:
With Criterion remastering every frame, it's hard to pick out the best of the best. But the opening dream sequence when Guido is stuck in traffic and floats away is still far and away one of the greatest dream sequences ever made, with subtle uses of freeze framing, dissolves, and telephoto lenses. I especially love the old man caressing the younger woman in the other car. Strange, but very much part of the dream that has to be seen to understand.
Rating:
Summary: Fellini is the mack.
Review: Otto e mezzo has now entered my top ten movies of all time!
Rating:
Summary: a stunning transfer with a wealth of extras!
Review: Criterion has done it again with a fantastic edition of this classic Italian film. They have packed this 2-DVD set with an incredible amount of supplemental material AND a stunning transfer of the film -- it has never looked this amazing. No specks of dirt or scratches, no print fade... incredible. This was the way 8 1/2 was meant to be seen. Now when are the folks at Criterion going to get to LA DOLCE VITA?
Rating:
Summary: It's cinematic butter!
Review: I have little to add to the words of others here, who have rightly praised this film. The movie is superb in every way - it is a joy to watch. However, I do want to add that even if you are not a fan of other Fellini films, you may still like this film. For instance, Amarcord made me want to pull my hair out long before I watched 8 1/2. I saw this movie accidentally, and it was one of the most fortunate mistakes I've ever made.
Rating:
Summary: to put in one word: MAGNIFICO
Review: This is one of the best films ever made. Most people think that Fellini's masterpiece was La Dolce Vita but i think that 8 1/2 is his true masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: This one was worth waiting for
Review: 8 1/2, which graced the ten best films lists of ciritics for decades shines on this DVD edition from Criterion. I don't think it has ever sounded and looked this good on American shores. If you love Fellini you must have this film. It sums up his artistic vision and tendencies perfectly.
Rating:
Summary: Bravo Fellini! Bravo Criterion!
Review: I recently purchased the Criterion Collection edition of 8 1/2. There isn't much I can say about the film that has not already been said by many reviewers. This is one of the greatest pieces of cinema--"a film with itself as subject." With 8 1/2, Fellini turns his artistic confusions outward and forever sublimates the wonderful madness of cinema and the human condition which it reflects. The Criterion DVD is amazing! I could not believe the quality of the digital transfer. The film looks incredibly sharp. The sound is astonishingly crisp. The extras are great and the commentary is definitely helpful. Overall this was a satisfying purchase. Worth every penny! Bravo Criterion for perserving the cinematic heritage of the world in elegant (expensive) DVDs.
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